Melody Avila, DNP, RN, FNP, is a clinician educator - assistant professor at The University of New Mexico (UNM) College of Nursing. She teaches in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner programs. As a native New Mexican, her professional interests are driven by providing high-quality care to underserved and rural communities. Specialty areas encompass pediatric and adolescent health. Her doctoral project was based on preventing risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in an at-risk adolescent population.

Avila worked for several years as a hospice case manager in Northern New Mexico. She continues to practice as a family nurse practitioner at a school-based health center and family practice clinic.

She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of South Alabama and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from UNM.