Melissa Balk is the founder and lead instructor at Roots of Democracy. She is a homeschooling parent and an adjunct professor of political science at Appalachian State University.

Melissa’s passion for politics began in high school, when she was an active participant in Youth in Government, and led to a bachelor’s degree in political science from West Virginia University. After college, Melissa worked as a legislative assistant for the West Virginia House of Delegates and as a community organizer in Washington, DC, before switching to a more family-friendly career. However, that career ended in 2008 with the Great Recession, and in 2015, Melissa earned a master’s degree in political science from Appalachian State University. She has been teaching American government and political science ever since.

Melissa lives in northwest North Carolina with her husband, teenager, and a husky named Hermes.