Melissa has spent nearly 20 years empowering individuals and communities through mental health support across diverse settings, including community mental health, inpatient psychiatry, hospitals, and public schools. Melissa brings expertise in assessment, intervention, and systems advocacy. Prior to Wash U Cares, she was a clinician with the hematology department at Washington University School of Medicine and behavioral health therapist with Healthy Kids, Healthy Minds program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Dr. Hamilton holds a Doctor of Social Work degree from Tulane University and dual master’s degrees in social work and public health from St. Louis University. She is passionate about helping individuals by providing knowledge, support, and coping skills to overcome life’s challenges. Passionate about service and fueled by purpose, she remains deeply engaged in civic leadership with involvement in multiple organizations in the St. Louis area. In her spare time, you will find her attending local events, she enjoys walking, live music, and impromptu dance parties.