Melissa Shumsky has built a life around serving underserved populations, but she has also personally experienced so many of the traumas suffered by Returning Citizens. She herself entered the foster care system at 16 after her mother passed from addiction, and she found gangs while trying to survive. She turned her life around and had a baby, got married, and went to college for nursing, but during this time, she was indicted on federal charges and faced 40 years to life for marijuana. After her release, her husband, who was also formerly incarcerated, was murdered, leaving her a widow with their small child. She found the field of Reentry in 2015, and she found her life’s calling. Her passion is to see that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. She is currently pursuing higher education for Social Work to achieve her MSW. In 2025, she became the Director of Housing and Reentry, continuing her mission to empower and uplift justice-impacted individuals.