Rabbi Melissa B. Simon works for Hillel International as the Director of Israel Education, a part of The Center for Jewish and Israel Education (CJIE). She is based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but is able to travel for Weddings, Celebrations and other Life Cycle rituals.

Prior to joining Hillel International, Rabbi Simon was the Senior Jewish Educator and Rabbi for six years for North Carolina Hillel at UNC Chapel Hill. Rabbi Simon also served as the Jewish Chaplain and Hillel Director at Muhlenberg College and the Director of Lifelong Learning at Shir Tikvah, a Reform synagogue in Minneapolis, MN. Rabbi Simon received a Master's Degrees in Jewish Education and Hebrew Letters and was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. While a student at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Simon was named a Mandel Fellow, studying visionary leadership and Jewish education. Rabbi Simon received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College. She served as the Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinic Intern and Director of Children's Education at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York and the Rabbinic Intern at Denison University in Ohio. She's been named a Selah Fellow with Bend the Arc, a Rabbis without Borders Fellow with CLAL, a member of the inaugural cohort of the Hillel International Office of Innovation Educators Fellowship, a rabbinic fellow with JOIN for Justice's Clergy Leadership and Organizing Program and a part of the Hillel Professionals Cohort at the Shalom Hartman Institute.

Rabbi Simon was named the Jewish Educator of the Year by Jewish For Good in Durham, NC and received the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence, the highest professional honor in the Hillel movement. Rabbi Simon is passionate about Jewish education, inclusive Jewish communities and empowering young people.