Michelle Weiss

Dr. Michelle Weiss is an internationally recognized thought leader, consultant, and researcher on moral injury, female veterans, veteran homelessness, military sexual trauma (MST), domestic violence, and bereavement care. As a decorated twice deployed veteran of the Air and Rescue Units to the Middle East, and experienced psychometrist, Dr. Weiss has an acute understanding of how to recognize and address the mental health needs of active and veteran service members. For over 20 years, Dr. Weiss has dedicated her life to eliminating social inequities in systems, structures, policies, and practices for veterans from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Dr. Weiss has extensive research experience involving older populations, veterans, the unhoused, and victims/survivors of domestic violence. She has led or collaborated on research to understand the complex and psychological effects of moral injury and its prevention and treatment. Her ongoing research project, "Moral Injury in Survivors of Domestic Violence," examines domestic violence's complex psychological and emotional effects and how these experiences may result in moral injury. She co-authored an article in the Journal of Military, Veteran, and Family Health article on moral injury in female military and veteran populations. Her work also explores the risk and protective factors for combat-related PTSD stress and guilt and the disparate treatment and healthcare for active and veteran female service members. In addition, she has served as a PI and Co-PI on several state, federal and foundation grants for veteran mental health, housing, and supportive services totaling in the millions.

Dr. Weiss is a staunch advocate for the needs of female military members long after their deployments and service have ended. This passion led her to establish the non-profit organization Female Veterans Alliance (FVA) in 2012 operating in NYC, Texas, and Seattle. As a result, she has helped hundreds of female veterans heal the visible and invisible wounds of military service and lead independent lives. In addition, she has established a homeless female Veterans Village of Supportive Housing, implemented multisystemic therapy and domestic violence mandates, and collaborated with state and federal agencies to formulate sexual assault and domestic violence policies and procedures.

Dr. Weiss is a frequent contributor and invited speaker on various veteran affairs and DOD policies, including but not limited to those surrounding using service dogs for veterans and sexual trauma. Dr. Weiss is an expert in developing innovative veterans' employment and life skills initiatives for the non-profit, government, and corporate sectors. She works closely with non-profit organizations to find permanent housing for homeless veterans and their families in New York, Seattle, and Texas. Dr. Weiss is frequently called upon to conduct domestic violence and military sexual assault clinics in various bases in the United States and worldwide. She has also trained in Military Sexual Assault protocols, providing crisis intervention, budget control, and devising treatment plans to prevent domestic violence in military households.

In 2016, after suffering a personal loss and drawing on her mental health background, she made it her mission to help family members understand and move forward in the grief process by facilitating their expression of thoughts and feelings and utilizing culturally relevant healthy coping strategies. In addition, Dr. Weiss has provided bereavement, after-care and emotional support related to dying and death at several hospices. She has also served in social work geriatric leadership roles within nursing facilities.

Dr. Weiss is a licensed Social Worker and a professor of Social Work with expertise in organizational leadership, collaboration, community development, and social services. She received her Doctor of Social Work in social justice, innovation, and large-scale change management, as well as her Master of Social Work in Community Organization, Planning, and Administration from the University of Southern California School of Social Work.