Tanya Melich was born in Moab, Utah on April 23, 1936. Her father, Mitchell Melich, was an active member of the Republican party and served in the Utah State Senate from 1942 to 1950. He ran for Congress in 1948, was the Republican nominee for Utah governor in 1964, served on the Republican National Committee for Utah from 1966 to 1968, and acted as solicitor for the United States Department of Interior from 1969 to 1973.

Tanya Melich attended the University of Colorado and received a B.S. in Political Science in 1958, graduating cum laude with departmental and general honors. She was also elected to Phi Betta Kappa. She then attended Columbia University, receiving a master's degree in Public Law and Government in 1961.

Melich worked as a newspaper reporter for The Salt Lake Tribune in the late 1950s. In 1956 she was a Ford Foundation Political Intern for the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Colorado. Her first campaign experience in New York occurred in 1959 when she helped Samuel Pierce's campaign for general sessions judge. She continued to work on state and national campaigns in various positions: 1961 Louis J. Lefkowitz for mayor, New York City; research director 1964 Mitchell Melich for governor, Utah; state campaign deputy director 1965 John V. Lindsay for mayor, New York City; director of research 1966 William J. Casey for Congress, New York; director of research 1966 Nelson A. Rockefeller for governor, New York; associate to the scheduling director 1968 Nelson A. Rockefeller for U.S. President; deputy director of national delegate unit 1969 John V. Lindsay for mayor, New York City; research consultant for Fioravanto Perrotta 1970 Charles Goodell Election Committee, New York; state chair of research 1972 Richard M. Nixon, New York City campaign for the Committee to Re-Elect the President; deputy campaign director 1977 Arch Gillies for City Council, New York City; campaign manager 1978 Perry Duryea for governor, New York; member, advisory committee 1978 Michael Roth for attorney general, New York; member, advisory committee 1982 Whitney North Seymour, Jr. for United States Senate, New York; state campaign manager 1989 Rudolf Giuliani for mayor, New York City; advisory committee.

In the early 1960s, Melich worked on the staff of the Foreign Policy Association, where she prepared information and analyses relating to special projects in Latin America. The Foreign Policy Association was, and remains, a national and nonprofit organization founded to educate Americans about international issues. Melich later worked for ABC-TV News in its election unit and was director of ABC-News National Election Research for the 1964 presidential election. Her work focused on conducting research for television and radio coverage of political events, particularly presidential politics. From 1975 to 1981 Melich worked in various positions for the Corporate Affairs division of CBS, Inc. At CBS she studied the impact of public policy issues on CBS. She also prepared and supervised the writing of opinion papers and reports during this time. In 1983, Melich went on to operate her own consulting business, Political Issues Management.

Melich has been heavily involved with several organizations relating to both political and social concerns over the last several decades. In the mid 1960s she became involved in the Ripon Society, a group concerned with the growing power of right-wing politicians in the Republican party. The Ripon Society has been described as, "a moderate Republican research and policy organization dedicated to a common sense, pragmatic system of governance." In 1974 she was elected the Ripon Society National Governing Board Chair.

Melich is considered one of the founders of the modern women's movement. In 1971 she helped organize the Manhattan Women's Political Caucus. She went on to co-found the New York State National Women's Political Caucus (NYS NWPC) in 1972. In 1973, she became affiliated with the National Women's Education Fund, the first organization designed to educate women on ways to gain political power. Melich served as the Fund's president from 1980 through 1983. Concerned with the treatment of women in American society, she wanted women's issues to have more of an impact on the Republican Party's agenda. In 1976 Melich co-founded the National Women's Republican Task Force and was instrumental in organizing the group New York State Republicans for Women's Issues. In 1984 she co-founded the New York State Republican Family Committee. Both of the organizations advocated the Republican Party to take a pro-choice stance and recognize the needs and concerns of women to a greater extent.

Melich has also served as a member of several organizations concerned with the political and social state of America. Such organizations include: the United States Civil Rights Commission New York State Advisory Board and the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination. She also served on the advisory board of the White House Project, a project to "change biases against women's leadership ability, and foster the entry of women into positions of leadership, including the U.S. presidency."

Her writings have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsday, Daily News, USA TodayChicago Tribune, and the electronic publication Women's Enews. In addition to writing articles, Melich has also worked as writer, researcher, and/or editor on numerous books including: Jaws of Victory (Little Brown and Co. 1974), The Lessons of Victory (The Dial Press, 1969), Thomas E. Dewey on the American Political System, ABC News Fact Book for the 1964 presidential campaign, American Heritage State Series and Peace: The Control of National Power (Beacon Press, 1963). One of her most well-known works is The Republican War Against Women: An Insider's Report From Behind the Lines. Bantam Books published the title in 1996. It was described by The Washington Post as, "a powerful, evocative account of how social conservatives and Republican politicians have used the GOP to roll back the gains of the women's movement." The work received national attention from women's organizations and political groups. It was given the Gustavus Meyer Center Award as an outstanding book on human rights in North America.

Tanya Melich has received many other awards and honors for her work. She was honored by the Manhattan Women's Political Caucus as one of New York's outstanding women. She has received the New York NOW Susan B. Anthony Women of Achievement Award, the Alfred F. Moran Advocacy Award by Family Planning Advocates of New York, and was commemorated by the New York State National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). She was a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, speaking on the United States political process and women. She has also been involved in civic, social, and political organizations such as Planned Parenthood-New York City Council of Advocates, New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Advisory Council of the Women's International Leadership of International House.