Melissa is a British/Canadian/Francophile, born in Uganda, who has always had a passion for travel, human potential, languages, and the arts.

In 1999, she took off on her first solo female trip to Asia, Africa, New Zealand, North & South America, which affectionately earned her the name, by her loved ones, Indiana Joan (after her grandmother who preceded her).

In her 20 and 30s, she was stationed in the U.K. There she got her degree in Social Sciences, with a first class in Anthropology, after which she explored the great cities of Europe.  She traveled for work to London, Paris, Madrid.

Never afraid to jump in… For a  cultural immersion, and to learn the languages, she lived with families in Florenze, Italy; Salamanca, Spain; Paris, France. She hiked through the Venezuelan Amazon, sleeping in hammocks, and exploring the Angel falls.  She trekked the Annapurna trail in Nepal, meeting displaced Tibetan refugees. She hopped on multiple boat trips to Dhal lake in war torn Kashmir. She loved her skydive in New Zealand, seeing sloths in Costa Rica, gorilla trekking in Uganda, and organizing fundraisers in Africa. 

“I had a pull to see different countries, to understand how other people lived, what beliefs they had, what the landscape looked like. I came home deeply enriched and transformed. Staying in touch with people from different cultures  brings a form of connection and worldliness that is meaningful and empowering.

Not everyone is content with the status quo, sometimes you must go beyond your limits to understand where you truly belong.”

Melissa’s passion for holistic healing began after that soul-searching trip in 1999, when she enrolled in an aromatherapy and massage training in London. Over the next two decades, Melissa built a deeply rooted career in the wellness/hospitality industry—training in reflexology, yoga, and counseling, and eventually becoming a spa director, coach, and entrepreneur.

In 2008, she opened WhiteOcean Gallery, a curated space for art, wellness, and beauty that became a haven for creative expression and soulful connection. Although she has since sold it, White Ocean can still be found in Vancouver’s artist hub on Granville Island. 

In 2019, she launched Cave Cure & Therapies, a holistic mineral spa and healing space that grew into a 7 figure business business under her leadership, helping 100s of people on their healing jourey.

Her wellness journey has always been guided by intuition, heart, and a desire to help others transform and heal.

In addition to her work in wellness and the arts, Melissa is deeply committed to inclusion and advocacy. She has worked with the Government of Canada on initiatives that support people with disabilities, helping to create more accessible, empowering systems and communities. Her work in this space is grounded in compassion, equity, and a belief in the inherent potential of every individual.

Melissa has been a globe-trotter from an early age having grown up internationally with a father who was a Director at MI6. Her mother, Patricia M.E. Lorcin – an artist and a retired  History Professor of the UMinn – was born in Egypt, grew up in Turkey, and comes from a large nomadic Levantine family.

#Adventure Photographer, #Photo-Anthropologist, #Travel Writer #Trail Blazer