Vera Institute of Justice

Ryan Shanahan is the director of Restoring Promise, an initiative of Vera and the MILPA Collective. Ryan started Vera’s work on transforming prison conditions with a focus on young adults.

Ryan transitioned to Vera in 2009 from a Vera spin-off, Family Justice. Their work at Family Justice to help incarcerated people stay connected to their families and communities became one of the four core values of Restoring Promise.

Ryan’s family’s experience with the legal system motivated them to start in this field. Ryan’s commitment to the work is a reflection of their father, Kevin, who instilled in them from a young age a commitment to justice and generosity.

Ryan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut and a PhD in women’s studies from the University of Maryland.