Melissa O’Brien is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of experience in the field. As Medical Director of Psychiatry, she oversees the psychiatric providers and mental health services at Project Renewal’s FQHC clinics, mobile medical clinics, transitional and permanent housing programs, shelters, safe havens, drop in centers, residential and outpatient substance use treatment programs, and reentry programs.

Melissa also manages the organization’s robust psychiatric internship program, which provides nurse practitioner students, medical students, and residents with clinical experience in community mental healthcare.

Prior to joining Project Renewal in 2015, Melissa worked as a nurse on an acute psychiatric inpatient unit at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She previously worked as a Psychiatric Technician at Somerset Medical Center, where she was inspired to go back to school to become a nurse.

Melissa earned a BA in Psychology and BS in Biology from the University of Hartford. She also holds a BS in Nursing and MS in Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, from Columbia University.