A 1995 Auburn University graduate, Melea has been a social media manager in the tourism industry for more than a decade at Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. At AMLA, Melea is responsible for creating content on Visit North Alabama’s social media platforms, writing blog posts on the website, coordinating the North Alabama Ambassador Program, and speaking at various events and meetings about social media. Melea is also the host of Unexpected Adventures in North Alabama, AMLA’s new podcast, produced by Relic Agency. The podcast won a 2022 Muse Award - Silver in the Audio/Podcast category. Melea was honored in October 2023 with the Tourism Promoter of the Year Award from the Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association for her work on the podcast.

Prior to working for AMLA, Melea received her Masters at UNA in Secondary Education and taught middle school English and coached middle school cheerleaders for three years. She also taught English at Calhoun Community College for 8 1/2 half years. Before that she worked in public relations for an advertising agency in Atlanta, a minor league baseball team in Columbus, Georgia, and for Auburn University in the development office. Just last year, Melea created her very own social media marketing agency with a friend called M and M Social. She loves to write, travel, walk in the park (she walked over 600 miles in 2020), go to Auburn games, and read books about WWII.