Melissa Rauch is an American actress and comedian, best known for her role as Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. She was born in Marlboro Township, New Jersey, to Susan and David Rauch, and raised in a Jewish household alongside her brother, Ben.

Rauch attended Frank Defino Central Elementary School and later Marlboro High School, where her interest in acting began. She pursued performing arts at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree. While in college, she began performing stand-up comedy around Manhattan, quickly making a name for herself in the New York City comedy scene.

One of her early career highlights was a one-woman show titled The Miss Education of Jenna Bush, in which she portrayed Jenna Bush, the daughter of former President George W. Bush. The show was well-received and played to sold-out audiences.