Mel thrived in school under the tutelage of two financially established, older, doting parents. Her childhood summers involved leaving her small hometown about an hour north of Sacramento (California) and vacationing all over the United States with her parents. With no siblings nor relatives around her age, Mel behaved more like an adult as a child--or, at times, a dog. Her closest friends beyond her parents were the family's German shepherds, which her father bred as a hobby. In elementary and middle school, Mel was picked on for being socially awkward and noticeably skinny. In late high school, Mel finally learned the social rules of fitting in and even achieved a level of popularity, but she still felt like an observer among strangers. Part of this stemmed from her general disinterest in boys, fashion, music, and movies/shows. Instead, she enjoyed reading high fantasy and training her dog to compete in agility courses.

Mel began college at the age of 15 through a dual enrollment program and later attended UC Berkeley for her Bachelor's and Doctorate degrees. She became a psychologist at 27, specializing in behavioral and cognitive psychology, and has had a successful private practice in the Bay Area for six years. Psychology drew her because it leveraged her "observer among strangers" perspective to connect with people and do some good in the world. Her father, a retired private security guard and landlord, was diagnosed with early onset dementia when Mel was 23. Her mother, a retired government employee, passed away suddenly six years later. Jonathan currently resides in a memory care facility in Cleveland (Ohio), close to where he grew up and his two siblings live.

Before her seventh Contract, Mel lived in the East Bay (Oakland, California) with her best friend, Keara Star, who she met in college. Also a psychologist, Keara works at the children's hospital in San Francisco. Based on their shared homeownership and companionship for the past ten years, some assume that Keara and Mel are romantically involved--however, the two are simply best friends. Keara is in many ways the opposite of Mel: a chef and foodie, serial girlfriend, and fashionista. Today, only a select few know that (the true) Mel no longer lives with Keara.

Mel is a woman of self-discipline and humble tastes. The institutionalization of her father led to her managing her parents' estate as a young adult. All of the income from their several single-family rental homes in Los Angeles (and the payout of her mother's life insurance) goes towards her father's ongoing care. Nevertheless, Mel's modest living and her parent's financial support during her college years resulted in her being financially secure at an early age. Then--preparing for her potential death, disability, or disappearance after going on her first Contract--Mel used her newfound power to rapidly accumulate more wealth.

Before the Contracts, Mel enjoyed yoga, jogging, and training puppies to be service animals. Now her hobbies revolve around cleaning up the aftermath of Contracts and training to survive future ones.

Despite being physically active, Mel struggled with digestive issues since early childhood, making most foods unpalatable. Supplements and medical interventions prevented this from developing into something more serious; however, it contributed to her physical frailty and odd eating habits as an adult.