Dr. McKinney is deeply committed to advancing rigorous research, policy, and technical assistance that lifts up the voices of system-impacted Black women, girls and gender-nonconforming people. Under her leadership, NBWJI’s research and advocacy will demonstrate the importance of centering the experiences of Black women, girls, and gender nonconforming people in efforts to end mass incarceration and how critical it is that our society advance new models of justice that are rooted in honoring the dignity of all people and promote individual and collective healing. Dr. McKinney has over 15 years of experience in the areas of child welfare and justice reform, leading and implementing research and evaluation in applied settings. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology and an M.A. in law and society from New York University, as well as an M.P.H from Columbia University. 

Abbi Leman is an editor, writer, and communications strategist. She has been working in the nonprofit and higher education fields for nearly 20 years, providing communications expertise across a range of areas for mission-driven organizations. She has led communications strategies at the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance and the CUNY School of Law, a public interest law school. She began her career at the Vera Institute of Justice. Abbi holds an M.A. in applied linguistics from Columbia University and a B.A. in English and history from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

Dr. McClaine is an interdisciplinary scholar and educator with over 24 years of experience in public education. She formerly served as an ELA teacher and instructional coach in Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, and later as a Program Manager for the Educator Academy, where she facilitated alternative certification, curriculum development, and new teacher support. Her research, guided by Black Girl Magic Theory and Sankofa Storientation, explores the intersections of race, gender, and justice through the lens of Zora Neale Hurston and other Black women scholars. 

Michelle designs culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and gender-responsive learning experiences that connect theory to practice and amplify the voices of marginalized individuals. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy and Foundations and Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and an M.A.T. from Pittsburg State University. In all, Dr. Michelle McClaine strives to center joy, justice, and storytelling.

Khaila Mickens is a former educator with a lifelong commitment to using learning and storytelling to advance social justice. Joining the team as a research associate, she is particularly passionate about uplifting the voices and experiences of Black girls, women, and nonbinary femmes, who are often silenced while bearing the heaviest burdens in their families, workplaces, and broader society. She holds a B.S. in social analysis and research from Brown University and has experience employing quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate education policy and investigate research questions around race, gender, and sexuality.

Tenaj Moody embodies an unyielding commitment to fostering resilience, healing, and empowerment among justice-impacted survivors. Her upbringing in North Philadelphia as an Afro-Latina millennial marked by triumph over domestic violence, poverty, and parental incarceration ignited a deep understanding of the transformative strength within her own story. As the director of capacity building and learning, she leads initiatives to enhance services and programs, ensuring reentry pathways of healing and justice for women, girls and non-binary people. Tenaj brings over 12 years of experience across research and evaluation initiatives for higher education within correctional facilities and gender-specific programming for justice-impacted women and survivors of gender-based violence. She is the founder of Light To Life and a two-time best-selling author. She holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and is a licensed behavior specialist.

Kera Riddick is a seasoned social media strategist and content creator with over a decade of experience in digital marketing, specializing in content strategy, brand growth, and audience engagement. She has a proven track record of elevating brands through innovative storytelling and data-driven marketing campaigns, most notably growing a social media platform from 4K to 40K followers in just six months.

Kera studied Communications at Buffalo State College and has further honed her expertise with additional coursework in Social Psychology.  Her passion for empowering marginalized communities through digital platforms is at the heart of her work, where she merges creativity with strategic insight to drive social impact.

Trúc Towns is passionate about business operations and applying those systems to aid in the healing and growth of underserved communities. Trúc is currently the executive assistant at National Black Women’s Justice Institute, where she brings a wealth of expertise from her 10 years of experience in administration and business operations. Trúc is dedicated to aiding the team in driving evidence-based solutions and fostering positive change in the lives of healing Black women, girls and nonbinary people. Her passion for working with underserved communities is reflected in her work in the domestic violence field and free health care clinics/research in her home state. She is a first generation college graduate with a bachelor's degree in health administration from the University of Utah and has experiences in developing high quality administrative systems across a wide array of professional settings.