Currently on leave from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Melissa also has experience in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, former Australian Customs Service and former Bureau of Industry Economics. She has served as Australia’s first resident female Ambassador to the Holy See, as well as in London and Dublin. She was awarded the Order of Pope Pius IX Grand Cross for furthering bilateral relations between Australia and the Holy See (2019) and was a member of teams which received Secretary’s Citations for contributions to Australia’s COVID-19 response (2021) and Ukraine Crisis (2023).

Highlights of her career include working on the election of Natasha Stott Despoja to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (2020); Independent Review of the Intelligence Community (IRIC), the first since the 2004 Flood Inquiry (2011); Secretariat for the International Commission for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICCND), a joint initiative of the Australian and Japanese Governments under Chairs The Hon Gareth Evans AC KC and Yoriko Kawaguchi (2008-2010); EU Single Market series identifying trade and investment opportunities for Australian business (1990s); and the phased lifting of Commonwealth sanctions against South Africa (1990s).

Melissa’s research builds on her contribution to Australia’s multilateral engagement on gender at the Human Rights Council (including during Australia’s membership of the Council), UNGA, G20, EAS, APEC, MIKTA and the Commonwealth (2020-2022). It considers Australia’s implementation of the Women Peace and Security (WPS) agenda under UNSCR1325 through the second National Action Plan on WPS 2021-2031. Implementation included negotiation of a Framework for Civil-Society Engagement on WPS, management of multi-million dollar investments, and whole-of-government coordination which she had the privilege of leading (2020-2022). Melissa’s research also draws on her involvement in DFAT’s Women in Leadership strategy (2015-2020) and Women with a Mission publication (2006), creation of the International Women’s Day Women with a Mission address and subsequent lecture program at the National Press Club (1995), and role as Women’s Policy Officer (1995).