Melanie Barnas started her career at KOLN/KGIN in Lincoln, Nebraska as a one-man-band. She did everything from shooting, to writing, producing and reporting. When her husband started a job in Kansas City, Melanie was thrilled to accept a reporting job at WIBW and was there from April 2000 - July 2002. She started out as a reporter and eventually moved to anchoring the morning news program.

Melanie left Topeka to move closer to her hometown of Buffalo, NY. She anchored the 10 PM News at the FOX station in Rochester, NY and then moved to anchoring the morning news program on WROC-TV, also in Rochester. After having her son, Melanie made a career change and now works in fundraising and communication for the Finger Lakes Region of the American Red Cross. Melanie still dabbles in TV and radio, filling in on occasion at the local country music station. She also produces and hosts a local remodeling show.

Melanie and her husband Jason have one son, Jacob, who was born in September of 2005.

Melanie loved her time at WIBW-TV. She worked at 13 when the station moved from the old building on the hill to the brand new state of the art building it is in today. It was a challenge but the show always went on! She loved the people she worked with. She says "Everyone was so genuine and such hard workers."