Team

of Crime at the U.S. Department of Justice and directed the Victims of Crime Act program for the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy in Washington state. Grace also previously led the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She started her work with victims as a volunteer at the Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. She received her BS in gender studies from the University of Utah.

and reentry programs with the Virginia Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice. In Virginia’s adult courts, he conducted background investigations and wrote reports to promote equitable sentencing practices. Jowan was also previously a juvenile parole officer, collaborating with families and courts to identify alternatives to detention and state commitments. Jowan has a BS in criminal justice with a concentration in justice administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and a paralegal studies certificate from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.

in the juvenile justice sector in many capacities, including as a court designated specialist for the Kentucky Court of Justice and an intensive supervision officer for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Kendra brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in recidivism reduction and reentry efforts, as well as informal diversionary sanctions. She earned her BS in forensic anthropology from Western Carolina University and her MS in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati. 

years. This included serving as the vice president of agency programs for a community-based agency providing multiple types of correctional and behavioral health treatment to formerly incarcerated people under community supervision. David was also a clinician at Somers State Prison and Meriden-Wallingford Hospital in Connecticut as well as a consultant with a national criminal justice technical assistance provider. A licensed professional counselor and certified forensic counselor, David earned his BA from Franklin College and his MS at Butler University.

which focused on strengthening community-based supervision and services to increase local alternatives to incarceration. Madeleine also previously worked as a policy staffer in the Oregon and Alabama legislatures. She earned a BA from Portland State University and an MPAP from American University.

and careers technology grant programs. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Jan led operational efforts across various industries, including financial consulting and property management. Jan earned a BA in criminal justice and an MPA specializing in operational oversight from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

where she researched and verified economic trends and employment and wages changes across industries. She also worked for the North Carolina Department of Public Safety as a probation/parole officer aiding individuals returning to their communities after incarceration. She earned her BS and MS in criminal justice from North Carolina Central University and has also studied at the University of California, Irvine. 

research manager at Campaign Zero, whose goal is to achieve zero police violence in the U.S. At Campaign Zero, Rhonda led a team of researchers in developing a database of over 350 community-based organizations that provide crisis, behavioral, mental health, and crime intervention services to underserved communities. Rhonda holds a BA in political science from Carlow University, an MA in teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, and an MA in educational leadership, politics, and advocacy from New York University. 

disorder treatment program in the Upper Midwest, working toward community alternatives to incarceration and second chance efforts that included drug sentencing reform, family reunification legislation, expungement reform, and re-establishment of the Ombudsman for Corrections office. Gina serves on the Hennepin County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Community Advisory Board and was appointed by the commissioner of corrections to the Interstate Compact Commission. Gina has a degree in construction electricity and is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist.  

and measure research-driven criminal justice policy and practice changes through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. Previously, Sara was the director of resource development at an alternative-to-incarceration nonprofit, focusing on grant writing, program development, and building organizational capacity through data collection and program evaluation. Sara earned her BA from University of Pennsylvania and her MPA from New York University.  

and Advocacy at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center in Ohio. With years of advocacy and leadership experience, Shanell also has expertise in critical thinking, crisis intervention, strategy development, and collaborating with community leaders. Shanell has a master’s in criminal behavior from Tiffin University and completed a certificate in “Child Protection: Children’s Rights in Theory and Practice” at Harvard University.  

technical assistance (on- and off-site) to Department of Corrections and tribal grantees in Delaware, Florida, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas, and Navajo Nation for increasing the employability of individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. Additionally, Greg conducted the IRES Pilot Process Evaluation and co-authored the “Integrating Reentry and Employment Strategies (IRES) Pilot Project: Process Evaluation Report.” Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Greg was a project-research assistant at the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice at Policy Research Associates. As a program associate, he provided technical assistance to nine pilot sites implementing a mental health model in the juvenile justice realm. Greg also coordinated and evaluated juvenile justice trainings delivered to CIT trained professionals and juvenile probation, detention, and corrections professionals. He earned his MA in criminal justice and research from SUNY University at Albany’s School of Criminal Justice.

also managed Iowa’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative project and helped lead efforts to improve responses and transparency regarding sexual assault evidence in the state. Robert has also been a consultant with the State Administering Agencies Support Team and the OVC VOCA Center. Previously, Robert served in the Des Moines office of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin in several roles. Robert received a BA in business administration from Grand View College.

policy analysis that resulted in equitable and effective systems change for students from low-income households in the South. He has also worked for the City of Huntsville’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and as a philanthropy intern with the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville, seeking to advance equity and improve the quality of life in Huntsville, Alabama. Kendric holds a BA in political science and a minor in history with honors from Alabama A&M University.  

and quality assurance. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Jennifer worked as the research and continuous quality improvement administrator at Oriana House, a large community corrections agency in Ohio. In this role, Jennifer implemented and oversaw the training and coaching of staff on the use of effective interventions for people in the criminal justice system. Jennifer has also provided training and coaching services as an independent consultant to community corrections agencies throughout the U.S. Jennifer holds a BA in justice studies from Kent State University and an MA in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati.

in Early Resolution Court. She also served as a public defender in St. Lawrence County, New York. She earned her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and her JD from New York University. She is admitted to practice law in New York.

associate at the National Institute of Justice, where she was the lead investigator on projects related to the criminal justice response to crimes against American Indian and Alaska Native women. Alison also has experience conducting research on corrections, including topics such as prison violence, reentry, recidivism, and restorative justice. She earned her BS in public policy and administration from James Madison University and her MS and PhD in justice, law, and society from American University. 

adoption and repeal of state and local public health policies on health outcomes. Myles also worked as a regulatory researcher in oncology clinical trials, reviewing study protocols and project management. He earned his BHS from University of Kentucky and his MPH in health policy and management from New York University. 

director of Washington Appleseed, a legal advocacy organization dedicated to generating research-based public policy impacting underserved populations in Washington state. As executive director, she developed and directed multiagency projects on topics ranging from early childhood nutrition to community reentry from prison. Katie earned her BA in anthropology from the University of Virginia.

violence. Her research focuses on women’s and families’ experiences and needs related to trauma, criminalization, and access to social services. Carly started her career as a case manager for survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. She holds a BA in psychology and French from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA in social work, social policy, and social administration from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.

year working as a residential counselor during university. Before returning to ATASK, Maya worked at national health policy and advocacy organization Community Catalyst, where she supported projects on Medicaid expansion, health equity, and equitable grant-making decisions. Maya holds a BS in behavior and health from Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with a minor in Japanese language and literature.

relationships with legislators to advance CATE’s policy goals to decriminalize trafficked victims. She has engaged in direct service and volunteer work in many St. Louis communities, providing administrative support at a women’s safe house and mentoring youth from the Clinton-Peabody neighborhood. Meghna received her BA in sociology from Washington University in St. Louis and her MSW from the Brown School of Social Work and Public Health, with a concentration in social impact leadership and a specialization in policy.  

of Court Administration. From 1997 to 2005, he was general counsel for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), responsible for prisons, probation, and parole. He also was general counsel to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice—the governing body for TDCJ. Prior to that position, he was the executive director of the Texas Punishment Standards Commission, general counsel to the Texas Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, director of the Senate's redistricting staff, and a briefing attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Carl holds a BA from the University of Cincinnati, an MA from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, and a JD from the University of Texas School of Law. 

implementing evidence-based programs, led prevention initiatives, and started a youth justice advisory board for Pennsylvania. She also worked as a criminal justice systems planner with victims’ services, a youth advocate project manager, and a bilingual family service specialist. She was appointed a 2012 Youth Justice Leadership Institute Fellow through the National Juvenile Justice Network. Maddy holds a BA in psychology and criminal justice from Rutgers University and an MPS in organizational leadership from Central Penn College. 

at Casey Family Programs, where she coordinated services to youth, young adults, and families involved in the child welfare system. Earlier in her career, Michelle was a mitigation specialist with the King County Office of Public Defense. In that role, she transitioned between the felony, mental health, and juvenile court systems to develop individual sentencing alternatives. Michelle received her BS in psychology and criminal justice at Seattle University and her MSW from the University of Washington.

where she trained and educated young girls and women to value their voice in negotiations. She has also worked as a fundraiser for political candidates on the local, state, and federal levels. Lorretta has a BA in political science from Canisius College and an MA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.

around children’s issues as state manager at Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) in Kentucky. Under SCAN, Omar was able to secure funding for full-day kindergarten across the state. Omar has a BA in Spanish and political science and an MPA from Eastern Kentucky University. 

in the formulation of operational standards for correctional facilities, assisted with compliance audits, and traveled nationally and internationally to conduct training and technical assistance for correctional agencies. He received his BA in justice from the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, DC, and his MA in justice, law, and society with a concentration in terrorism and homeland security from American University.

information to staff through consistent resource development and leading of staff trainings. Additionally, she works on projects centered on risk and needs assessment communication and implementation guidance. In previous roles at the CSG Justice Center, Lahiz developed networks of community services for people returning to the community after incarceration, provided technical assistance to recipients of Second Chance Act grants, supported projects centered on improving risk communication in corrections and reentry of people convicted of sexual offenses, and worked to expand the Reentry Services Directory. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, she interned at the New York State Assembly as a legislative assistant, as well as with Albany County’s Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center (CVSVC), acting as a victim advocate at Albany Criminal Court on behalf of CVSVC, and at SUNY Albany’s University Police Department (UAPD), also participating in UAPD’s Advisory Committee. Lahiz received a BA in criminal justice from SUNY University at Albany and is completing her MA in forensic psychology at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

director of Iowa Services and Projects with Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Having worked in direct service for over 20 years, she has led culturally specific programs serving communities of color and focusing on reentry, reunification, job readiness, and employment. Shundrea started her career in grassroots community organizing and holds a BBA from William Penn University, an MPA with a nonprofit emphasis from Drake University, and is completing a doctorate of education in leadership at Drake University.

community supervision outcomes and public safety. Before joining the CSG Justice Center, she was the director of research and innovation at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (SCSD) in Boston, Massachusetts, where she oversaw the development, management, and measurement of SCSD policy innovation and programmatic strategy. Prior to SCSD, she worked as the director of evaluation and learning at Roca Inc., a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization. Laura began her justice policy career in the Boston Police Commissioner’s Office of Research and Development, where she coordinated and managed the City of Boston’s federal Second Chance Act Adult Reentry Demonstration Project grant-related programming. Laura holds a BA in sociology from Bates College, an MA in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in criminology and justice policy from Northeastern University.

In her roles as policy analyst and communications director, she researched and developed legislation and community outreach initiatives to reduce recidivism rates and managed communications. Vibha is also on the Board of Directors for Amnesty International USA. She has led workshops on human rights issues; been an expert consultant at the UN Office of Human Rights, where she drafted the World Programme on Human Rights Education; and presented to the UN ECOSOC forum. She has a BA in political science and sociology with honors from Wayne State University.

prisons throughout the country and ensured access to educational and rehabilitative resources. She also worked in law enforcement as a community service officer and a crime analyst, providing geographic and statistical analysis to guide the Tampa Police Department’s crime reduction efforts. Stephanie has a BA in criminology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with minors in gender studies and sociology. She also has an MA in criminal justice from Long Island University. 

coordinator for the Iowa Department of Justice, where she collaborated with statewide agencies and stakeholders to raise awareness and develop trauma-informed policies for victims of crime. She has also worked with Polaris in Washington, DC, and the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP). Celine received a BS from Cornell University and an MA in public policy from Duke University.

Department in North Carolina, aiming to keep youth out of the juvenile justice system. She used evidence-based practices to provide youth with the necessary tools to reduce delinquency. Amber also specialized in data analytics and provided up-to-date diversion data for various stakeholders, such as the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. Amber has a BS in criminal justice from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an MS in criminal justice from Saint Leo University. 

relating to medical care costs for the county jail system and the youth home detention facility. Ellen also worked as the Brooklyn director for a New York State Senator, and as a special assistant to the state director for a U.S. Senator in Chicago. Ellen holds a BA in Latin American history and sociology from Middlebury College, and an MA in public policy from Duke University.