Melissa Gisoni is a 58-year-old American reality TV personality and the mother of Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler.
She was born June 13, 1968, and appeared on Dance Moms from 2011 to 2016. She married Greg Gisoni in 2013, two years after her divorce from Kurt Ziegler. Her height is reported as 5 ft 4 in. No verified net worth exists, and public estimates run from $500,000 to $2.8 million.
Quick Facts (2026)
| Detail | Information |
| Full name | Melissa Ziegler-Gisoni (née Sulo) |
| Born | June 13, 1968 |
| Age | 58 (as of October 2026) |
| Birthplace | New York City (reported, not confirmed) |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in / 162 cm (reported) |
| Known for | Dance Moms (2011–2016) |
| Husband | Greg Gisoni (married 2013) |
| Former husband | Kurt Ziegler (divorced 2011) |
| Children | Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler |
| Net worth | Unverified; $500K–$2.8M estimates |
| Current work | Podcast host and social media |
Why do so many bio pages disagree? Because they copy each other. This profile separates what is confirmed from what is only reported.
Who Is Melissa Gisoni?
Maddie Ziegler was born in Pittsburgh to Melissa Ziegler-Gisoni and Kurt Ziegler, who owned a mortgage company. The family lived in Murrysville, a Pittsburgh suburb. Fan wikis list her maiden name as Sulo.
Melissa is a public figure through her daughters. She joined the first season of Lifetime's Dance Moms in 2011, and the show followed young dancers and their mothers at Abby Lee Miller's studio.
Where was Melissa Gisoni born?
Most bio sites say New York City on June 13, 1968. One site lists March 16, 1968, in Pittsburgh instead. Another page gives a 1994 birth in the Philippines, which is clearly a different person.
No public birth record settles this. Treat the New York birthplace as reported only.
How old is Melissa Gisoni?
Melissa Gisoni is 58 years old as of October 13, 2026. She turns 59 on June 13, 2027. The birth date itself is consistent across most sources.
How tall is Melissa Gisoni?
Celebrity-stat sites list her at 5 ft 4 in (162 cm). That figure never appears in a primary source. Treat it as approximate.
Melissa Gisoni's Dance Moms Career
Her career runs through her daughters. Here is the timeline:
- 2011: Maddie and her mother appeared on the first season of Dance Moms.
- 2011–2016: Mackenzie appeared on the show for six years alongside Maddie. Melissa stayed on as a main mother.
- 2016: The family left after six seasons. Sources say the girls wanted other career paths.
- 2020: Fan wikis say she launched the podcast Because Mom Said So with fellow Dance Moms mothers.
- 2025: The same wikis report a second podcast, Pillow Talk, with Christi Lukasiak, Kelly Hyland, and Jill Vertes.
What was her role on the show? Studio staff and the girls often called her a "second mom." Viewers saw her as the calm, supportive parent.
Melissa Gisoni's Net Worth in 2026
No audited or verified net worth exists for Melissa Gisoni. Estimates come from bio sites that do not show their math. Here is how they compare:
| Source type | Estimate | Date |
| Celebrity bio site | $500,000 | Nov 2023 |
| Celebrity bio site | $1 million | Oct 2026 |
| Family-profile page | $2.8 million | Undated |
That is a 5.6x gap. Her income likely comes from past TV pay, podcasts, and social posts. None of those figures is public.
Money history adds context. A fan wiki reports a 2009 Chapter 7 bankruptcy, discharged in July 2010. Another source ties it to mortgage debts on three properties. This is reported context, not a wealth measure.
How can you judge a net worth claim?
- Check the date. Anything before 2025 is stale.
- Look for a method. Real estimates name income sources.
- Look for a source. "According to sources" is not a source.
- Compare the range. If three sites differ by 5x, none is reliable.
BigWriteHook labels shaky figures as estimates. Its Cheryl Pistono profile shows how an estimated $400,000 figure is framed.
Melissa Gisoni's Husband and Marriage
She has been married twice. Both marriages are confirmed by Wikipedia.
- Kurt Ziegler: Her parents divorced in 2011. Reports say the pressure of the show played a role.
- Greg Gisoni: She married Greg Gisoni in 2013. He is a vice president at Westinghouse Electric Company.
Greg has two children from an earlier marriage. He stays out of the spotlight.
Private spouses of famous people draw lots of curiosity. Dallas Yocum chose a private life after a brief public marriage. Marla Heyman is known through her ties to WWE's Paul Heyman. Both profiles show how to read a private life with care.
Melissa Gisoni's Children and Family
| Person | Relationship | Key facts |
| Maddie Ziegler | Daughter | Born September 30, 2002; age 24; actress and dancer. |
| Mackenzie Ziegler | Daughter | Singer and dancer; also a Dance Moms alum. |
| Mathew Gisoni | Stepson | Greg's child; spellings of the name vary by site. |
| Michele Gisoni | Stepdaughter | Greg's child; spellings vary by site. |
Maddie and Mackenzie also have two older half-brothers from their father's earlier marriage. One clone site wrongly lists Mathew as Melissa's biological child. Wikipedia lists him as a step-sibling.
What did Maddie Ziegler say about her mother?
In 2023, Maddie said on the High Low with EmRata podcast that her mother apologized for putting her in Dance Moms. She said her mother never meant to hurt her. Some clone pages date this story to 2020 or 2021, which the recorded clip does not support.
Melissa Gisoni in 2026: What Is New
- Age: She is 58.
- Podcast: Fan wikis list Pillow Talk, launched in 2025.
- Social media: Her TikTok account posted a May 2025 tribute to motherhood.
- Her daughters: Maddie is 24 and still active in film and dance.
- Net worth: Still unverified.
Her verified accounts are the best source for new projects.
Fact-Check Audit: What the Web Gets Wrong
We compared claims across the pages that rank for her name.
| Claim | Finding | Verdict |
| Born June 13, 1968 | Most sources agree | Likely correct |
| Born in New York City | Repeated, never sourced | Reported only |
| Born March 16, 1968, Pittsburgh | One source | Unconfirmed |
| Born 1994 in the Philippines | Different person | Reject |
| Married Greg Gisoni in 2013 | Confirmed by Wikipedia | Confirmed |
| Mathew is her biological son | Wikipedia lists a step-sibling | Reject |
| Apology story from 2020–2021 | Clip dates it to 2023 | Misdated |
| Net worth $500K–$2.8M | No method shown | Unverified |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How old is Melissa Gisoni in 2026?
A: Melissa Gisoni is 58 years old as of October 2026. She was born June 13, 1968, so she turns 59 in June 2027. Most sources agree on the birth date, though no public record confirms it.
Q: How tall is Melissa Gisoni?
A: Melissa Gisoni is reported to be 5 ft 4 in (162 cm) tall. This figure appears on celebrity-stat sites rather than official records. It should be treated as approximate.
Q: What is Melissa Gisoni's net worth?
A: No verified net worth exists for Melissa Gisoni. Public estimates range from $500,000 to $2.8 million, and none shows its method. Income sources likely include television, podcasts, and social media, but those amounts are not public.
Q: Who is Melissa Gisoni's husband?
A: Melissa Gisoni's husband is Greg Gisoni, a vice president at Westinghouse Electric Company. They married in 2013. She was previously married to Kurt Ziegler, the father of her daughters, until 2011.
Q: Why did Melissa Gisoni leave Dance Moms?
A: Melissa Gisoni and her daughters left Dance Moms in 2016 after six seasons. Sources say the family wanted more career options for the girls. The show's producers have not given a separate public explanation in the sources reviewed.
Q: How many children does Melissa Gisoni have?
A: Melissa Gisoni has two daughters, Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler. She also has two stepchildren through her marriage to Greg Gisoni. Some websites wrongly list a stepson as her biological child.
References
