Melanie Susswein, MSW

Melanie Susswein, MSW, is a Senior Project Manager at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work. She works collaboratively with researchers, practitioners, and community partners on PATHWAYS–TX, a statewide study examining the impact of sexual violence on mental health, well-being, and daily functioning. She also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor and a Leadership and Dialogue Program Consultant with the School’s Office of Global Engagement.

Melanie is an award-winning communications strategist and project director with extensive experience in qualitative research, social marketing, public health, and violence prevention. She first joined UT Austin in 2018 as IDVSA’s Director of Marketing and Communications, helping translate research findings into information that informs policy, practice, and public understanding. More recently, she served as Program Manager at UT’s Center for Health Communication, supporting statewide initiatives to expand access to mental health care for children, adolescents, and perinatal populations.

Her teaching and global engagement work focuses on leadership, constructive dialogue, conflict transformation, and restorative practices. She teaches Leading, Resolving, and Flowing in a Complex World, an undergraduate course, and helps develop From Texas to the Troubles: Leading in a Complex World, an immersive Northern Ireland program that explores peacebuilding, dialogue, and leadership through community engagement and experiential learning. She is certified in Dialogue for Peaceful Change, an internationally recognized approach to navigating conflict and facilitating constructive dialogue.

Melanie earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work reflects a longstanding commitment to qualitative research and translating it into practice, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and social change.