Melissa Amarnath

Melissa Amarnath serves as a pediatric developmental specialist and developmental neurobehavioral specialist, bringing nearly 29 years of experience in child development to her work with children who have delays or disabilities. Her career path began with volunteering in church nurseries and reading to children with autism or Down syndrome at a bookstore, progressing through roles as an assistant at a school for children with autism, ESE early childhood development, and vision development during her undergraduate studies. After earning her degree from UCF with a focus on neuropsychology and developmental psychology, she became a developmental specialist, emphasizing neurobehavioral and developmental work to help caregivers and parents understand children's behaviors. Two years ago, Amarnath founded Community Pathways for Kids, a nonprofit in Brevard County that provides free resources, support, guidance, and in-person developmental sessions, particularly for vision processing issues and early intervention. She also completed her first fundraiser, the Teddy Bear Picnic, which drew over 300 attendees. Amarnath is a member of Brevard County's Foster and Adoptive association and attributes her success to her late mother, who inspired independence and drive, and her son, who motivates her to persevere. She values honesty, open communication, kindness, resilience, and standing up for oneself, and advises young women in her field to take credit for their work, seek resources and education, ask questions, and advocate for better support.