Ms. Melisa Holdway is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Washington. She received her master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Adams State University in 2019 and obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology from Eastern Oregon University in 2016. Ms. Holdway completed her internship at the Washington State Department of Corrections working full time in the Sex Offender Treatment Program at Airway Heights Corrections Center. In that position, she had the opportunity to work with individuals who had been convicted of a sex offense and who also had intellectual disabilities and required a specialized treatment approach to meet those combined needs. She also worked with gender nonconforming individuals who were convicted of sex-related crimes and who were at various stages of identification and transition. Ms. Holdway transitioned into the mental health department in 2020 as a psychology associate and has worked with a diverse caseload including veterans, intersex, and gender nonconforming individuals. Ms. Holdway is the assigned subject matter expert on gender affirming care for the mental health department at Airway Heights Corrections Center and works with a multidisciplinary team across the state to ensure gender nonconforming persons receive affirming support and care while incarcerated.