Dr. Melissa E Lewis is an Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of Missouri. She obtained her Ph.D. in Medical Family Therapy from the East Carolina University. Her research interests include tribally-based participatory research, culture as treatment, and culture as prevention. In her research, Dr. Lewis has partnered with communities to create training protocols for mental and medical health professionals to provide better care for indigenous patients and clients. She also partners with her own tribe, the Cherokee Nation, to evaluate and co-create programs aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease by harnessing the power of cultural learning. She was the recipient of the Excellence in Indigenous Health Research Award in 2017.