Vera Institute of Justice

Sharon Taylor is a program associate II with Vera's Restoring Promise initiative, primarily working with the Colorado and Idaho state prison systems.

Before joining Vera in 2020, Sharon combined her public health background with community organizing to advocate for equitable systems that allow Black and brown communities to thrive in her hometown of New Haven, Connecticut. Starting with an anti-hunger focus, she then led collaborative research processes within community settings. Sharon’s professional priorities include understanding the dynamics of social determinants of health, specifically related to structural racism, and executing practical solutions. Racial equity has become the thread by which Sharon connects public health to criminal justice reform. She strives to be led in her work by those most impacted by these systems.

Sharon holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and community health from Tufts University and an MPH from the Yale School of Public Health.