Swimsuit

6 Daring Pics of Birthday Girl Melissa Wood-Tepperberg in Dominica

The SI Swimsuit rookie traveled to the Caribbean for this year’s magazine.

Cara O’Bleness

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. 

Happy birthday, Melissa Wood-Tepperberg! The 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie turns 41 today, and in her honor, we’re reminiscing on her photoshoot in Dominica with Yu Tsai. 

While on location with the SI Swimsuit team in the Caribbean last year, the workout and wellness leader noted that she was “so excited” to reach her milestone 40th birthday last December.

“I feel so good about it. I think the Melissa in her 20s looked at 40 [like] … if you don’t reach things by the age of 40, that was it,” she said at the time. “That was the old mentality that I had, and now I’m just scratching the surface. Like things get better; you become more yourself at this age. So I feel really good about it.”

Wood-Tepperberg, who is the founder of MWH, an online platform that makes health and wellness resources attainable and accessible for all, added that she became more comfortable in her own skin with age.

“I would tell any young girl who thinks 40 is old that it just keeps getting better, and it really is because you just become more of who you are,” she offered. “You become more comfortable in your own skin, and it’s also really taught me that age is really just a number and not to grasp or grip it too tightly. There’s just so much beauty in the becoming of getting older and wiser and more confident in your own skin.”

Wise words from our SI Swimsuit rookie. Below are just a few of our favorite photos from her photoshoot in Dominica.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Akoia Swim. Shrug by: Natalia Fedner.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Hunza G. Belt by Vertigo.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Nicole McLaughlin.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Nicole McLaughlin.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Akoia Swim. Shrug by Natalia Fedner.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by NUA Swim. Necklaces by Cleopatra's Bling and MISHO.

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Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.