BIO Wayne Martin Melliinger, Ph.D.

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Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D. is a social justice educator, activist and writer, living in Santa Barbara, CA. He advocates for our neighbors on the streets, for those with mental health challenges and for all who are denied equal access to basic needs or are treated without dignity and respect. He has worked as an Outreach worker / Case Manager / Counselor for WillBridge of Santa Barbara, New Beginnings Counseling Center, The Safe Parking Program, Transition House and Casa Esperanza. His passion is helping chronically homeless and dually diagnosed individuals transition into permanent housing and self-sufficiency. He has taught sociology, social psychology and anti-oppression classes at Antioch University Santa Barbara, Ventura College, the Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Berkeley campuses of the University of California and the Fielding Graduate University, He received his M.A and Ph.D. in Sociology from UC-Santa Barbara. He is also a certified substance abused counselor. Wayne has a passion for non-profit work and sits on the boards of the Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (housing policies for the homeless), the Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness Commission, Showers of Blessing, the Committee for Social Justice, Social Venture Partners-Santa Barbara.  For a number of years he served on the South Coast Homeless Advisory Committee.  He founded the Santa Barbara Homeless Foot Washing in 2008 (now run by WillBridge of Santa Barbara) and helped to found the Freedom Warming Centers and founded Longest Night: A National Memorial Day for People Who Have Died on the Streets in 2013. He is a former Community Organizer with SEAT At The Table, a homeless empowerment and advocacy coalition.  His writings on social justice often appear on Noozhawk and Humanistic Paganism.


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