Perri Melnick was appointed to the Big Bear Lake City Council in July 2021, after the early retirement of Mayor David Caretto, and was elected to serve a full four-year term in November 2022.  She previously served on the Board of the Bear Valley Community Health Care District where she was appointed in 2019 and elected in November 2020 and the Big Bear Ski Educational Foundation. Currently, Perri serves on the Mountain Transit Board of Directors and was the previous Chairperson of the Big Bear Lake Successor Agency and the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District.

Perri received her B.A. degree in Communications, cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she was the Student Commencement Speaker of her graduating class and goalie on the Women’s club Ice Hockey team.  She received her J.D. from the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, attending in the evening while working full time as a Health and Welfare Benefit Consultant.  Perri is a practicing attorney who specializes in representing healthcare and start-up clients on corporate and regulatory matters. 

A Boston native, Perri grew up visiting towns similar to Big Bear in New England where she learned to ski and appreciate the outdoors.  Longing for that New England feel, Perri and her family bought their first home in Big Bear Lake in 2015 and moved up permanently in 2019. 

In addition to her work and family, Perri has been active in pro-bono and community matters.  She has provided pro bono assistance for children being adopted out of the foster care system, successfully represented a Marine Veteran in her disability benefit appeal and assisted a family caregiver in her Medi-Cal overpayment appeal (successfully). 

Perri is committed to serving the interests of the community with integrity and without ego or agenda.