Kelly Melekis
Associate Professor of Social Work
MSW Program Coordinator
Interim Chair, Department of Social Work
85 South Prospect St
438B Waterman
Burlington, VT 05401
United States
- PhD, Social Work and Sociology, Boston University
- MSW, Social Welfare (Concentration: Gerontology) University of California at Berkeley
- BSW, Social Work, University of Vermont
- Certificate in Gerontology, University of Vermont
- Professional Certificate, End of Life Doula, University of Vermont
BIO
Dr. Kelly Melekis has taught courses on social work practice, research methods, and death, dying and bereavement for over 20 years. She practiced as a clinical social worker in geriatric mental health and substance use, and taught social work practice, policy and research at Boston University, University of Hawaii, and Skidmore College. A U.S. Fulbright Scholar, she recently explored cultural variations in end-of-life care at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania.
As a gerontological social worker, Dr. Melekis’s scholarship focuses on 1) the health and well-being of vulnerable and oppressed older adults, particularly in terms of homelessness, housing, and social environment, and 2) the education and training of social workers, especially in terms of interprofessional practice in health and aging.
Underlying the substantive content of her research are methodological considerations rooted in social justice and a commitment to including the voices and perspectives of marginalized populations and those who serve them, thereby providing a comprehensive sense of what works, for whom, and in what ways. She conducts primarily community-based research, with an emphasis on collaborative, participatory methods and her work contributes to improved policy, program development, and effective interprofessional practice.
Dr. Melekis's research has been published in a range of interdisciplinary journals, including the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Aging and Mental Health, The Sociological Review, and the Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice. She serves as a reviewer for several journals, including the International Journal of Housing Policy, Academic Medicine, and The British Journal of Social Work. Presenting her work reguarly at national and international venues, she has given invited talks in Finland, Lithuania, Austria, Germany, and Japan. She is also an organizer of the International Summer School in Social Work at the University of Lapland, Finland.
In addition to precious time singing, dancing and laughing with her two daughters and cooking yummy vegetarian food with her husband Mark (UVM MSW ‘14), she loves traveling, reading memoirs, live music, the original Star Trek series, and maple lattes.
Courses
Transformative Social Work Practice II
Publications
Awards and Achievements
2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
Area(s) of expertise
- Gerontology
- Hospice and Palliative Care
- Interprofessional Practice
- Anti-Oppressive Practice
- Transformative Research and Evaluation
- Transformative Pedagogy
Bio
Dr. Kelly Melekis has taught courses on social work practice, research methods, and death, dying and bereavement for over 20 years. She practiced as a clinical social worker in geriatric mental health and substance use, and taught social work practice, policy and research at Boston University, University of Hawaii, and Skidmore College. A U.S. Fulbright Scholar, she recently explored cultural variations in end-of-life care at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania.
As a gerontological social worker, Dr. Melekis’s scholarship focuses on 1) the health and well-being of vulnerable and oppressed older adults, particularly in terms of homelessness, housing, and social environment, and 2) the education and training of social workers, especially in terms of interprofessional practice in health and aging.
Underlying the substantive content of her research are methodological considerations rooted in social justice and a commitment to including the voices and perspectives of marginalized populations and those who serve them, thereby providing a comprehensive sense of what works, for whom, and in what ways. She conducts primarily community-based research, with an emphasis on collaborative, participatory methods and her work contributes to improved policy, program development, and effective interprofessional practice.
Dr. Melekis's research has been published in a range of interdisciplinary journals, including the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Aging and Mental Health, The Sociological Review, and the Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice. She serves as a reviewer for several journals, including the International Journal of Housing Policy, Academic Medicine, and The British Journal of Social Work. Presenting her work reguarly at national and international venues, she has given invited talks in Finland, Lithuania, Austria, Germany, and Japan. She is also an organizer of the International Summer School in Social Work at the University of Lapland, Finland.
In addition to precious time singing, dancing and laughing with her two daughters and cooking yummy vegetarian food with her husband Mark (UVM MSW ‘14), she loves traveling, reading memoirs, live music, the original Star Trek series, and maple lattes.
Courses
Transformative Social Work Practice II
Publications
Awards and Achievements
2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
Areas of Expertise
- Gerontology
- Hospice and Palliative Care
- Interprofessional Practice
- Anti-Oppressive Practice
- Transformative Research and Evaluation
- Transformative Pedagogy