Mellisa Maktuayaq Johnson is Iñupiaq born and raised from Nome, Alaska. As a tribal member of Nome Eskimo Community, Mellisa has a strong passion for protecting, respecting, advocating and maintaining traditional Indigenous ways of life. Inspired by Elders, community members, and her family, Mellisa works to share with others the importance of maintaining culture and heritage in language revitalization efforts, climate advocacy, and incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into different systems. She previously worked as Executive Director with Bering Sea Elders Group (2018 to 2022), has sixteen years experience with tribal health, and currently works with the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium (AYK TC) as a Government Affairs and Policy Director. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Health Services Administration with a minor in Human Services from Alaska Pacific University and is also a US Air Force veteran.