Current Thinking
a forum for ideas, opinions, and strategies on justice policy and practice
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Expert profile
Expert profile
Associate Director, Center on Sentencing and Corrections
As associate director of the Center on Sentencing and Corrections since 2008, Alison manages staff, oversees budgets, develops grant proposals, and directs projects. Her recent work has included helping Illinois pass and implement its Crime Reduction Act of 2009, which legislated the use of evidence-based practices throughout the criminal justice system; facilitating county and state steering committees in Alabama to improve community-based supervision practices and address prison overcrowding; drafting and editing Vera reports on the fiscal crisis and sentencing trends; convening a national conference on performance incentive funding programs; and managing the Justice Reinvestment Initiative for Vera. Previously, Alison worked in Sydney, Australia, where she served as executive officer to the Committee of Criminal Justice CEOs in the Attorney General’s Department of New South Wales. Before that, Alison was the state copyright manager for the state of New South Wales and corporate counsel for Fairfax Media, one of Australia’s largest media companies. Immediately following law school, Alison clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Vance in New Orleans. Alison has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from New York University School of Law.
Centers and Programs: Topics:
History
Expert profile
Expert profile
Associate Director, Center on Sentencing and CorrectionsAs associate director of the Center on Sentencing and Corrections since 2008, Alison manages staff, oversees budgets, develops grant proposals, and directs projects. Her recent work has included helping Illinois pass and implement its Crime Reduction Act of 2009, which legislated the use of evidence-based practices throughout the criminal justice system; facilitating county and state steering committees in Alabama to improve community-based supervision practices and address prison overcrowding; drafting and editing Vera reports on the fiscal crisis and sentencing trends; convening a national conference on performance incentive funding programs; and managing the Justice Reinvestment Initiative for Vera. Previously, Alison worked in Sydney, Australia, where she served as executive officer to the Committee of Criminal Justice CEOs in the Attorney General’s Department of New South Wales. Before that, Alison was the state copyright manager for the state of New South Wales and corporate counsel for Fairfax Media, one of Australia’s largest media companies. Immediately following law school, Alison clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Vance in New Orleans. Alison has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from New York University School of Law.
Centers and Programs:Topics:History
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Staff profile
Staff profile
Vera Alumnus
Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
History
Staff profile
Staff profile
Vera AlumnusDirector of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Pennsylvania Department of CorrectionsHistory
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Staff profile
Staff profile
Senior Program Associate
Ryan joined Vera in 2009. She works with corrections departments, juvenile justice agencies, and faith- and community-based organizations to support them in adopting family-focused and strength-based approaches to their work. Ryan led the FYI project to develop standards for juvenile justice agencies on family engagement as well as Vera’s work with Ohio’s Department of Youth Services. Before joining Vera’s Family Justice Program, she was a project director at Family Justice, where she helped develop tools that allow staff at juvenile justice agencies and community-based organizations to learn about the social support of youth and their families. Ryan holds a PhD in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland where she also received her MA. Ryan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut.
Centers and Programs:
History
Staff profile
Staff profile
Senior Program AssociateRyan joined Vera in 2009. She works with corrections departments, juvenile justice agencies, and faith- and community-based organizations to support them in adopting family-focused and strength-based approaches to their work. Ryan led the FYI project to develop standards for juvenile justice agencies on family engagement as well as Vera’s work with Ohio’s Department of Youth Services. Before joining Vera’s Family Justice Program, she was a project director at Family Justice, where she helped develop tools that allow staff at juvenile justice agencies and community-based organizations to learn about the social support of youth and their families. Ryan holds a PhD in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland where she also received her MA. Ryan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut.Centers and Programs:History
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Staff profile
Staff profile
Research Associate, Family Justice Program
Sandra Villalobos Agudelo joined Vera in July 2010 as a research associate for the Family Justice Program. Sandra’s work has focused on designing and conducting research focused on the positive impacts of family support on different outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system. Recently Sandra has been working with the Council for Juvenile Correctional Administrators developing and testing a set of family standards to inform how juvenile correctional facilities and programs are engaging families in their work with youth. Prior to joining Vera, Sandra consulted for NYC Department of Juvenile Justice, developing performance indicators to monitor the performance of case management functions. She also evaluated the effectiveness of a behavioral modification program for disadvantaged youth at the nonprofit organization Leake and Watts; the project aimed to reduce delinquent behavior while rewarding socially responsible behavior. Before immigrating to the United States, Sandra assisted in the implementation of Bogotá’s LGBT public policies, training public and private organizations about sexual diversity. She holds a master’s degree in psychology from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá and a Master of Science in urban policy analysis and management from The New School for Public Engagement.
Centers and Programs: Projects: Topics:
History
Staff profile
Staff profile
Research Associate, Family Justice ProgramSandra Villalobos Agudelo joined Vera in July 2010 as a research associate for the Family Justice Program. Sandra’s work has focused on designing and conducting research focused on the positive impacts of family support on different outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system. Recently Sandra has been working with the Council for Juvenile Correctional Administrators developing and testing a set of family standards to inform how juvenile correctional facilities and programs are engaging families in their work with youth. Prior to joining Vera, Sandra consulted for NYC Department of Juvenile Justice, developing performance indicators to monitor the performance of case management functions. She also evaluated the effectiveness of a behavioral modification program for disadvantaged youth at the nonprofit organization Leake and Watts; the project aimed to reduce delinquent behavior while rewarding socially responsible behavior. Before immigrating to the United States, Sandra assisted in the implementation of Bogotá’s LGBT public policies, training public and private organizations about sexual diversity. She holds a master’s degree in psychology from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá and a Master of Science in urban policy analysis and management from The New School for Public Engagement.Centers and Programs:Projects:Topics:History
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Main profile
Main profile
Senior Policy Analyst, Cost-Benefit Analysis Unit
Chris joined Vera in May 2010 as a senior policy analyst in the Cost-Benefit Analysis Unit. Before coming to Vera, he worked for more than six years at the New York City Office of Management and Budget, serving for three years as unit head in the Social Services Taskforce. At NYC OMB, he was responsible for the budget preparation and operational oversight of the Administration for Children’s Services and the Department for Homeless Services and worked on a variety of efforts to ensure the efficient use of public resources. He has also worked on welfare-to-work research at MDRC and retirement policy at the U.S. Social Security Administration. He has a BA in economics from Gettysburg College and an MPP from Georgetown University.
Centers and Programs: Topics:
Staff profile
History
Main profile
Main profile
Senior Policy Analyst, Cost-Benefit Analysis UnitChris joined Vera in May 2010 as a senior policy analyst in the Cost-Benefit Analysis Unit. Before coming to Vera, he worked for more than six years at the New York City Office of Management and Budget, serving for three years as unit head in the Social Services Taskforce. At NYC OMB, he was responsible for the budget preparation and operational oversight of the Administration for Children’s Services and the Department for Homeless Services and worked on a variety of efforts to ensure the efficient use of public resources. He has also worked on welfare-to-work research at MDRC and retirement policy at the U.S. Social Security Administration. He has a BA in economics from Gettysburg College and an MPP from Georgetown University.
Centers and Programs:Topics:Staff profile
History
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Staff profile
Staff profile
Senior Program Associate
Ryan joined Vera in 2009. She works with corrections departments, juvenile justice agencies, and faith- and community-based organizations to support them in adopting family-focused and strength-based approaches to their work. Ryan led the FYI project to develop standards for juvenile justice agencies on family engagement as well as Vera’s work with Ohio’s Department of Youth Services. Before joining Vera’s Family Justice Program, she was a project director at Family Justice, where she helped develop tools that allow staff at juvenile justice agencies and community-based organizations to learn about the social support of youth and their families. Ryan holds a PhD in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland where she also received her MA. Ryan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut.
Centers and Programs:
History
Staff profile
Staff profile
Senior Program AssociateRyan joined Vera in 2009. She works with corrections departments, juvenile justice agencies, and faith- and community-based organizations to support them in adopting family-focused and strength-based approaches to their work. Ryan led the FYI project to develop standards for juvenile justice agencies on family engagement as well as Vera’s work with Ohio’s Department of Youth Services. Before joining Vera’s Family Justice Program, she was a project director at Family Justice, where she helped develop tools that allow staff at juvenile justice agencies and community-based organizations to learn about the social support of youth and their families. Ryan holds a PhD in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland where she also received her MA. Ryan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut.Centers and Programs:History