Melisa Williams-Rivera is a 2025-2026 Teach Plus Illinois Affinity Group Facilitator. She is College and Academic Counselor for students grade 1-12 at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois, working with exceptionally gifted students from throughout Illinois as they navigate their postsecondary experiences. Melisa has been the supervisor for School Counselor Interns for multiple years and is a member of the executive board for the Black Educators Network of Suburban Chicago since 2019. She earned her BA in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and MA in school counseling from Roosevelt University.
