Melissa Parker Leonard is the founder of 7th Gen Cultural Resources, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Indigenous history. With over 15 years of experience as an educator and advocate, she focuses on the history of the Haudenosaunee in Buffalo, particularly through the stories of her ancestors, Red Jacket and Ely S. Parker. Melissa’s passion for Seneca history was deeply influenced by her father, Al Parker, a respected historian. A proud Buffalonian, she holds both Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Education from Canisius University and serves on the Buffalo History Museum’s Board of Managers, chairing the Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, & Inclusion Committee. She volunteers with Indigenous Women’s Initiatives and lives on Buffalo's West Side with her husband and four children.