Melissa Terrell has been a member of Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles since 2005 and has proudly served as Drum Major since 2013. She has also served on the Board of Directors as a Member at Large, Vice Chair and Chair of the Board. In addition to serving on the board Melissa has served as Trumpet Section Leader in the Symphonic band for 10 years, Symphonic Band Librarian for 7 years, coordinator for the Jazz Band, and many more!

Melissa has also served on the board of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association from 2014 to 2018. LGBA, now known as Pride Bands Alliance, is an international network of LGBT bands. Melissa was also honored to serve as one of the Drum Majors for California Gold, the Palm Springs conference in 2016, Trumpet Section Leader for the Marching Band for 2009’s conference in New Orleans, and Assistant Brass Captain for President Obama’s second inaugural parade. 

Melissa has served as office administrator, office and grants manager since April of 2015 of the Alphawood Foundation, a Chicago-based grant making private foundation working for an equitable, just and humane society.  Alphawood awards grants to more than 200 organizations annually, primarily in the areas of advocacy, architecture and preservation, arts, the environment, promotion and protection of the rights of LGBT persons and people living with HIV/AIDS, and other human and civil rights.