Melissa Cullen

Melissa Cullen comes from a diverse cultural background, with a Sicilian and Italian father and a Portuguese and Cape Verdean mother. As the middle child in a large family of eight siblings, she grew up in a household filled with energy and love. Her early years were spent in Brighton, Massachusetts, but her family later moved to Newton, MA, where they found their dream home. The neighborhood was full of large families, creating a sense of community and belonging that had a lasting impact on her. Her brothers, Demetrius and Richard, had a significant influence on her as well. Demetrius, the eldest, became a basketball star in the 1980s, which motivated Melissa to pursue track and gymnastics. She served as co-captain of her cheerleading team for two years. Richard, the youngest of her siblings, had a successful career in professional athletics and became a familiar face on magazine covers. Despite the support from her family, she faced challenges growing up as the only Black family in their neighborhood, mainly when racial tensions surfaced, making her feel isolated at times. Melissa’s career path began with a deep passion for working with children. She eventually became a Camp Director after spending many summers at camp with her siblings. She progressed from Counselor in Training (CIT) to Assistant Program Director. Alongside this role, she studied interior design at Newbury College and Suffolk University in Boston, expanding her career possibilities.