Melissa Luhtanen is Senior Legal Counsel to the Chief of the Alberta Human Rights Commission; specializing in administrative law, procedural fairness, human rights, labour and employment law, constitutional law and judicial review. She has practiced in many legal areas and worked on numerous non-profits providing her legal expertise.

Melissa identifies as a lesbian and this has informed her understanding of discrimination and the importance of supporting diverse communities.

As a lawyer, volunteer and educator, Melissa has led consultations and research to improve services for LGBTQ2S+ groups, youth groups, refugees and Indigenous communities, and has worked on projects to combat racism, support transgender and non-binary communities and increase awareness about discrimination based on disability.