Editing Melissa DeRosa (section)

==Early life and education==
DeRosa was born on September 29, 1982, in [[Rochester, N.Y.]] and raised in [[Albany, New York|Albany]] and [[Saratoga Springs, New York]] and has two siblings.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |date= |title=Melissa DeRosa |url=https://goodnesshero.com/profile/melissa-derosa/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |work=Goodness Hero}}</ref><ref name="Salerno 20182">{{cite news |last1=Salerno |first1=Heather |date=March 2018 |title=Corridors of Power |url=http://cornellalumnimagazine.com/corridors-of-power/ |access-date=6 August 2021 |work=Cornell Alumni Magazine}}</ref><ref name="La Ferla 2020" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chodak |first1=Adam |date=30 November 2023 |title=New book by Cuomo key aide tells her story |url=https://www.rochesterfirst.com/adam-interviews/new-book-by-cuomo-key-aide-lashes-out-at-critics-melissa-derosa/ |access-date=5 December 2023 |work=RochesterFirst}}</ref> She is the daughter of Melody DeRosa, a retired education technology consultant for [[Texas Instruments]], and Giorgio DeRosa, a senior partner at the Albany lobbying firm Bolton-St. Johns.<ref name="Foderaro 2017" /><ref>{{cite web |date=November 18, 2024 |title=The 2024 Top 50 State Lobbyists |url=https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2024/11/2024-top-50-state-lobbyists/400834/ |access-date=June 18, 2026 |website=City & State New York}}</ref> DeRosa's brother and sister also work at Bolton-St. Johns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 26, 2020 |title=Cuomo gave immunity to nursing home executives after big campaign donations |url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/26/andrew-cuomo-nursing-home-execs-immunity |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

At 16, DeRosa was an intern for the political director of the New York State [[AFL-CIO]].<ref name="Foderaro 2017" /><ref name="Kaplan 2013">{{cite news |last1=Kaplan |first1=Thomas |title=Cuomo Drafts Communications Director From Attorney General's Staff |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/16/nyregion/cuomo-hires-melissa-derosa-from-attorney-generals-staff.html |access-date=6 August 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=March 15, 2013}}</ref>

DeRosa attended the private school, [[Albany Academy for Girls]], graduating in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news10.com/news/cuomo-under-fire/melissa-derosas-rise-to-top-aide-and-how-her-appointment-made-history/|title=Melissa DeRosa's rise to top aide and how her appointment made history|date=August 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Photos-Albany-Academy-for-Girls-commencement-12984680.php|title=Photos: Albany Academy for Girls commencement|date=June 18, 2018|website=Times Union}}</ref> She graduated in 2004 from the [[Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations]]. While an undergraduate student at Cornell, she worked in the Senate office of [[Hillary Clinton]] in Washington, D.C. during a summer.<ref name="Oza 2020">{{cite news |last1=Oza |first1=Anil |title=From Ithaca to Albany: How Cornell's Melissa DeRosa is Leading New York's COVID Response |url=https://cornellsun.com/2020/04/30/from-ithaca-to-albany-how-cornells-melissa-derosa-is-leading-new-yorks-covid-response/ |access-date=7 August 2021 |work=The Cornell Daily Sun |date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>

DeRosa worked for a year as a publicist for [[Theory (clothing retailer)|Theory]], a fashion house in New York.<ref name="La Ferla 2020" /> She then worked as a lobbyist for Bolton-St. Johns.<ref name="La Ferla 2020" /> She later worked in the press office of Congresswoman [[Nydia Velázquez]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Paybarah |first=Azi |title=DeRosa to Organize for America |url=https://observer.com/2009/07/derosa-to-organize-for-america/ |work=Observer |date=July 22, 2009 |access-date=June 18, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Campbell |first=Jon |title=Cuomo's right hand: Melissa DeRosa unapologetically fierce |url=https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/new-york/2019/06/03/cuomos-right-hand-melissa-derosa-unapologetically-fierce/1302725001/ |work=Poughkeepsie Journal |date=June 3, 2019 |access-date=June 18, 2026}}</ref> In 2009, she completed an [[Master of public administration|MPA]] from the [[Cornell Institute for Public Affairs]].<ref name="Oza 2020" />