Melissa Wood-Tepperberg Modeled a Beautiful Bikini Made of Sea Sponge in Dominica

The 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie nailed her Caribbean photo shoot.

Cara O’Bleness | Feb 7, 2024

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

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

While in the Caribbean for her 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue feature, Melissa Wood-Tepperberg wore several bikinis and one-piece swimsuits that embodied Mother Nature herself. From swimwear crafted with natural materials like seashells and sea sponge to colors that embraced the beach’s vibrant and rich surroundings, the styling for her rookie photo shoot was out of this world.

“It feels so beyond incredible to be a Sports Illustrated rookie,” Wood-Tepperberg said of posing for photographer Yu Tsai in Dominica. “I can’t fully believe it, but then I can believe it because I’m here and I’m doing it, and it just feels phenomenal.”

The workout and wellness leader is the founder of MWH, a fitness and wellness app that makes mindful health and wellness content accessible and attainable for all. Wood-Tepperberg, a mom of two, launched her brand in 2019.

“In becoming my own personal brand, the most important thing has been maintaining that authentic voice that I have and staying really, really true and really grounded in who I am,” she added.

At the time of her SI Swimsuit feature, the now 41-year-old had just celebrated her milestone 40th birthday, a moment she said was worth celebrating.

“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,” Wood-Tepperberg stated. “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.”

Below are a few of our favorite photos from her rookie photo shoot.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Published Feb 7, 2024

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she 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, O’Bleness 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.