Melissa Schmitt, Neighbor

Melissa Schmitt is originally from Chicago, where she worked for several years as a producer for PBS and in corporate and non-profit video production. Her interest in investigative reporting led her to Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, where she reported on wide-ranging topics, from the economy, real estate and community issues in Medill's Chicago bureau, to the Iraq and Afghanistan war and veterans' issues in the Washington bureau. She believes strongly in journalism's role as a watchdog in society, and she enjoys reporting and writing in-depth features on issues facing her local community.

Her work has been featured in publications such as the Chicago Defender, the Chicago Journal and United Press International, among others. 

Melissa is equally adept with a pen, a video camera or a digital SLR, and enjoys using all mediums to tell a story.  She lives in Silver Spring with her husband, son, two cats and two hermit crabs.