Melody York Zuniga

Education

MSW, Baylor University
BA, Baylor University

Research Interests

• Process of Children Disclosing Abuse
• Child Abuse
• Child Witnesses
• Sexual Assault
• Professional Bilingual Service Provision
• Social Work with the Spanish-speaking Community

Selected Publications

Zuniga, M., & Davis, D. (2010) Choosing safety over silence: What role can ministers play when sexual abuse comes to church? Family and Community Ministries, 23(4), 37-39.

Zuniga, M.Y., & Pooler, D. (2020). Purity, power, and privilege: The intersection between Christianity, sex, and social work practice. In T.L. Scales and M.S. Kelly (Eds.), Christianity and social work. Botsford, CT: NACSW Press.

Background

Melody York Zuniga joined the faculty full time in June 2009 and is a Senior Lecturer and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Prior to serving as Associate Dean, she was the Director of Field Education and served as an adjunct faculty member since January of 2007. Before joining the School of Social Work full time, she worked for the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children in Waco. She began her work there in the roles of Victim Services Specialist and Counselor for the Advocacy Center's rural offices, serving the children, youth, adults, and families that worked or were working through experiences of sexual assault and other forms of violence. Her experience at the Advocacy Center led to training as a Forensic Interviewer, a role she held for years conducting developmentally appropriate and forensically sound interviews of children to gather details surrounding their alleged witness to or experience of abuse and other crimes. She also worked closely with a multi-disciplinary team that included Child Protective Services, law enforcement agencies, and the District Attorney's Office to help ensure coordinated efforts in child abuse investigations.

She is married to Jose Zuniga, and they have a daughter and two sons.