Melissa Julien was born in Bountiful Utah. At age 14 her family moved to a small town in Cache Valley called Paradise, Utah. For two years, she played basketball for Rick’s College (now BYU Idaho). She served a mission to Scotland and returned & attended Utah State University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Family Science, emphasis in family relationships and mental health.  

As soon as she graduated, she moved to Mesa, Arizona and taught and later became a principal in a Charter School for the Deaf. She later married her husband; Nephi and they now have four children. One of her interests is photography and owning a business. She has been an ASL Life Coach for three years. She is currently a Deaf Mentor for the School for the Deaf and Blind in St. George, Utah. She coaches parents with their deaf child to help expose ASL in their homes. She is currently a teacher for the ASL Adult Religion Institute class.  She loves mountain biking and yoga.  She is a self-help junkie, reads many books, and loves to capture photos and films of her family.