MELANIE ROBBINS
​​​​​​​Emmy-nominated Producer, Media Consultant, Foreign Policy Analyst
Melanie S. Robbins is an Emmy-nominated producer, communications strategist, media consultant, and Foreign Policy analyst with deep experience at the intersection of policy, media, and foreign affairs. She currently serves as deputy director for Realign for Palestine at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Program, where she drives project strategy, outreach, engagement, and communications strategy on complex geopolitical issues, and supports the development of expert analysis that shapes public and policy conversations.
Before her work at the Atlantic Council, Melanie led narrative and engagement efforts across nonprofit and policy environments, including directing global connections for a major Jewish federation and serving as deputy director of the Anti-Defamation League’s New York/New Jersey regional office. In that role, she oversaw responses to hate and extremism and worked closely with civil rights leaders, law enforcement, and policymakers.
She has worked on education and media initiatives from the ground, including with a Palestinian-Israeli media organization that publishes a Hebrew-Arabic youth magazine and led joint educational programs. She also served as director of development and international relations for Peace Now - Israel, navigating politically sensitive advocacy, fundraising, and partnership work.
Melanie’s experiences include real-world impact, turning complex policy issues into public-facing narratives, managing multi-platform content systems under scrutiny, and helping leaders shift from reactive communications to proactive narrative control. She combines this strategic lens with practical media execution, shaping long-form content platforms, editorial arcs, and strategic visibility plans across written analysis, podcasts, and multimedia projects.
Melanie holds a BA with honors in Political Science, Middle East Studies, and Women & Gender Studies from Drew University and an MA in Security and Diplomacy from Tel Aviv University. 
She published a book on peacebuilding and human rights in 2011 and has published with Realign for Palestine and the Atlantic Council’s New Atlanticist and MENASource. She also writes on Substack at A Life of Realistic Optimism. Her work and clients' content have appeared in leading domestic and international media outlets. She is a 2025 Israel Policy Forum Atid Charles Bronfman Convener Fellow and sits on the board of the NY-based Muslim Jewish Solidarity Committee. 

Melanie's Portfolio and Publications 

Film Production 
Emmy-Nominated Producer for PBS Kids Alma’s Way – My Way: a series of shorts featuring everyday kids showing us their favorite hobbies and cultural activities in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions.
Alma’s Way – Sonia’s Way: Parent-child learning with Sonia Manzano of Sesame Street and others.
Co-producer Waging Peace Film
Realign For Palestine, Atlantic Council


Publications 
A critical analysis of liberal peacebuilding paradigms, arguing for economic, social, and cultural rights as justiciable, operational tools for sustaining peace, with a focus on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
How Trump can leverage the Saudi crown prince’s visit to help secure Gaza’s future - Atlantic Council, New Atlanticists (now known as Dispatches)
The Trump-MBS meeting created an opening for concrete action on Gaza’s postwar transition, Atlantic Council, Realign For Palestine, The Radical Pragmatist (substack)
Who is telling the story of Israel and Palestine?  Atlantic Council - Realign For Palestine Publications 
Is This Ceasefire Deal What It Appears to Be? Atlantic Council - Realign For Palestine - The Radical Pragmatist
A LIFE OF REALISTIC OPTIMISM - Melanie’s personal substack essays on policy, leadership, identity, and pragmatic hope. 
Media and Podcasts: 

Events and Fundraising 
Melanie co-led the launch of Realign For Palestine at the Atlantic Council, as the public launch event and digital rollout, engaging diplomats, policymakers, business leaders, media, and thousands online.
Standing Together - Where There Is Struggle There is Hope - March 2024 Melanie envisioned, executed, marketed, and produced a major NYC event bringing together over 400 Jewish, Muslim, Israeli, Arab, and Palestinian communities through music, speakers, and shared ritual in a rare post‑October 7 convening. The whole campaign raised $30,000+ for peace and justice initiatives in the land.
RELATED LINKS: 
Realign for Palestine
Atlantic Council

PERSONAL SOCIALS *(not a professional portfolio)
X - @MelSRobbins ; IG - @Melsararobbins ; Melanie Robbins - FacebooK
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