About me
Melody Mann is a second year PhD Special Education student working under the mentorship of Dr. Veronica Kang. Melody has completed her BA Child & Adolescent Development / Minor Early Childhood Special Education from San José State University as a McNair Scholar, her MS Special Education (Mild to Moderate) from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, and her MA Psychology (Cognition and Development) from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Professionally, Melody has 5+ years of classroom teaching experience in general and special education settings, served as an mentor for first generation college students, and was an academic coach for students with learning disabilities. Melody's research has focused on the mental health, educational enrichment, and accessibility of students and families who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). In her doctoral program, Melody aims to investigate South Asian, specifically Punjabi, families experiences in navigating special education and topics of disability. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion informs her research objective to create holistic representation for historically underrepresented populations in academia.