2026 BWJP Rising Stars – Meghan Dunlap
“When it comes to gender-based violence, you just never know what’s going on behind closed doors, so you have to…
2026 BWJP Rising Stars – Meghan Dunlap
“When it comes to gender-based violence, you just never know what’s going on behind closed doors, so you have to have an open mind, and an open heart, and be there for people.”
- Meghan Dunlap, Communications Associate, External Relations
March is Women’s History Month, and this month we are featuring some of the Rising Stars of BWJP who are making a difference every day through what they do.
Meghan Dunlap started her communications career when she worked for the Pee Dee Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence as their Volunteer Coordinator after graduating college in 2021 with a degree in communications. Now she puts her passion for communications and ending gender-based violence together with her work BWJP.
Like others in our sector, she got interested in gender-based violence work at a young age. “When I was a small child, my mom worked on a domestic violence hotline. She used to take calls from the hotline, and when women would come into the shelter, she would help them find job placements and places to live. I grew up hearing all her stories about that.”
It prepared her for her first job at Pee Dee, coordinating volunteers who wanted to help, and bringing in donations of cleaning supplies, diapers, and clothes. “Everything you need to keep the shelter running,” she said.
Her experience at the shelter informs her work at BWJP as a member of the communications team. “It puts alot of things in perspective.”
In her work at BWJP, Meghan said she’s always keeping survivors top of mind, especially in her role doing social media. She knows social media is a powerful tool for outreach and awareness, and the flip side of that is that technology is yet another way to abuse someone.
People often have the misconception that because everyone is online, that it is easy to do social media posts. However, before Meghan puts anything out to the public, she thinks deeply about how people are represented, how it will impact audiences, and she monitors posts and comments to ensure safety online.
What you may not know is that part of Meghan’s communication role is to be a jargon decoder! BWJP works with lots of different stakeholders in the anti-violence movement, and sometimes people use acronyms and technical terms that the general public may not know about. She works to ensure everyone is understood.
She said, “We want people to know we hear you, we see you, and this is a safe place. I love that we’ve fostered that kind of relationship and trust with our community. My whole process is about BWJP being a credible source and keeping that trust with our audience.”
The work of communications in the gender-based violence sector is so much more than just words and platforms. It’s about heart and soul, and having a passion to be of service. We are so grateful for the care, understanding, and energy Meghan puts into her communications for BWJP.
