Melissa Plotkin is a community-focused leader, herbalist, consultant, and founder of Bee Blessed Botanicals, where she formulates small-batch, ethically wildcrafted, and sustainably grown herbal medicines rooted in traditional plant wisdom. She is a longtime resident of Hawai‘i’s Big Island and has worked closely with the Native Hawaiian community, grounding her practice in cultural respect, land stewardship, and place-based learning.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, with a concentration in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology, bringing an integrative lens that bridges social systems, culture, and ecological stewardship.

Melissa’s work centers on community bridge-building, uplifting Indigenous knowledge systems, and fostering reciprocal relationships with the natural world. She has collaborated with elders and wisdom keepers from diverse traditions, deepening her commitment to cultural preservation, ecological reciprocity, and the empowerment of marginalized communities.

As a Board Member of Sisters of the One Drum, Melissa supports a mission grounded in unity, healing, and empowerment through the sacred medicine of the drum—helping guide organizational growth while honoring tradition, community voice, and intergenerational knowledge.