EDUCATION
George Washington University Documentary Center
Oregon State University, Master of Public Health
Michigan State University, Bachelors of Telecommunications, Film
Documentary Filmmaker & Editor
Melissa Tumas is from Dearborn, MI and moved to Seattle for the city, ocean and mountains. Her passion for photography and film began with her dad, who always had a camera in hand and an often-reluctant teenage daughter as his subject.
Her career journey reflects a commitment to public health, sex and gender-based violence education, and social justice. She has spent two decades supporting survivors of sexual assault and relationship violence and educating college students and community members about public health issues. Visual storytelling has always been an important part of her work in education and that experience led her to documentary filmmaking.
She produced the short documentary, ONE FALL, about the world of independent professional wrestling in D.C. She freelances in video production while working at the University of Washington Bothell. She is particularly passionate about crafting stories, editing, producing and creative collaboration. She believes in the transformative power of real-life storytelling to foster empathy, inspire action and create meaningful connections with oneself and others.