Leads complex, multi-sector policy initiatives focused on reentry systems reform, workforce development, and family-centered justice strategies. Major efforts include launching Reentry 2030 across multiple states, providing national technical assistance under the U.S. Department of Justice Second Chance Act, and designing statewide housing and workforce assessments to support successful community reintegration. Builds practical, bipartisan solutions that align government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local communities toward shared outcomes.
Policy
Transforming justice systems with a focus on dignity, safety, and family connection
Driving trauma-informed reforms, advancing family-centered supports, and strengthening conditions of confinement through systems change.
Criminal Justice
Expanding affordable housing access as a foundation for reentry success and community resilience.
Advancing policy reforms, pilot programs, and cross-sector strategies that prioritize stable, affordable housing in justice reform initiatives.
Housing
Leveraging public-private partnerships to drive sustainable criminal justice and reentry reform.
Building cross-sector collaborations with government, philanthropy, and community organizations to drive measurable systems change.
Public-Private Partnerships
Expanding access to employment by addressing barriers to work.
Developing policies that relieve collateral consequences, promote fair chance hiring, and expand licensure opportunities.
Economic Mobility & Workforce Development
North Carolina Reentry 2030
Launched North Carolina’s participation in Reentry 2030, a national initiative to dramatically improve reentry outcomes by 2030. Worked closely with the Governor’s Office, the Department of Adult Correction, and cross-sector partners to secure the signing of Executive Order 303, establish a Joint Reentry Council, and initiate the development of the statewide coordinated reentry strategy.
Challenge
North Carolina’s reentry efforts operated in silos, with limited coordination between corrections, workforce, housing, health, and community-based services. People returning home from incarceration faced significant barriers to stable housing, employment, healthcare, and family reunification. Without a unified strategy, agencies and community partners struggled to deliver measurable improvements, contributing to high recidivism rates and persistent instability.
Action
- Led a statewide housing system assessment, mapping barriers and service gaps affecting reentry populations.
- Supported the operational framework for the Joint Reentry Council, promoting sustained multi-agency collaboration.
- Integrated racial equity principles and family reunification priorities into reentry planning discussions.
- Promoted alignment between reentry system improvements and workforce development strategies to support economic mobility for returning citizens.
Results
- Executive Order 303 signed, committing North Carolina to measurable reentry success targets.
- Joint Reentry Council launched, creating a permanent mechanism for statewide reentry coordination.
- Housing system barriers identified and strategic recommendations integrated into reentry planning.
- Cross-sector alignment achieved among key agencies, positioning North Carolina as a national leader in reentry reform under the Reentry 2030 framework.
Committing to rehabilitation and education in and out of our prisons is both the right thing and the smart thing to do to strengthen our economy, reduce recidivism and give people the second chance they deserve.
Roy CooperGovernor, North Carolina
Second Chance Act Technical Assistance — National Family Justice Reform
Provided technical assistance to state and local government agencies under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Second Chance Act programs, supporting evidence-based improvements to family engagement strategies and meeting the needs of children and families impacted by parental incarceration nationwide.
Challenge
States and local jurisdictions lacked standardized approaches to supporting parents during incarceration and reentry, contributing to family disruption, increased recidivism risks, and limited long-term success for incarcerated parents and their families.
Action
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Delivered policy and programmatic technical assistance to grantees implementing Second Chance Act initiatives focused on incarcerated parents and their children.
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Authored Evidence-Based and Promising Programs and Practices to Support Parents Who Are Incarcerated and Their Children and Families (2024), creating a national resource guide.
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Facilitated virtual and in-person convenings for grantees to share best practices, challenges, and innovative solutions.
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Provided tailored advising on how corrections, probation, and parole agencies could integrate family-focused services into reentry planning.
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Supported grantees in embedding trauma-informed, family-centered approaches into corrections and supervision strategies.
Results
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National best practices guide published and distributed to corrections and community supervision agencies.
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Improved family engagement models adopted by multiple jurisdictions, strengthening family ties during reentry.
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Elevated national standards for integrating parenting support into reentry and reducing recidivism risks.
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Positioned family connection as a central strategy for successful reentry outcomes under Second Chance Act-funded initiatives.
Alabama Reentry 2030
Supported Alabama’s early-stage participation in Reentry 2030 by leading a comprehensive reentry system assessment and building foundational cross-agency partnerships. Worked closely with the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, Department of Corrections, state agency leaders, and workforce, housing, and behavioral health stakeholders to align Alabama’s reentry priorities with evidence-based practice.
Challenge
Alabama’s reentry system faced siloed operations across corrections, community supervision, workforce, housing, and behavioral health services. People returning from incarceration encountered major barriers to employment, housing stability, and community reintegration. At the time of engagement, the state had not yet developed a unified reentry framework or formalized a public commitment to long-term outcome goals.
Action
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Oversaw completion of a statewide reentry system assessment identifying gaps in housing access, workforce participation, supervision practices, and health supports.
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Built cross-agency collaboration between the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, Department of Corrections, Department of Labor, Department of Mental Health, and community reentry organizations.
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Facilitated stakeholder convenings designed to build consensus around shared reentry priorities across agencies and sectors.
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Drafted strategic priorities to guide Alabama’s public commitments under Reentry 2030.
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Provided technical assistance on integrating housing stability and employment pathways into reentry planning frameworks.
Results
- Comprehensive statewide reentry system assessment completed, providing a data-driven foundation for future planning.
- Early-stage strategic priorities outlined, focusing on reducing recidivism, expanding workforce access, and strengthening continuity of care.
- Cross-sector engagement strategy launched, positioning Alabama to implement strategies to achieve their goals.
- Technical guidance delivered to align housing, workforce, and health resources with reentry success measures.
”This is a very complicated subject and it’s not one agency or one entity that’s going to fix it.
Cam WardAlabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles Director
Smart Supervision
Provided technical assistance to state agencies implementing the Smart Supervision Initiative, a federal grant program designed to improve probation and parole supervision outcomes through evidence-based practices. Supported jurisdictions in developing trauma-informed, risk-responsive supervision strategies that enhance public safety and reduce recidivism.
Challenge
Traditional probation and parole practices often failed to address the complex needs of individuals returning to the community after incarceration. High caseloads, inconsistent supervision standards, and limited coordination with supportive services contributed to high rates of technical violations and re-incarceration. Grantee jurisdictions sought to redesign their supervision models to focus on success rather than punishment, but lacked frameworks to integrate evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches.
Action
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Delivered technical assistance to grantee jurisdictions, including corrections and community corrections agencies.
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Advised on development of supervision models grounded in risk, need, and responsivity principles and trauma-informed practices.
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Facilitated peer learning opportunities, sharing best practices across grantee sites.
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Provided individualized guidance on policy and practice adjustments to promote supervision success, focusing on accountability combined with access to employment, housing, and health supports.
Results
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Grantee jurisdictions strengthened supervision frameworks to align with evidence-based best practices.
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Improvements in supervision success metrics reported among participating jurisdictions, including reductions in technical violations and returns to custody.
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Elevated understanding across agencies of the role of supportive supervision practices in promoting long-term community reintegration and public safety.