As afternoon anchor and local host of All Things Considered, Melba hosts local news from Chicago on NPR’s afternoon news program. She has produced news features for various NPR programs including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Latino USA, as well as Public Radio International's Marketplace.

Melba first joined the staff of Chicago Public Radio in October 1992 as a reporter and anchor for Morning Edition. She then went on to work at Wisconsin Public Radio as an assistant news director and host. During her tenure at WPR, Melba received awards from the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Milwaukee Press Club, the Northwest Broadcast News Association and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

She returned to Chicago Public Radio in 2003, later becoming a reporter and anchor for All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. Melba was a finalist for a Peter Lisagor award for “Best Science Reporting.”

She has also held posts at Michigan Public Radio, WHFB-AM/FM in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the Herald Palladium in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and WAUS-FM in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

Melba has a B.A. in Communications from the University of Michigan . She is fluent in Spanish and a member of The Association for Women Journalists-Chicago.

Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Melba resides in Chicago.