Dr. Melissa Flournoy is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, founded the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO), and the Louisiana Budget Project. She was also the executive director of the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute and the Louisiana State Director of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.

Dr. Flournoy has served on numerous boards and commissions, and is a lifelong advocate for women and children. She is currently an adjunct professor in political science at LSU