Melissa Allen was born in New Hartford, New York and raised in Whitesboro, New York. She received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York and her Masters of Science in Chemistry at the University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign.

After graduating from the University of Illinois, Ms. Allen joined National Starch and Chemical in Bridgewater, New Jersey as a formulation chemist. During the seven years she was with National Starch she developed and formulated food packaging adhesives and received several patents in adhesive technology.

In 2004, Ms. Allen joined the faculty of Davidson County Community College as a chemistry instructor. While she was there, she received the college's Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006 and developed a hybrid chemistry class which she currently teaches on a part-time basis.

Ms. Allen later joined Syngenta Crop Protection in Greensboro, North Carolina, an agro-chemical business that formulates insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.

After a year with Syngenta, Ms. Allen had a desire to return to teaching and joined the Rockingham Community College faculty in August 2007 as a chemistry instructor.

In her spare time, Melissa enjoys playing volleyball and spending time with her daughter, Kaylee.