• Ph D, Counseling and Psychology in Education, USD, 2018
• MA, Addiction Studies, University of South Dakota, 2014
• BS, Addiction Studies, University of South Dakota, 2012

• Peer Support Specialist
• Functional Movement Techniques Basic, Sanford Sports Physical Therapy
• Post-Secondary Teaching, USD Graduate School and the Center for Teaching and Learning
• Certified Prevention Specialist, BAPP
• Advanced Muscular Therapy for the Low Back, Pelvic Girdle & Thighs, Sioux Falls Therapeutic Massage and Education Center
• Prevention Specialist , BAPP

• Center for Teaching and Learning Grant, University of South Dakota, (2022 - 2023)
• SBIRT, South Dakota Department of Social Services, (2022 - 2022)
• I Have Narcan, Do You?, South Dakota Department of Social Services, (2021 - 2022)
• State Opioid Response , Department of Behavioral Health , (2019 - 2021)

Citations listed below are presented in a standardized, modified format for display purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the preferred style and conventions of the faculty member or discipline.

• Dittberner, Melissa. The Alcohol Reset: A 66-day Guided Break from Alcohol.
• Dittberner, Melissa, and Williams, K.. Significant Learning for Health Sciences Students. In E. Langran (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, pp. 691-694.
• Wendel, Tasha, Williams, Katie, Dittberner, Melissa, Zimney, Kory, and Schweinle, William. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment: Appropriate Use in a Dental Setting. In Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene.

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Biomedical Product Development, MIT, 2024
• Outstanding Faculty Award Teaching and Service Excellence, University of South Dakota, 2024
• Remarkable Woman, NextStars, 2024
• Women of Excellence Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, SME, 2024
• Emerging Leader Award, University of South Dakota, 2023
• Paulson Cyber Incubator & Entrepreneurial Center Launch Lab, Dakota State University, 2023
• SUD is the Life Sciences Entrepreneurial Product Development Immersion Course for New Technologies and Solutions for Substance Use Disorders, Babson L-SPRINT, 2023
• Women of Excellence Award Nominee for Entrepreneurial Excellence, SME, 2023
• Innovation to Impact Fellowship, Yale University , 2022
• Paulson Cyber Incubator & Entrepreneurial Center Launch Lab, Dakota State University, 2022
• Tech2Launch Program, University of South Dakota, 2022
• Honors Sample Syllabi , National Collegiate Honors Council , 2021
• Outstanding Faculty Award and Early Career Teaching Excellence, University of South Dakota, 2021
• School of Health Sciences Early Career Teaching Excellence Award, University of South Dakota School of Health Sciences, 2021
• Start an SUD Start-Up Challenge Winner, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2021
• Open Textbook Fellowship, CTL/USD, 2020
• Course Design Fellowship, USD, 2019
• Open Textbook Fellowship, USD/ CTL , 2019
• Course Design Fellowship, USD, 2018
• Course Design Fellowship, USD, 2017
• Course Design Fellowship, USD, 2016
• Course Design Fellowship, USD, 2015

• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction Education., Cambridge, MA. (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Specialist Training in Treatment Courts. Presented at the ALLRISE, Anaheim, CA. (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Unveiling the Transformative Role of Peer Supports. Presented at the ATTC (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Group Counseling. Presented at the Capital Area Counseling, Pierre, SD. (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction Stigma Reduction. Presented at the Medication for Opioid use Disorder Day (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Support. Presented at the Mission Possible, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Prevention, Stigma and Trauma in the Netherlands., Amsterdam, NL. (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Motivational Interviewing. Presented at the Volunteers of America, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2024)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction and Harm Reduction., Redfield. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, SUD. Presented at the Babson L-SPRINT: SUD is the Life Sciences Entrepreneurial Product Development, Boston, MA. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Harm Reduction., Redfield, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Presented at the HIPAA Essentials NAADAC Webinar (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Presented at the international Overdose Awareness Day, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Support. Presented at the Leaders of Tomorrow, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Mission Possible Stigma Reduction and Straight up Care. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Support and Street Medicine. Presented at the NAMI, Rapid City, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Overdose Prevention., Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Support and Harm Reduction., Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Support in Problem Solving Court. Presented at the RISE23, Deadwood, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Panel Expert for telecommunication. Presented at the SAMHSA Panel (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Digital Peer Support. Presented at the Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Harm Reduction. Presented at the Stronger Together Suicide Prevention, Brookings, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Peer Support and Stigma. Presented at the TEDxUSD, Vermillion, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Managing Chronic Conditions in Patients with Addiction & Mental Health Issues. Presented at the Therapeutic Alliance, Vermillion, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Narcan Training. Presented at the Urban Indian Health, Pierre, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Walk of Hope., Pierre, SD. (January 2023)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Williams, Katie, and Wendel, Tasha, Significant Learning for Health Sciences Students. Presented at the SITE Annual 2022, San Diego, CA. (April 2022)
• Williams, Katie, Dittberner, Melissa, and Wendel, Tasha, Course Design: A Flipped Approach. Presented at the ADEA Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. (March 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Presented at the Center for Brain and Behavior Research Symposium, Vermillion, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Presented at the ECHO Supporting Children of the Opioid Epidemic (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Screen for Prevention. Presented at the International Symposium, Dublin, Ireland. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Narcan Training and Panel Discussion. Presented at the Living Undeterred Tour, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Straight Up Care and Burnout Prevention. Presented at the Mission Possible, Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Narcan. Presented at the Rapid City Community Training, Rapid City, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Presented at the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education, San Diego, CA. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Tattoos. Presented at the Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR), Malibu, CA. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Substance Use., Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Panel Discussion. Presented at the Tipping the Pain Scale, Vermillion and Sioux Falls, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Presented at the Yale Innovation to Impact, New Haven, CT. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction Stigma Reduction. Presented at the Yankton Area Mental Wellness Conference, Yankton, SD. (January 2022)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction Student's Significant Learning. Presented at the 2021 Symposium on Substance Use Research (November 2021)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Prevention and Motivation. Presented at the I’m Not Drunk, I Have MS, Denver, CO. (August 2021)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Stigma and Addiction. Presented at the ECHO Supporting Children of the Opioid Epidemic- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (June 2021)
• Wendel, Tasha, Williams, Katie, and Dittberner, Melissa, Significant Learning. Presented at the Teaching and Prevention: Promoting Adaptability, Resiliency, and Sustainability, Online. (March 09, 2021)
• Wendel, Tasha, Williams, Katie, Dittberner, Melissa, Cassanova, Tallie, and Kassin, Katie, Screening and Prevention., online. (March 05, 2021)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Motivation. Presented at the The Courage Conference, Sioux City, IA. (January 2019)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction Education. Presented at the Head Start, Mitchell, SD. (January 2018)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Sex Trafficking. Presented at the Rotary, Vermillion, SD. (January 2018)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction Education. Presented at the Child Protective Services, Yankton, SD. (January 2017)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction. Presented at the Juvenile Detention Center, Madison, NE. (January 2015)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Addiction. Presented at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. (January 2015)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Coaching. Presented at the Dom City Dolls, Utrecht, Netherland. (January 2013)
• Dittberner, Melissa, Coaching. Presented at the Helsinki Roller Derby, Helsinki, Finland. (January 2011)