Melanie Dresbach has a classical background in voice, harpsichord, and piano performance. She completed her undergraduate work in education and in music performance and received her teaching credential at SJSU. In 1999 she received a Masters degree in Liturgical Ministry at Santa Clara University.

She began her career in church music ministry in Okinawa, Japan, accompanying choirs at the
military bases at the age of twelve. She served the Catholic Dioceses of San Jose and San Francisco for over 45 years and still assists at St. Matthias Catholic Church in Redwood City.
She served as music director at All Saints Cristo Rey Iglesia Episcopal in Watsonville for four
years before coming to CCSM in 2017 to work with the Latinx community.

She also directed children’s musical theater and has taught music to infants and expectant
parents. She taught in east San Jose for over 45 years and still helps out a few days a week there but is excited about substituting in South San Francisco starting in December. She finds working with children to be the most energizing activity of all.

Melanie lives in San Francisco and sharpens her mind by studying ballet with San Francisco Ballet. She also has a passion for languages and is always ready to broaden her means of communication by adding another dialect to her studies. She enjoys cooking for and spending time with her triplets and oldest son, Richie. Richie sings and accompanies on accordion and guitar as his gift to the Latinx CCSM community.