Melissa Stephens is an encaustic painter, photographer and printmaker who has spent 17 years educating children and adults in the arts. She received a BA in Art from Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, IA, and continues her arts education through specialized instruction with leading encaustic educators. Themes in her work explore the preciousness of time, empathy and the value of human connections. She is an encaustic painting instructor, IEA Board Member, Valley Art Gallery Social Media Director, Co-Founder and President of the NorCAL Wax Chapter and advocate for the arts in Walnut Creek, California. In 2022 she started the annual Hope Lives: Art for ALS exhibition. Stephens exhibits nationally and internationally.