Melanie Rodriguez, AVDA

Melanie Rodriguez, Outreach Services Director with Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA), has dedicated her career to empowering survivors of domestic violence and working collaboratively with community agencies to create safer outcomes for families. Since 2006, she has worked in shelter and outreach programs to provide survivors with support, resources, safety planning and crisis-intervention throughout south Florida. Melanie developed a series of radio segments that are aired bi-weekly on a faith-based radio station in Spanish to educate the LatinX community on domestic and dating violence and prevention efforts. Melanie published domestic violence articles for electronic newsletters that have been shared with mental health professionals and community members within the state of Florida and outside of the United States. She is identified as an expert on domestic violence cases intersecting with child welfare to develop trainings and participate on regional panel discussions. Currently, she is responsible for contributing to the management of AVDA’s outreach, prevention, and community education programs.