Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez

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Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez is a social worker, writer, educator, advocate, and student at Yeshivat Maharat.

​Melissa'spassion lies incombiningher personal, professional, and educational experiences in order​to create and sustain​meaningful Jewish experiences and communitiesthat transcend denominations.​

​Melissa​ graduated with undergraduate degrees in Psychology & Social Behavior and Sociology from the University of California, Irvine and received a Masters in Social Work with a health care concentration from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Melissa worked in oncology, hospice, and prenatal health education before transitioning into development and donor relations for Jewish non-profits, all the while exploring her passion for writing and social media.

​ Immediately before beginning her studies at Yeshivat Maharat​ she spent two years living and learning in Jerusalem, one year each at Midreshet Nishmat and Machon Pardes.​