Nicole Melling has spent her life answering the call to serve. The daughter of an Army helicopter pilot, Nicole grew up on military bases where she learned the core values that guide her today: service, sacrifice, and putting country before self. Today, as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and a Lehi mother of five, she is ready to bring those values to the Utah State House.
A Career Built on Listening
In healthcare, you don't just treat symptoms; you find root causes. Nicole's career is defined by listening to people in their most vulnerable moments.
- Education: Graduate of Utah State University, BYU, and Weber State University.
- Expertise: As a Psychiatric Family Nurse Practitioner, she specializes in helping at-risk children and families navigate trauma.
- The Goal: Bringing “the prescription for a healthier democracy” to a system that has stopped listening to its people.
A Family Built on Resilience
After years of infertility, Nicole and her husband found their calling in the Utah Foster Care system. In 2012, they adopted a sibling group of five.
“If we believe children are not for hurting, we must stand up for those who have been hurt. My children taught me more about resilience and second chances than any textbook ever could. They are the reason I fight for Utah's families.”
A Campaign Built on Dedication
Nicole isn't a career politician; she's a problem solver. She sees a Utah where:
- Housing is out of reach: Corporate investors are snatching up 25% of homes, leaving her own adult children—and yours—with almost no hope of homeownership.
- The system is “unwell”: Dominated by one-party rule and a lack of transparency, the legislature has become a rubber stamp for special interests.
- Accountability is missing: From fair maps to education, the government is ignoring the “diagnosed” needs of regular Utahns.
“I'm not running because I have every answer. I'm running because I know how to listen, how to diagnose, and how to work toward real solutions. Utah deserves a leader who legislates with integrity.”
Why are you running as a Democrat?
I have been a conservative my whole life and come from a long line of conservatives. I still remember as a pretty young child watching a speech from Ronald Reagan on TV about the “tax axe” and feeling my parent's excitement for bold leadership.
But, the party that still calls themselves conservative today has abandoned the conservative values I grew up with. And those individuals with integrity who have dared to speak honestly about it have been or are being shut-up, shut-down, or shut-out.
I am not running to represent a national party. But, I'm under the same system you are – a two party system. The democratic party was willing to help me figure out how to do this every step of the way WITHOUT telling me what I have to believe, how I have to vote, or how I choose to represent the people in my district. And that is no longer an option in the current republican party.
I will not be silenced. I am not afraid. I will stand up. I will speak out. I will reflect the voices and values of my district. And you can hold me to it.