Melissa Ann Stadler has lived in Western New York her entire life.  She is a 1998 graduate of Clarence High School. Melissa obtained her Bachelor's Degree in political science, magna cum laude, from Canisius College in 2002.  At Canisius, Melissa was a recipient of the Transfer Scholarship (1999-2002), the Raichle Pre-Law Scholarship   (2001-2002) and was on the Dean's List every semester.  She was also a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society. 

While at Canisius, she was chosen to participate in the New York State Constitutional Commission, which produced the publication, A New Constitution for New York State (Peter J. Galie, ed., Canisius College 2002). 

She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University at Buffalo School of Law in 2005. She is admitted to practice in New York State and Federal Court for the Western District of New York. She concentrates her practice in the areas of plaintiffs' personal injury/negligence and medical malpractice claims. 

She is a member of the Bar Association of Erie County and the New York State Bar Association. Melissa is a graduate of Leadership Buffalo Rising Leaders Class of 2015.  She previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Charter School of Inquiry in Buffalo from 2015 to 2020.