Melina Hettiaratchi knows what it’s like to fight for opportunity. As a child, she saw her parents work hard just to make ends meet—and she’s never forgotten what that struggle feels like. Now, Melina serves as a family law attorney and community advocate, fighting for each Louisville family to get a fair shot.
Melina’s family has had a unique journey across history and geography. On her mom’s side, Melina has ancestral roots in Appalachia and the rural Deep South. Halfway across the globe, Melina’s dad is from Sri Lanka, descended from a long line of farmers and community leaders.
Melina’s parents started their young family in a trailer on a dirt road in Valdosta, Georgia. When Melina was still in preschool, her family made their home in Montgomery, Alabama—the first capital of the Confederacy and the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement.
Imagine growing up as a mixed-race child with an immigrant, Brown father in a post-9/11 South. Melina watched him navigate wary looks and uncomfortable jokes about their last name. She has lived through years of widespread fear of people of color, especially when they are from immigrant families. Melina’s upbringing gave her a deep understanding of what it means to belong, to persevere, and to build bridges across communities. Community keeps us safe and supported.
Melina has built her career around supporting parents and children. She started out as a teacher, but she couldn’t stand by and see parents and children losing necessary safety nets. Watching a child get sick every morning because his family had to choose between breakfast or necessary medication drove her to look for opportunities to support families outside the classroom.
She’s an educator at heart and an advocate in practice. Now she serves families from all over Louisville as a family lawyer. As an attorney, Melina has fought for families facing housing insecurity, lack of access to quality public education, and limited mental health support. She’s worked with organizations tackling these challenges head-on—because she believes that when we help the whole family, we help the entire community for generations.
We need your experience and voice to create a government that listens to its citizens and includes their voices in the decision-making process.
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Melina doesn’t just talk about community—she builds it.
When she moved to Louisville, she jumped in immediately:
Her leadership has been recognized with the Robert and Frank E. Haddad Young Lawyer Award from the Louisville Bar Association and as a SuperLawyers Rising Star in 2024 and 2025. She currently serves as Co-Chair of Mental Health Lou and Co-Chair of the LBA Family Law Section—continuing her work to make mental health and family support accessible to all.
Melina is running for Metro Council because she believes city government should make life easier for working families, not harder. That means safer neighborhoods, smarter development, better access to public transit and parks, and stronger support for small businesses and mental health services.
As a teacher, advocate, and attorney, Melina has always listened first and led with compassion. On Metro Council, she’ll bring that same approach to building a Louisville where every family has the chance to thrive.
