Melissa Sinclair

Melissa Sinclair is the Director of Social Action at HAVEN, Oakland County’s center for intimate partner violence and sexual assault survivors. She manages a team of court advocates and first responders and actively collaborates with law enforcement, court personnel, and other systems to increase understanding of intimate partner violence and continually explore ways to improve experiences and outcomes for survivors.

As a leader in her community and an expert in intimate partner violence and sexual assault, Melissa serves as a key provider of training on partner abuse and sexual violence, co-chair of the Oakland County Coordinating Council Against Domestic Violence and the Southfield Coordinated Community Response Team. She has been instrumental in the growth and development of HAVEN’s Coordinated Community Response Teams and has tripled the number of teams during her tenure as the Director of Social Action. In March of 2022, she was elected onto the BISC-MI Board, where she will continue to bring a survivor-centered perspective with a focus on coordinated community response to address domestic violence within Michigan and beyond.

Melissa has been a part of HAVEN for 6 years, and previously served as a court advocate, first responder, and crisis and support line specialist. Melissa’s nearly 10 years of victim advocacy experience began with her role as a Sexual Aggression Peer Advocate at Central Michigan University. She provided survivor-centered Title IX advocacy and conducted training around IPV and bystander intervention.

Melissa received a B.A. from Central Michigan University in family studies, with a dual minor in psychology and substance abuse. A passionate advocate who has dedicated her life to eradicating intimate partner violence and meaningfully engaging communities to keep survivors safe and hold offenders accountable.