Melinda Davis, is the junior coordinator to the Security Task Force of the Vatican COVID-19 Commission, which is the interministerial entity of the Vatican created by Pope Francis to respond to the pandemic. This Commission is housed in the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Vatican's development ministry.  Melinda graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in psychology and peace studies, and a focus on Catholic peacebuilding. She is passionate about nuclear nonproliferation, disarmament and peacebuilding and has held positions with the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations.