With an interdisciplinary background and extensive experience in health policy and finance strategy, Melissa specializes in Medicaid policy development, research, and reimbursement, assisting clients in driving significant changes in health care systems. She has comprehensive expertise in both creating and evaluating health programs. Her policy initiatives have enhanced access to maternal healthcare services and led to the successful launch of certified community behavioral health clinic programs. Her financial and health care proficiency aids in developing provider tax strategies, drafting and negotiating federal demonstration projects, and implementing managed care delivery systems.

Prior to joining Manatt, Melissa served as the Policy and Research Director of the Kansas Medicaid program, where she collaborated with stakeholders and spearheaded initiatives to improve access to quality healthcare for vulnerable populations and directed training programs for providers and agency personnel. She led the state’s successful application for the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model, a competitive federal initiative aimed at improving maternal health outcomes for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees through whole-person, value-based care models. Through collaboration with federal and state partners, she aligned Kansas’s maternal health priorities with federal model goals, including enhancing postpartum care and building sustainable maternity care infrastructure in underserved rural and urban communities.

As the Director of Fiscal and Program Evaluation at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, she oversaw the evaluation of home and community-based service programs, institutional reimbursement initiatives, provider tax programs, and value-based LTSS payment innovations that promoted person-centered care.