Melissa’s research, therefore, used mental models analysis to determine the unique wildland fire information and decision making needs of stakeholders living at the wildland/urban interface of a fire-prone area of British Columbia. While her research revealed many similarities in how stakeholders conceptualized the risks and benefits of wildland fire, many misconceptions and important gaps in the understanding of risk and benefits were identified among both expert and non-expert respondents. Melissa’s research earned her the Best Student Paper Award from the Society for Risk Analysis’ Risk Communication Specialty Group in 2003. She received her M.Sc. in 2004. Melissa is now based in Albuquerque, NM where she works for the US Forest Service.