Melissa Rapoza excitedly embarked on a new journey with Toward Maximum Independence (TMI) in February 2014. Starting as a Temecula Integrated Work (IW) Job Coach, she previously worked in medical, dental and legal practice management. While TMI is a completely different arena for Melissa, she feels that it was a change for the better and one that she needed. Melissa has a passion for helping people and enjoys making a difference in the lives of the TMI clients she works with.
“The experiences I’ve had working directly with our clients has taught me so much over the years,” said Melissa.
Melissa was recently promoted to an IW Associate Division Manager. She sees this as an opportunity to bring her managerial experience to her position and extend her passion in working with TMI’s unique and diverse clients.
Melissa lives in Murrieta with her husband Raul. She is very proud of their three grown kids, Amanda, 24, and Marlena, 18, and Kevin, 31. Kevin and his wife Rachel live in Colorado, where Melissa’s family lived for 10 years. Work brought Melissa and her family back to California, but they miss their family and friends in Colorado.
Melissa enjoys music and concerts, which are a must for her when her favorite artists are in the area. In her free time, Melissa likes to do medical research of various kinds, which has fascinated her since she was a kid. She is fluent in sarcasm and believes that laughter is a great cure for all! Congratulations, Melissa!
An estimated 1 in 6 people are born with a developmental disability. Just like you they are born with hopes, dreams and the drive to contribute to society. Since 1981 Toward Maximum Independence (TMI) has transformed thousands of lives by providing assistance to children and adults with developmental disabilities, giving them the ability to realize their hopes and dreams.