Melissa Hogan, J.D. is the President of Project Alive, the world's leading 501(c)(3) Hunter Syndrome research and advocacy foundation. She is also a lawyer, author, and speaker.

After her son Case was diagnosed with Hunter Syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis II) in 2009, she left her corporate career to focus on advancing awareness, education, and research in the Hunter Syndrome community. She began writing a blog that would grow to be read in over 100 countries, and speaking on topics such as advocacy, clinical trials, and social media in rare disease. Melissa is considered one of the foremost lay experts on Hunter Syndrome in the world.

She also serves as a Patient Representative for the Food and Drug Administration, an External Advisory Board member for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, and coordinator of the Hunter Syndrome Research Coalition. In addition, she serves on boards for several rare disease organizations, writes for Rare Disease Report, The Huffington Post, and The Mighty, and has been published in various peer-reviewed medical journals on issues ranging from neurocognitive testing, expanded access to medicines, to immune tolerance regimens for enzyme replacement therapies.

Melissa holds a J.D., with honors and an emphasis in health law from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and a B.A. with honors in Communications and Political Science from Georgetown College. Prior to her son’s life-changing diagnosis, her law career included serving as a clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, a corporate and securities attorney, a professor of legal writing and health care regulatory law, and a management consultant to law firms on global strategy.

She enjoys writing music and playing guitar, and is also the author of the book "Calmer: Medical Events with Cognitively Impaired Children" (2012) which shares strategies for preventing medical trauma in children with chronic health conditions.

Melissa is married to Chris Hogan, a prominent speaker on leadership and finance and author of "Retired Inspired" (Ramsey Press 2016), and lives outside Nashville, Tennessee. They have three sons, including Case, and enjoy attending their football and basketball games.