Born in Colorado, Melissa moved to her father's native Hawai'i in 1993 with her parents, Matthias and Susie Puana, and two brothers, Jared and Matthias Jr. Melissa is classically trained as a Meisner actor at the Academy for Film & Television and professionally educated as a psychology major.Melissa's specializes in singing, her native Hula dancing, charcoal drawing, and rescues feral kittens in her spare time.She is married to Elliot Puana Martin.