Melissa Runyon has a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Kentucky University. She was licensed as a Psychological Associate in Kentucky and worked for over 12 years at Bluegrass.org as a therapist and a director of a therapeutic rehabilitation program, training and supervising staff working with individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness.  She then worked for 8 years as a mitigation specialist with the Capital Trial Branch of the Department for Public Advocacy, using her psychology background to develop social histories for individuals charged with capital crimes. She then worked for over 10 years as a Program Administrator for the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, coordinating programs and advocating within the public mental health system serving adults with serious mental illness.  Missy is originally from Eastern Kentucky, and retired in December of 2017 after over 30 years of public service advocating in a variety of ways for citizens of Kentucky who live in poverty with a mental illness.