Roxanna Ast

Roxanna Ast is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy at Montclair State University, within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on macro social work, structural quality of life, and equity-centered policy, with a focus on marginalized groups such as sexual and gender minorities, forcibly displaced communities, and survivors of state violence.

Dr. Ast holds a PhD and MSW from Rutgers University–New Brunswick, an MSc from the University of Glasgow, and a BA from Guilan University. Her academic work has been recognized with awards from the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and the IIDEA emerging scholar award.

Her professional contributions include serving on New Jersey’s Food Security Strategic Plan and the Child Well-Being Research Network. Previously, she worked with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and collaborated with the CDC on trauma-informed care initiatives.

Her research explores innovative approaches such as artistic expression for resilience and culturally informed practices for LGBTQ+ forced migrants. She currently advises on policy design to include excluded communities in systemic reforms.