Staff
The Honorable Melissa Melendez
America First California Executive Director, Director of State Chapters
Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.
- Margaret Thatcher
Melissa Melendez is from Southern California and serves as a Senior Advisor at AFPI. Melendez started her life in public service in the U.S. Navy, operating as a Russian translator within Naval Intelligence and flying covert missions in support of the U.S. and her allies during the Cold War. She later served as a City Council member in Lake Elsinore, California, for four years, including one term as Mayor. She went on to serve for 10 years in the California State Legislature, first in the State Assembly and then as a State Senator before terming out of office in November 2022. She served as Vice Chair for the Committee on Public Safety, the Budget Committee, the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee, the Health Committee, and the Insurance Committee. She earned an undergraduate degree from Chaminade University in History and Political Studies as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She enjoys her daily five-mile running routine, but her favorite thing to do is cook for her husband and children. She and her husband, Nico, a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, have five children and one sweet dog named Daisy and live in Southern California.
Topics
- Work & Jobs
- Debt
- Inflation
- Trade
- Higher Education
- K-12
- School Boards
- Agriculture
- Environment & Climate
- Energy
- Asia
- Europe
- Israel & the Middle East
- Big Tech & Censorship
- Budget, Spending, & Taxes
- Government Regulation
- The Administrative State
- Weaponization
- Civil Service Reform
- Healthcare Reform
- Public Health
- Criminal Justice & Public Safety
- Election Integrity
- The Courts
- Border Security & Immigration
- National Security & Defense
- Faith
- Marriage, Family, & Children
- Religious Liberty
- Sanctity of Life