Dr. Melissa Stancil

Biography

Dr. Melissa Stancil is an assistant professor of public health for the Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) and Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) programs at Campbell University teaching courses in rural health and behavioral health. She completed her Doctorate of Public Health in Health Policy, Administration, & Leadership at East Carolina University. Her dissertation was entitled “Improving mental well-being through culture-specific outdoor learning: A mixed-methods study.” She continues to research and work in nature-based interventions, outdoor education, and rural health. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Geography. She graduated with distinction from Campbell University with a Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling. She then completed a three-year postgraduate residency in spiritually-integrated psychotherapy from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and a health equity fellowship with the National Council for Behavioral Health. She has served in a variety of roles in outpatient behavioral health, including executive management and clinical practice as a licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisor specializing in nature-based wellness, the treatment of trauma, and supporting & celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities. She is a passionate rural health, behavioral health, and health equity advocate who facilitates at the local, state, national, and international level.