Melissa Faliveno

Melissa Faliveno is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. She holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and a BA from the University of Wisconsin. Previously, she taught at Denison University, Kenyon College, Sarah Lawrence College, and Catapult in New York City, and served as Senior Editor of Poets & Writers Magazine. Her debut essay collection Tomboyland (2020) was widely acclaimed, earning recognition from NPR, the New York Public Library, and others.

Her research and writing focus on gender identity, memoir, and feminist literature. Her work has appeared in Esquire, Paris Review, and Bitch, among others. Upcoming projects include a contribution to the anthology Sex and the Single Woman (Harper Perennial, 2022).

• Awards: 2021 Wisconsin Library Association Award, NPR Best Book of 2020, and multiple literary recognitions.

Her teaching emphasizes creative nonfiction and narrative craft, with a commitment to exploring intersections of personal and cultural identity. She maintains academic and creative ties to low-residency programs, including VCFA.