PhD Student
University of Tennessee
Melissa is second year doctoral student in The College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee. She is from St. Petersburg, Florida and earned her master’s in social work from the University of South Florida. Melissa has experience in community mental health, medical social work, juvenile justice, and spent the majority of her career in school social work. Most recently, Melissa had a private practice focused on working with LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent folx. She is licensed in Florida and Connecticut and holds school social work certifications in both states. Melissa’s research interests include queer joy, protective and compensatory experiences (PACEs), and disability justice in doctoral education.
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Friday, October 24, 2025
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM MT