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Melissa is Owner and Managing Director of Red Gum BBQ - the Mornington Peninsula’s iconic Southern-style BBQ joint, located in Red Hill. The business is Australia’s first B Corp restaurant and the region’s first accreditation. Red Gum BBQ has won the Australian Good Food Guide’s Readers Choice award for Best in Region across the previous 3 years and Melissa was awarded the Women’s Agenda, ‘Emerging Female Entrepreneur of the Year’, 2019.

Melissa came to business ownership after a decade in public teaching where she was President of the Victorian Teacher’s Association. She previously held positions on NAB’s Customer Advisory Board, as Founder and Organiser of the Women's March on Melbourne and is regularly invited to speak on matters regarding ethical business practices and growing a family business into a multi-million dollar brand.

Melissa is passionate about ethical businesses and women's advocacy and is excited to pair these as a founding member of the Women in Business Mornington Peninsula. She believes deeply in the power of women to change the world and the need to create more inclusive social and political conditions for them to do so. When not working, Melissa is spending time with her family Ashton, 9, Violet 7 and hubby and Pitmaster, Martin exploring our beautiful Mornington Peninsula.