Advisory Board

 

Jonathan S. Abady

Jonathan S. Abady, a founding partner of Emery Celli Brinkerhoff & Abady LLP, has a diverse trial and litigation practice, with extensive experience in both federal and state courts. In the area of civil rights, Mr. Abady was on the team of lawyers who helped free Meek Mill, the Roc Nation recording artist wrongfully imprisoned in Philadelphia; he represented the family and Estate in the tragic Cleveland police shooting case involving 12-year-old Tamir Rice; he is one of the lead lawyers in two major class actions resulting in historic reform in the New York City jail system at Rikers Island; and he litigated significant voting rights cases in both the Bush-Gore and Obama-McCain Presidential elections.

George Atallah

George Atallah is the Assistant Executive Director of External Affairs for the NFL Players Association and has served in his role since May of 2009. Atallah manages the NFLPA’s strategic communications, including media relations, crisis management, digital content and social media. Using both traditional and new media forums, Atallah helped define the union’s position in the lead-up to and during the NFL lockout, along with numerous other high-profile issues and cases for more than a decade.

Atallah’s extensive professional experience constitutes financial services, non-profit organizations, international affairs, government and politics. Through his career, Atallah has developed media relations and crisis communications strategies, and implemented corporate communications plans across various sectors.

Atallah was born in Lebanon and immigrated to New York City shortly after his birth due to civil war. He grew up in Queens, NY, went to Archbishop Molloy High School and attended Boston College receiving a B.A. in English and Philosophy. He later received an M.B.A. from the George Washington University. He is the oldest of three siblings and is married to Jamestown, NY native Holly Scott Atallah. George and Holly have three daughters, Samia Scott Atallah, Elise Faris Atallah and Noor Marie Atallah.

You can follow George on social media @georgeatallah

Susan Batten

Susan Taylor Batten is president and chief executive officer of ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities. ABFE (established in 1971 as the Association of Black Foundation Executives) is a membership-based philanthropic organization that advocates for responsive and transformative investments in Black communities. Since joining ABFE in 2009, Batten has led the organization's philanthropic advising and programming on responsive philanthropy in Black communities for foundation leaders, donors and aligned partners.

Nicole Paultre Bell

Nicole Paultre Bell is an advocate for social justice and mental wellbeing. She is a mother, and a national symbol for the pursuit of justice for Sean Bell.

Nicole is a published author and has been featured as a key speaker on several outlets including national television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, BET and more. Nicole has dedicated over a decade of her life’s work towards non-profit and community organizing.

Nicole is a former NYC council candidate. She rallied alongside Hillary Clinton with the “Mothers of the movement” for Clinton’s 2016 race to become President of the United States. Nicole has served as a member of the Queens District Attorney’s 2019 Transition Committee and currently serves as a member of the Queens DA’s advisory board.

Nicole has lobbied for legislative change within the NYPD by testifying before the U.S. Senate, and in 2021, Nicole testified before the United Nations - International commission of inquiry on police violence in the U.S. Her testimony is now a part of American history.

Today, Nicole continues to advocate for social change, civil rights, as well as mental health coping mechanisms for grief.

 

Bradley S. Bridge

Bradley S. Bridge is an Assistant Defender at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, Philadelphia. Mr. Bridge graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Psychology in 1976 and from Harvard Law School with a J.D. in 1979. From 1979 to 1983 he worked in the State Appellate Defender in Chicago, Illinois representing indigent defendants in their appeals to the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Court and in federal habeas corpus cases in the Northern District of Illinois and the Seventh Circuit. From 1983 to the present he’s worked with the Defender Association of Philadelphia. His responsibilities have included representation of indigent defendants in Municipal Court, the Court of Common Pleas (waivers and jury trials, homicide and non-homicide cases), Juvenile Court, Mental Health Court, Pennsylvania Superior Court and Supreme Court, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and in the Third Circuit. His current assignment is with the homicide and appeals units. Since 2005 he has been challenging the constitutionality of sentencing juveniles to life imprisonment without parole and was ultimately successful in that litigation. He was the co-chair of the Defender Association’s Juvenile Lifer Resentencing Project that handled 225 of the 300 Philadelphia juvenile lifer resentencings and he personally represented twenty juvenile lifers at their resentencings. Other responsibilities include evaluation of cases that should be reopened in light of police corruption. He was involved in litigating issues arising out of the 39th District scandal as well as the Bureau of Narcotics Investigations and others. This has led to well over 450 cases being reopened and vacated from 1995 to the present. 

Rebecca Brown

Rebecca Brown joined the Innocence Project in 2005 and directs its federal and state policy agenda, which seeks to prevent & reveal wrongful convictions and assure compensation for the wrongfully convicted upon release from prison. Rebecca’s team has successfully lobbied the passage of more than 200 laws at the state-level. Previously, she served as a Policy Analyst for the Mayor's Office in New York City and as a Senior Planner at Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), where she conducted research, evaluation and planning work around its alternative to incarceration programs.Rebecca has presented at judicial conferences, state bar associations, and diverse criminal justice & academic conferences, and has been sought out as a subject matter expert by such high-profile media outlets as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, VICE, Slate, BBC, CBS News, Politico, NPR and the American Bar Association Journal. 

Charlamagne Tha God

Charlamagne Tha God is one of the most potent, influential, and authoritative voices in media today. He is the widely sought after, outspoken, thought-provoking co-host of the hottest nationally-syndicated radio show in the U.S., The Breakfast Club, heard by over 4.5 million weekly listeners. Charlamagne is a cultural influencer and executive producer with his own production company, CThaGodWORLD. With his finger on the pulse of culture as it evolves, he discovers and advocates for original, emerging talent who resonate with popular culture long before they become mainstream, and uncovers and champions projects and content that are often overlooked. Co-host of the popular podcast, Brilliant Idiots, Charlamagne’s distinct point of view and piercing interviews help drive the daily global conversations around issues related to hip-hop, race, society, and politics. Author of the New York Times bestseller, Black Privilege, and the national bestseller, Shook One, Charlamagne is one of the world’s leading voices in the mental health discussion. He publicly shares transparent truths about his struggles with anxiety, and champions his passionate advocacy toward evoking systematic change. 

Julie Ciccolini

Julie is the CEO of Techtivist, a software firm dedicated to empowering human rights activists. After a decade building technology to advance human rights, Julie founded Techtivist to fill a critical need in the community for technical solutions that drive meaningful change.

Previously, Julie was an inaugural member of the Digital Investigations Lab at Human Rights Watch, a first-of-its-kind initiative to apply emerging technology to bolster remote investigations into human rights abuses in over 90 countries.

In her prior role at The Legal Aid Society, Julie designed software to identify and expose police misconduct, which prevented numerous wrongful convictions and sparked a movement to reform police secrecy. She co-launched a public database of misconduct in New York which ignited a successful challenge to a statewide police secrecy law. Her work on criminal justice additionally contributed to the repeal of three laws that discriminated against people of color and queer individuals.

In 2020, Julie joined the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as the Director of Law Enforcement Accountability. There, she created and directed The Full Disclosure Project to help organizations across the country use her software to expose police misconduct in their states. The project established seven statewide databases of misconduct collectively tracking records on over 150,000 officers from nearly 2,000 agencies.

Julie is a sought out subject matter expert on police accountability, has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, New Yorker, NPR, CNN, and was recently named Columbia University Graduate School's "Most Outstanding Recent Alumni."

 

Benjamin Crump

Benjamin Crump represents clients in some of the most important and contentious cases of our time, taking a place in legal history with his pursuit of justice.

His role in the Trayvon Martin, Martin Lee Anderson Boot Camp, Jannie Ligons (State of Oklahoma vs. Daniel Holtzclaw) and Robbie Tolan cases shows a legacy built around the idea that the Constitution applies to everyone, at every level of society.

Mr. Crump’s passion for advocacy has given him the privilege to fight for justice on behalf of the marginalized in our country, a calling to which he remains dedicated.

Mr. Crump has broken barriers in several legal organizations, serving as the first African-American President of the Federal Bar Association for the Northern District of Florida and the first African-American Chairman of the Florida State University College of Law Board of Directors. He is a member of the American Bar Association, American Association for Justice, The Florida Justice Association, and many other groups dedicated to the law and the pursuit of justice.

Mr. Crump is a frequent speaker and author, having been featured in documentaries like NPR’s “How Lawyer Got Nation Talking About Trayvon Martin,” and BET’s “I Am Trayvon Martin: A Family’s Fight for Justice.” Mr. Crump is also a frequent contributor to Time magazine, discussing many of the civil rights and criminal justice issues African-Americans face today. Mr. Crump will also appear on a television show called “Evidence of Innocence,” which will feature stories about individuals who were wrongfully imprisoned.

He’s received significant recognition for his service in pursuit of civil rights and justice for minorities, being included on prestigious lists like The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 Lawyers and Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 Most Influential African Americans. He has also received the National Urban League’s Whitney Young Award, AKA’s Eleanor Roosevelt Award, the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award, and the SCLC’s Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award.

Mr. Crump is heavily involved in his community, having previously endowed scholarships to Florida A&M University, Livingston College, Florida State University, and Bethune Cookman University for minority law students. He also serves as the president and co-founder of MyDad360, a mentoring program for fathers endorsed by Colin Powell and recognized by President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative. He is a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the NAACP, and the Urban League.

He previously served as the inaugural Board Chairman of Florida’s Big Bend Fair Housing Center, and also served as General Counsel to the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and sat on the boards of the Innocence Project and the Equal Justice Institute.

Mr. Crump was born and raised in Lumberton, North Carolina, and is the oldest of nine siblings and step-siblings. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from Florida State University. He is a congregation member and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. He is married to Dr. Genae Angelique Crump, is the proud father of Brooklyn Zeta Crump, and the guardian of two adopted cousins, Marcus and Chancellor.

Tiffany Crutcher

Dr. Tiffany T. Crutcher is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma who was thrust into the national spotlight following the death of her twin brother, Terence Crutcher, who was shot by a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while holding his hands in the air. The murder of her brother compelled Tiffany to speak out against police brutality, particularly the killing of unarmed black men. She has chosen to turn her personal tragedy into an opportunity to help transform a justice system that has long perpetuated injustice dating back to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Crutcher has remained committed to organizing coalitions throughout the country which promote the interests of Black and Brown communities. She is the Founder of the Terence Crutcher Foundation whose primary focus is criminal justice & policing reform, strengthening communities, advancing policy, and honoring the legacy of our ancestors.

Dr. Crutcher is the recipient of many awards and honors including the Root 100 most influential African Americans for 2021, The Black Wall Street Times 2021 Person of the year, 2020 Tulsan of the year, and recognized by the Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball Organization as a Changemaker for the state of Oklahoma.

She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and currently serves on the Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, Metcares, Historic Greenwood Mainstreet, Justice for Greenwood, & Thunder Fellows, Boards of Directors. Dr. Crutcher is also a member of the United Justice Coalition, the NFL Racial Equity & Social Justice council, and a founding member of Sisters of the Movement, all National organizations.

Joshua Dubin

Josh Dubin is a nationally recognized civil rights lawyer, criminal justice reform advocate and jury selection expert.  He also serves as the is the Innocence Ambassador for the Innocence Project in New York.  The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. The Innocence Project's mission is to free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated, and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.

Josh has represented countless individuals convicted of crimes they did not commit. He recently won the exoneration of Clemente Aguirre, a Honduran immigrant who spent more than more than 14 years (10 on death row) for a double murder he did not commit. 

He currently serves as lead counsel to James Dailey, an innocent man that has spent more than 33 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. He was framed by the most prolific jail house snitch in US history. The Dailey case has been the subject of intense national media attention – and was recently featured by award winning journalist Pamela Colloff in a piece entitled “False Witness” for Pro Publica and NY Times. “False Witness” received a National Magazine Award for Reporting in 2020. The story was also recognized with the Hillman Prize, the IRE Award, the Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Journalism, and the MOLLY National Journalism Prize. 

Josh is also the president of Dubin Research and Consulting, Inc. (DRC), a Manhattan-based consulting firm that specializes in jury selection, persuasive visual aids, and trial strategy for complex civil and criminal matters. Josh is regarded as perhaps the most preeminent trial strategy and jury consultant in the nation, having earned high praise from some of the most accomplished members of both the civil and criminal bars. Over the two decades, Josh has assisted with jury selection, persuasive visual aids, witness preparation, and trial strategy on a wide range of high-profile civil and criminal cases all over the country. 

ABC’s 20/20 regarded Josh as the “leading jury and legal consultant on major criminal and civil cases. He has written thousands of voir dire questions, watched hundreds of jury members file into courtrooms around the country, and is often sought by top-tier defense attorneys and plaintiffs’ attorneys for his advice on jury selection, trial strategy and presenting the facts.” He recently co-authored a book entitled The Law of Juries for Thomson Reuters, who referred to him as a “master strategist” and “secret weapon.” His co-author, former United States Federal Judge Nancy Gertner, praised him by saying “he completely masters the details of the case, and brings to bear not only legal analysis, but also the teachings of social psychology, his multiple areas of expertise.”

 

Marcia L. Dyson

Marcia L. Dyson is the founder of Marcia L. Dyson Public Relations and Women's Global Institute. She is a cultural and sports diplomat. She sits on many social justice, women and humanitarian organizations boards/and or committees including: United Justice Coalition, Coalition of Hope, ColorComm, Richard Wright Public Charter High School and Vatican's Sport Council. She is a speaker and writer.

Michael Eric Dyson

Distinguished University Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, College of Arts & Science, and Distinguished University Professor of Ethics and Society, The Divinity School, and Centennial Professor at Vanderbilt University — is one of America’s premier public intellectuals and author of over 20 books, including seven New York Times bestsellers. A contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and political analyst for MSNBC, Dyson is recipient of two NAACP Image Awards and the 2020 Langston Hughes Festival Medallion. Former President Barack Obama has noted: “Everybody who speaks after Michael Eric Dyson pales in comparison”.

Allisa Findley

Allisa Charles-Findley holds the esteemed position of President for the Botham Jean Foundation; an organization that was established in October 2018 in response to the tragic loss of her brother, Botham Shem Jean, who was fatally shot by a police officer in his own Dallas, Texas apartment. Dedicated to preserving her brother's legacy, Ms. Charles-Findley works tirelessly to uphold the Foundation's vision, which advocates for the powerful combination of Christian intervention and social change. Her efforts have been instrumental in securing the lasting memory of Botham, as she successfully campaigned for the official renaming of South Lamar Street to Botham Jean Boulevard and played a pivotal role in passing the Botham Jean Act HB929 in Texas.

Beyond her outstanding contributions as President, Ms. Charles-Findley is also an accomplished author. She penned the impactful book, "After Botham – Healing from my brother's murder by a police officer," in which she shares her personal journey of healing after the devastating loss of her loved one. She has also made significant contributions to "Black Love Letters," an anthology showcasing letters and illustrations created by esteemed Black figures. Ms. Charles-Findley's wisdom and eloquence have also granted her the opportunity to speak at a TEDx event, where she captivated the audience with her powerful talk on Embracing Change and the importance of resilience. She further graced the stage at the inaugural summit of the United Justice Coalition, standing alongside renowned figures such as Ben Crump and Dr. King, daughter of Martin Luther King.

In recognition of the urgent need for action, Ms. Charles-Findley also serves as the President of Sisters of the Movement. Established in 2020, this remarkable organization aims to unite sisters who have experienced the devastating impact of losing a sibling to police brutality, with a primary objective of pursuing legislative change and enacting fair and just laws and policies for people of color.

Ms. Findley's dedication to advocacy extends even further, as she is presently pursuing a doctoral degree in Leadership. Furthermore, she holds a master's degree in healthcare management and holds a Life, Accident, and Health insurance license in New York. Although previously active in the healthcare sector, the tragic loss of her brother has ignited an unwavering commitment to police reform and achieving justice for victims of police brutality. Guided by Botham's powerful belief that collective action can indeed make a difference, Ms. Charles-Findley and her dedicated team remain resolute in fostering his legacy. She currently resides in New York with her three inspirational and motivating sons, who constantly fuel her determination in the ongoing fight for meaningful change. “We are not alone as a community of believers, and I am comforted when I know I am not the only one doing something” – Botham Jean

Jason Flom

Twenty five years ago, Jason Flom founded Lava Records, kicking off a music empire that would discover and champion superstar acts from Katy Perry and Kid Rock to Matchbox 20 and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 

Jason is much more than a record executive, however; he’s also a philanthropist with a passion for standing up for people whose lives have been derailed by our flawed criminal justice system. A founding board member of the Innocence Project, a board member of NYU Prison Education program, Families Against Mandatory Minimums and The Drug Policy Alliance, he has spent years speaking out for those who otherwise wouldn’t have a voice, helping to set free those who have been wrongfully convicted and helping them get on their feet once released. 

Flom was galvanized into advocacy in 1993 after reading an article about a man, Steve Lennon, charged with possessing 4.2 ounces of cocaine. Any amount over 4 ounces is deemed an A-1 felony, akin to murder, mandating a sentence of 15 years to life. Struck by how nonviolent offenses were so unfairly treated, Flom reached out to one of his label’s lawyers about the case…and the lawyer found a loophole, resulting in Lennon being granted another hearing and being released. The rush of effecting change hit Flom hard, and his crusade as a justice system watchdog officially began. As part of his campaign for criminal justice reform, Jason founded Lava for Good Podcasts, which is dedicated to telling inspiring human stories and promoting social justice. Lava for Good is behind a lineup of notable podcasts, including the Wrongful Conviction Presents series hosted by Jason, in addition to renowned criminal justice advocates. The Wrongful Conviction series has explored the stories of a long list of exonerees and those who are still behind bars, from Brendan Dassey and Rodney Reed to the Dixmoor 5 and Amanda Knox. 

Also a tireless advocate for animal rights and conservation, Jason has offered his support to organizations such as VetPaw (Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife) and the African Wildlife Foundation. In 2018, inspired by his own bulldog, Lulu, he wrote Lulu is a Rhinoceros, a children’s book that has become a valuable resource for the transgender community or for anyone who feels as though they were born in the wrong body. 

For his work, Flom was named "Music Visionary of the Year" in 2000 by the UJA Federation, and in 1999 he received the Torch of Liberty Award from the American Civil Liberties Union. In 2004, The Correctional Association of New York honored him with their social justice award, and in 2005 Flom received the T.J. Martell Foundation Humanitarian Award. In 2008, Flom was honored as a Partner in Pursuit of Justice by the Bronx Defenders and was awarded with City of Hope’s Ambassador Award. He received the Innocence Project’s Award for Freedom and Justice in 2009 and the Spirit of Life Award by Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation in 2014. He was honored as a Philanthropic Partner by the Bronx Defenders in 2016. Two years later, Flom received the Frederick Douglass Human Rights  Award from the Southern Center for Human Rights, the Sentinel of Freedom Award from the Foundation for Criminal Justice, and the After Now Service Award from the NYU Prison Education Program. He has appeared on Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz. and was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine in a story that detailed his criminal justice advocacy work. 

 

K.C. Fox

K.C. Fox is a decorated combat veteran turned veteran media executive and crisis communication expert. During her time serving her country and observing the country through the lens of the media, K.C. identified a vacuum of females, especially minority females, present in leadership roles. To address this issue, she has spent the last decade working to enhance the narrative of minority female leadership across the board. Through her business ventures and philanthropic work, her mission is to aggressively create the next generation of female leaders.

She is the owner of the Vault Crisis & Communication Firm, Founder of The Lady General Foundation, Co-Founder of Sisters of the Movement, and Co-Founder of the American Black Cross.

During her 24 year career in media, K.C. has represented and coached numerous NBA and NFL athletes when it mattered the most. She is also the strategic mind behind some of the nation’s largest cases in the civil and women’s rights arena, working alongside the nation’s most sought after civil rights and women’s rights attorneys.

K.C. has been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal with their Minority Business Leader Award, featured in Essence Magazine, included in multiple editions of “Who’s Who in Black Dallas”, as well as catching the attention of MSNBC and NBC Black for her work and leadership as a black woman on the front lines during Hurricane Harvey.

She is also a member of One Billion Rising, The Golden Circle, and served as the Second VP of the NAACP- Dallas. She also joined the ranks of the first chartered Dallas chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women where she chaired The Civil Rights and Citizens training committees.

Danroy Henry Sr.

Danroy Henry is the co-founder of DJ Henry Dream Fund, a 501c3 charity dedicated to the memory of his son, Danroy “DJ” Henry whose life was tragically cut short due to police violence. DJ Henry’s life was the subject of the first PSA.

Angella Henry

Angella Henry is the co-founder of DJ Henry Dream Fund, a 501c3 charity dedicated to the memory of her son, Danroy “DJ” Henry whose life was tragically cut short due to police violence. DJ Henry’s life was the subject of the first PSA.

Jessica Jackson

Jessica Jackson’s quest for justice began in a Georgia courtroom. The high-school dropout held her two-month-old daughter and watched helplessly as her husband was sentenced to six years in prison. In that moment, she decided to turn her shock into a crusade to change the justice system. She then enrolled and graduated from University of South Florida's Honors College and Santa Clara University School of Law where she was awarded the Dean's Outstanding Student Award.

Jessica's career as an attorney began at Habeas Corpus Resource Center, representing men and women on California's death row. In 2014, Jessica co-founded #cut50, a bipartisan initiative to end mass incarceration where she served as National Director. #cut50 took on both federal and state legislation including the “First Step Act” which The New York Times called the law “the most substantial justice reform in a generation". While leading #cut50, Jessica helped pass 19 bills in 17 states, led a national Clemency campaign and built a 50 state grassroots network for bipartisan reform, #cut50’s Empathy Network.

In addition to working on both the state and national level, Jessica was elected to the City Council in the City of Mill Valley, California in 2013 and later served as Mayor for the city. During her tenure, Jessica focused on affordable housing, regional homelessness, emergency preparedness and protecting local businesses. Today, she serves as the Chief Advocacy Officer of the REFORM Alliance, an organization where she is continuing her work to end mass incarceration starting with ending mass supervision.

 

Van Jones

Van Jones is the CEO of REFORM Alliance, CNN political commentator, and has hosted The Redemption Project and The Van Jones Show on CNN. Jones has been a leader in the fight for criminal justice reform for more than 25 years. He has founded and led many thriving social enterprises, including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and the Dream Corps – a social justice accelerator that houses #YesWeCode, #GreenForAll, and #cut50, the organization that recently led the charge on passing the FIRST STEP Act (a bipartisan Federal bill that the New York Times calls the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation). The mission of the REFORM Alliance is to dramatically reduce the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system – starting with probation and parole. Jones has authored three New York Times best-selling books, The Green Collar Economy (2008), Rebuild the Dream (2012), and Beyond the Messy Truth (2017). In 2009, Jones worked as the Green Jobs Advisor to the Obama White House, where he oversaw an $80 billion dollar investment in training and jobs development within the environmental and green energy sectors. Jones has been honored with numerous awards and spotlighted on several lists of high achievers, including the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leader” designation, Fast Company's 2008 "12 Most Creative Minds On Earth," Rolling Stone’s 2012 “12 Leaders Who Get Things Done,” Variety's 2018 "New York Power List" and TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2009. 

Michelle Kenney

Michelle Kenney, the mother of Antwon Rose II, the 17-year-old shot and killed by East Pittsburgh Police on June 19, 2018. Michelle established the Antwon Rose II Foundation in honor of her son, Antwon, to continue the work that Antwon was doing during his life on earth and to advocate for police reform. Since establishing the Antwon Rose II Foundation, Michelle has collaborated with several well-known organizations including but not limited to the NFL, Roc Nation, the Pittsburgh Steelers and 1Hood Media.

Michelle is also a Board Member of the national non-profit, United Justice Coalition and The Hear Foundation of Pittsburgh. Michelle has made it her mission to ensure Antwon’s name and legacy is never forgotten by continuing to pour into the ideas and creations of young people not only in Antwon’s community but surrounding communities as well. Michelle believes the biggest accomplishment since her son’s passing has been the Rose Registry and the submission of 5 Bills of legislation to change how policing is done in Pennsylvania.

Gayle King

Gayle King is co-host of CBS THIS MORNING. An accomplished television journalist, King interviews top newsmakers and delivers original reporting to CBS THIS MORNING and all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. She is also editor-at-large of the award-winning O, the Oprah Magazine. King recently began hosting a live, weekly radio show titled “Gayle King in the House” on SiriusXM. CBS THIS MORNING is CBS’ most successful morning news broadcast in more than three decades. Since joining CBS News in 2011, King has conducted revealing and news-making interviews with world leaders, political figures and celebrities including former President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Bruce Springsteen, Elon Musk Billie Eilish, R. Kelly and Michelle Obama and her mother, Marian Robinson, in their first TV interview together. In addition, King has handled a number of high-profile assignments, including recently moderating CBS News' 202 Democratic presidential debate in Charleston. In June, King hosted "Justice for All" an hour long CBS News special on racism and police brutality. King has received numerous awards for her extensive work as a journalist, including three Emmys. In 2018 she was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and in 2019 she was selected for the TIME 100, Time Magazine’s annual list of the hundred most influential people in the world. The mother of a daughter, Kirby, and a son, Will, she currently resides in New York City. 

Faith Leach

Faith Leach was appointed by Mayor Brandon Scott to serve as the Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health and Human Services for the City of Baltimore where she provides strategic direction to a portfolio of agencies at the forefront of quality-of-life issue, including Recreation and Parks, Library Services and the City’s COVID-19 public health response.

Prior to joining the Scott administration, Faith served as Chief of Staff at the JPMorgan Chase & Co. Foundation; a global leader dedicated to driving inclusive economic growth in communities worldwide. In her role, she oversaw the Foundation’s commitment to invest $2B over the next five years to strengthen workforce systems, revitalize neighborhoods, grow small businesses, and improve the financial health of vulnerable communities across the globe. She was also instrumental in the development of the firm’s $30B business commitment to advance racial equity.

Faith has spent more than a decade working to address the key drivers of economic inequality that fuel the racial wealth divide. Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase & Co., Faith served as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity under DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, standing up a first-of-its-kind government agency focused on revitalizing overlooked and underserved neighborhoods. As Chief of Staff, Faith provided strategic oversight and direction to a cluster of government agencies focused on workforce training and employment, small business growth and development and equitable, community-centered economic development. While in the DC Mayor’s office, Faith also led efforts to combat an uptick in community violence and developed a multi-agency approach to violence prevention.

She has held posts in local governments ranging from the Mecklenburg County’s Office of Management and Budget, the City of Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the North Carolina General Assembly.

Determined to address inequality, Faith leverages her experience and personal passion to advocate for formerly incarcerated women and children with incarcerated parents. She serves on the Boards of the Meyer Foundation and Ladies of Hope Ministries. She is also a member of the United Justice Coalition and is an Ambassador with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History
and Culture. In 2019, she was honored with a 40 for 40 award by the NC State Black Alumni Society.

 

Mysonne Linen

Mysonne, “the General” Linen, to his fans, is an independent hip hop artist and criminal justice reform activist from the Bronx, NY. Known for his introspective style and brutally honest lyrics and socially conscious lyrics, Mysonne’s experiences of poverty and wrongful incarceration compell him to do more than rap about social and economic conditions of the ghetto. Mysonne is an organizer and frequently speaks out against biased policing and inequity in the criminal justice system. Mysonne made the decision to start his own company, US Entertainment, to maintain creative control over his work and deliver the type of music that his fans want and need. In February 2017, his single”That’s How We On It” earned heavy rotation across the country, ad video of his 2017 freestyle on DJ Funkmaster Flex’s show reached over 40 million views. His highly popular Cypher on the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards was likewise celebrated both for its technical skill and the socially conscious content. Mysonne represents the underdog, refusing to succumb to negativity and proving that struggle can be the catalyst for leadership. He is married to Angelic Linen and is the proud father of three sons.

Tamika Mallory

Tamika D. Mallory is a nationally recognized civil rights activist and seasoned community organizer. She served as the youngest ever Executive Director of the National Action Network. Mallory was the co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington, the largest single day demonstration in US history. She most recently gave what has been dubbed “the speech of a generation” – State of Emergency in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. She is an expert in the areas of gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, and grassroots organizing.

S. Lee Merritt

Lee Merritt is an activist and attorney barred to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of New Jersey, federally in Eastern District of Pennsylvania the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, and US District Court of the Northern District of Texas. Attorney Merritt is emerging as an influential new voice in the fight for Civil Rights throughout the country by bringing a passion for social reform and a commitment to speaking out on inequities while practicing law. Merritt is a Cum Laude graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended law school at Temple University's James Beasley School of Law where he received several commendations for trial advocacy as part of the National Trial Team. He was also recognized for his acumen in persuasive writing as an inductee to the Temple Inn of Courts. Merritt began his legal career as an associate of the Cochran Firm before going into private practice. Attorney Merritt leads a high-profile practice with clients involved in international events including the tragic Dallas sniper attacks of 2016, corporate discrimination cases, viral police brutality matters and several cases associated with the Black Lives Matter Movement. He enjoys a reputation for dogmatic determination and ensuring a just outcome for his clients beyond mere monetary compensation. Prior to becoming an attorney, Merritt worked as a school-teacher and basketball coach. Merritt is also a spoken word artist, public speaker, mentor and proud father. His commitment to social justice is born out of his own experiences and inner-city upbringing. Merritt is committed to the reform of the justice system in America and is using his practice to effect lasting change for underserved and underrepresented communities.

Carmen Perez

Carmen Perez is something of a Renaissance woman in modern-day activism. She has dedicated 25 years to advocating for many of today's important civil rights issues, including stopping mass incarceration, gender equity, violence prevention, racial healing and community policing. As President and CEO of The Gathering for Justice, a social justice organization founded by legendary artist and activist Harry Belafonte, Carmen has crossed the globe promoting peace through civil and human rights, building alternatives to incarceration and violence, and providing commentary and guidance for state and federal policy creation. Her work providing cultural, spiritual and educational events as well as individual support to incarcerated youth inside of juvenile detention centers and prisons in California and New York has led Carmen to prisons in El Salvador and Venezuela.

Carmen is the co-founder of Justice League NYC and founder of Justice League CA, two state-based task forces for advancing juvenile and criminal justice reform agenda. She has organized numerous national convenings, including Growing Up Locked Down conferences focused on solutions for juvenile justice reform, and led the March2Justice, a 250 mile march through 5 states from New York City to Washington, DC which drew Congressional attention to key legislative reforms to confront the national crisis in police violence. A respected expert in the field of juvenile and criminal justice and system accountability, Carmen was invited to testify before the President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, was a featured speaker and Co-Convener of the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March, Justice Or Else, and has helped lead several major campaigns including helping free Meek Mill and Pedro Hernandez. Carmen’s most recent work is her role as the National Co-Chair of the Women’s March on Washington, drew over 5 million people across the globe who marched in resistance of hatred and bigotry, affirming women of all identities’ rights as human beings.

In 2017, Carmen was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People, Fortune's 50 Top World Leaders and Glamour's Women of the Year. She’s received the Justice, Peace, and Freedom Award from the 2017 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Awards and was named "Latina of the Year" in 2017 and in 2018 was Forbes Mexico, 100 Mujeres Mas Poderosas. She has also been recognized for her contributions to criminal justice reform, with the "Gutsy Award" from the National Juvenile Justice Network, a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community, the Santa Cruz County Women's Commission “Trailblazer’s Award in Criminal Justice”, and the “Zaragoza Award” from the Committee for the Mexican Culture at D.V.I. Prison in Tracy, for her contribution and dedication to bringing hope to incarcerated men.

 

Norman Reimer

Norman L. Reimer currently serves as Of Counsel to the New York City lawfirm, Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, P.C., a preeminent employee rights and criminal defense firm that has long history of fighting against discrimination.

Norman Reimer has devoted his career to the defense of the criminally accused at the trial, appellate and post-conviction levels and to criminal justice reform advocacy. He has participated in the trial and appeal of hundreds of cases in both state and federal jurisdictions, is a recognized and extensively published expert on all aspects of the criminal legal system, and he has taught trial advocacy both at the law school level and at countless continuing legal education venues. Norman has been a leader of the organized bar whose mission is to reform the policies and practices that have fueled mass incarceration and disparate impact. 

His most noteworthy bar achievements include guiding a successful lawsuit in New York to ensure adequate resources for publicly appointed counsel for the accused, co-founding the John Adams Project in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union to provide to attorneys trained in capital defense to represent the accused in the military commission proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, and leading a collaboration among several groups to establish  Clemency Project 2014, which was one of the largest national pro bono projects ever undertaken by the legal profession and which secured the commutation of long federal prison sentences for 894 individuals, including more than 300 who were serving life sentences. 

Norman continues to advocate for reforms that will restore humanity to the nation’s criminal legal system, such as reining in overcriminalization, reducing excessive sentences, and exposing and reforming the trial penalty and coercive plea practices that have contributed significantly to systemic injustice and mass incarceration.

Norman brings a keen focus, sensitivity, and dedication to the representation of his clients. He approaches clients with a holistic view of their legal challenges and recognizes the vast potential for government overreach in the enforcement of criminal laws. At that same time his representation is guided by the recognition that no one’s life should forever be defined by the human fallibility to which all are susceptible.

Rashad Robinson

Rashad Robinson is the President of Color Of Change, a leading racial justice organization driven by more than 7.2 million members who are building power for Black communities. Color Of Change uses innovative strategies to bring about systemic change in the industries that affect Black people’s lives: Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Hollywood, Washington, corporate board rooms, local prosecutor offices, state capitol buildings and city halls around the country. Under Rashad’s leadership, Color Of Change designs and implements winning strategies for racial justice, among them: forcing corporations to stop supporting Trump initiatives and white nationalists; framing net neutrality as a civil rights issue; holding local prosecutors accountable to end mass incarceration, police violence and financial exploitation across the justice system; forcing over 100 corporations to abandon ALEC, the secretive right-wing policy shop; changing representations of race and racism in Hollywood; moving Airbnb, Google and Facebook to implement anti-racist initiatives; and forcing Bill O’Reilly off the air.

Rashad is widely consulted on strategies for corporate accountability, transforming the criminal justice system, media and tech reform, culture change and narrative infrastructure, and building Black political power. He is a sought-after keynote speaker at events across the country, and appears regularly as a quoted source, interview guest and opinion writer in major media, as well as a chapter author in essay collections focused on social justice. In addition to media appearances, Rashad has been profiled by The New York Times, Wired, The Root, The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Fast Company, The Huffington Post, PBS, BET and several other outlets. Color Of Change has been named three times in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list—in 2015, 2018 and 2020—and was profiled by the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Rashad is the proud recipient of awards from organizations as varied as ADCOLOR, the United Church of Christ, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation and Demos. Rashad was a member of the inaugural cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity, and serves on the board of the Hazen Foundation. Previously, Rashad served as Senior Director of Media Programs at GLAAD.

Angela Rye

Angela Rye, award-winning host, social justice advocate, lawyer, commentator, and self-described empowermenteur, embodies what it means to be a “bringer of truth”. Named and raised accordingly, the attorney’s no holds barred commentary has resonated with demographics all over the world. Her thoughtful yet incisive commentary and real talk about social justice, politics, culture, and history sparks much-needed conversation about the state of America.

She is special correspondent at ESPN and the host of the podcast “On One with Angela Rye”. She has also been seen on several programs and outlets from Breakfast Club to the Daily Show, BET where she has been nominated for multiple NAACP Image Awards, HBO, TV One, CNN, ABC, NBC, NPR, and many others. Recognized for her honest, refreshing commentary and social justice advocacy by our nation’s most prominent civil rights organizations such as National Urban League, NAACP, and National Action Network she has also been featured in publications including the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Essence, Washington Post, Glamour, Ebony, and the Undefeated.

Angela Rye is a 2019 recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the historic HBCU, Wiley College. She is the Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, a political advocacy, social impact, and racial equity firm based in Washington, DC where she creates strategic partnerships and coalitions with Capitol Hill, third party organizations, and influencers to ensure societal change. She served as the Executive Director and General Counsel to the Congressional Black Caucus for the 112th Congress. She also served as the Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel for the House Committee on Homeland Security for four years. With more than 15 years of political strategy and social responsibility experience, Angela has worked with every branch of government—on the municipal, state, and federal levels. She has also developed award-winning strategic partnerships between our nation’s most well known civil and human rights organizations for corporate and government partners. Working at the intersection of purpose, justice, and integrity, Angela is an effective leader who creates opportunities and opens doors for her peers and the next generation.

Topeka K. Sam

Dr. Topeka K. Sam is the Founder of The Ladies of Hope Ministries, Inc. (@TheLOHM) and founder and President of EPIC Financial PBLLC, TKS Ventures LLC and Faces & Voices Inc.

She serves on the board of directors for The Marshall Project, Operation Restoration, Pure Legacee and United Justice Coalition. She is a strategic advisor for RBIJ and HARP.

She is Co-founder and Visionary Officer of FRSH.

Since her release from federal prison on May 5, 2015, Topeka has served as a 2015 Beyond the Bars Fellow and a 2016 Justice-In-Education Scholar both from Columbia University, 2017 Soros Justice Advocacy Fellow, 2018 Unlocked Futures Inaugural Cohort Member, 2018 Opportunity Agenda Communications Institute Fellow, Director of #Dignity for Incarcerated Women Campaign and Senior Advisor for NYUJ.

She hosted "The Topeka K. Sam Show" on SiriusXM Urban View Channel 126 for 3 years and is now developing scripted and unscripted series as an Executive Producer for TV & Film, inspired by her fight to change the many problems that plague female incarceration.

In 2020, the United Nations appointed Topeka as the Goodwill Ambassador for Social Justice (Incarceration Reform) of the Global Festival of Creative Economy. In December 2020, Topeka received a full presidential pardon for her dedication to helping women turn from a path of despair towards a path of redemption.

On May 5th, 2022, Google.org presented her with the first Social Impact Award at the Variety Magazine/Lifetime TV Power of the Women Summit and later that month she also received her Honorary Doctorate in Divinity from New York Theological Seminary.

Dr. Sam has worked and continues to work selflessly and relentlessly in her fight for the dignity, decriminalization, and decarceration of women and girls.

The Ladies of Hope Ministries (The LOHM)

Topeka K. Sam is committed to keeping women and girls out of prison. On her 3rd Hour Today Show appearance, Sam discusses her experience with the criminal legal system and the organization she was called to create after serving time. Sam is joined by Kyndia Riley, whose mother, Santra Rucker, is still incarcerated. The two have worked closely to advocate for Rucker’s release.

Topeka has been featured in Vogue, Essence, SalonTV, Vice, New York Times, TheCut, Rolling Stone and Variety Magazine. She has shared her expertise on The Tamron Hall Show, CNN, MSNBC and The Today Show. Additionally, has been featured in Glamour Magazine and Black Enterprise for being “The Black Woman behind the video that led to the Trump Clemency of Alice Johnson.” She has spoken at the 2018 United States of the Woman Conference, 2018 Women in the World Conference, 2018 White House Prison Reform Summit, is a TedxMidAtlantic Superheros Presenter, and has received many awards for her contributions transforming the lives of women and girls impacted by the criminal legal system.

She has worked and continues to work selflessly and relentlessly in her fight for the dignity, decriminalization, and decarceration of women and girls. All Social Media Handles: @TopekaKSam

 

Barry Scheck

Barry C. Scheck, is a Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City. In his forty-two years on the Cardozo faculty, he served as the Director of Clinical Education, Co-Director of the Trial Advocacy Programs, and the Jacob Burns Center for the Study of Law and Ethics. He worked for three-years as a staff attorney at The Legal Aid Society in the Bronx before joining the faculty at Cardozo.

Barry and his colleague Peter Neufeld, co-founded the Innocence Project (IP) now an independent non-profit organization closely affiliated with Cardozo which uses new evidence of innocence including DNA testing to exonerate the wrongly convicted. The IP works with criminal justice stakeholders to pass state and federal legislation to reform the criminal justice system in the areas of law enforcement accountability, including eyewitness identification procedures, interrogation methods, crime laboratory administration, and forensic science research. In its twenty-eight years of existence, 375 individuals have been exonerated in the United States through post-conviction DNA testing. You can read about each of these cases at www.innocenceproject.org. The IP also serves as the headquarters of the Innocence Network which consists of 56 innocence organizations within the United States and 13 abroad.

Barry is also a partner in the law firm Neufeld, Scheck & Brustin, LLP (formerly Cochran Neufeld & Scheck, LLP), specializing in civil rights and constitutional litigation. The firm is frequently retained by victims of police brutality, pursuing civil rights claims in the courts and institutional reform.

Barry has done extensive trial and appellate litigation in significant civil rights and criminal defense cases. He has published extensively in these areas, including a book with Jim Dwyer and Peter Neufeld entitled, Actual Innocence: When Justice Goes Wrong And How To Make It Right. He has served in prominent positions in many bar associations, including the presidency of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) where he currently serves as Trustee of the NACDL Foundation. He is a former Commissioner (1994- 2016) on New York State’s Forensic Science Review Board, a body that regulates all crime and forensic DNA laboratories in the state. He is currently a member of the Legal Resource Committee of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) run by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. From1998 - 2000, he served on the National Institute of Justice's Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence. In 2005 he was a member of the American Judicature Society’s National Commission on Forensic Science and Public Policy.

In 1971 he received his undergraduate degree from Yale University and in 1974 his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

 

Robert F. Smith

Robert F. Smith is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. He directs Vista’s investment strategy and decisions, firm governance and investor relations. Vista currently manages equity capital commitments of over $93Bn and oversees a portfolio of over 80 software companies that employ over 90,000 people worldwide. Since Vista’s founding in 2000, Smith has overseen over 560 completed transactions by the firm. There are over 200 million users of Vista’s software.

In 2020, Smith was named as one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2017, Smith was named by Forbes as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds. Robert has also been named Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year.

Born in Colorado to two parents with EdDs, Smith trained as an engineer at Cornell University, earning his B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Following his MBA from Columbia Business School with honors, Smith worked at Kraft General Foods, where he earned two United States and two European patents. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs in tech investment banking, first in New York and then in Silicon Valley.

Smith is the founding director and President of the Fund II Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving the African American experience, safeguarding human rights, providing music education, preserving the environment while promoting the benefits of the outdoors, and sustaining critical American values. In January 2016, Cornell University honored Mr. Smith’s leadership by naming the Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

In 2017, Smith signed on to the Giving Pledge, the only African American to do so. His gift of $20 million was the largest by an individual donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Smith is the Chairman of Carnegie Hall and the Chair of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Business Roundtable, the Board of Overseers of Columbia Business School, as a Member of the Cornell Engineering College Council, and is a Trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco.

Smith has been a leading voice advocating for companies to take diverse internship candidates in STEM fields. Under his leadership, in 2019, Fund II Foundation launched InternX, a platform to match leading companies with diverse internship candidates.

Robert F. Smith is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners (Vista). He directs Vista’s investment strategy and decisions, firm governance and investor relations. Vista has over $100 billion in assets under management and oversees a private equity and permanent capital portfolio of over 80 software companies that employ over 95,000 people worldwide. Since Vista’s founding in 2000, Smith has overseen over 600 completed transactions by the firm.

While Vista has grown, Smith has also extended his philanthropic impact. Social and criminal justice reform and racial equity, for example, are central pillars of Smith’s philanthropy. By joining the United Justice Coalition as a founding advisory board member, Smith is expanding his efforts to create meaningful change.

Over the years, Smith’s philanthropic and business achievements have been recognized. In 2023, he received the Founder’s Award from Foster Love, the Legal Defense Fund’s National Equal Justice Award and the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award. In 2022, Smith received theGrio Philanthropy Icon Award and the National Arts Award from Americans for the Arts. In 2020, Smith was named one of the TIME100’s Most Influential People. In 2017, Smith was named by Forbes as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds.

Born in Colorado to two parents with EdDs, Smith studied to be an engineer at Cornell University, earning his B.S. in chemical engineering. Smith went on to receive his MBA from Columbia Business School with honors. Smith worked at Kraft General Foods, where he earned two U.S. and two European patents. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs in tech investment banking, first in New York and then in Silicon Valley.

Smith is the founding director and President of Fund II Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving the Black experience, safeguarding human rights, providing music education, preserving the environment, promoting the benefits of the outdoors, and sustaining critical American values. He also leads organizations like Southern Communities Initiative (SCI), which is dedicated to creating a lasting impact in the six Southern communities where more than 50% of Black Americans live.

In 2017, Smith signed on to the Giving Pledge, the first Black American to do so. Smith is the Chairman of Carnegie Hall and serves as NAF’s Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is also an at-large board member of Business Roundtable and the Board of Overseers of Columbia Business School, as well as a Member of the Cornell Engineering College Council.

Smith has been a leading voice advocating for companies to take on diverse internship candidates in STEM fields. Under his leadership, in 2019, Fund II Foundation launched internXL, a platform to match leading companies with diverse internship candidates.

In 2019, Smith received an honorary doctorate from Morehouse College and made headlines by announcing that he would cover the student loans of nearly 400 Morehouse College graduates in a commencement address. After his Morehouse College pledge, Smith was inspired to do more and helped launch Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) to further address the crushing burden of student debt for qualifying STEM students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Smith continues to lead SFI initiatives in his role as Chairman.

Smith also has been a strong advocate for what he has named The 2% Solution - calling on large corporations to commit 2% of their annual net income over the next decade to empower underrepresented communities.

 

Lisa Wayne 

Lisa Monet Wayne has been an attorney in private practice in both state and federal courts around the country. She represents individuals and corporations in both the investigation phase and criminally accused capacity. Previously, Wayne was a Colorado State Public Defender for 13 years where she served as office head, training director, and senior trial attorney. She lectures nationally with NACDL, National Criminal Defense College, National Institute of Trial Advocates, American Bar Association, Federal Defender Training Services, State Bar Associations, numerous Federal and State Public Defender Organizations and many other organizations. Wayne served as an adjunct law professor at the University of Colorado Law School where she taught trial advocacy for 22 years, she serves on faculty at the Trial Practice Institute at Harvard Law School, The National Criminal Defense College, and Cardoza Law School. Ms. Wayne is an advocate in all venues of the media addressing important issues confronting the criminally accused. She is a legal analyst for numerous media outlets including, ABC, CBS, CNN, Al Jazeera, and World Radio regarding high profile cases and legal issues around the country. She is frequently quoted in print media such as the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post, Detroit Free Press, and the AP wire. Ms. Wayne testified before the United States Sentencing Commission in 2012 against the implementation of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines as mandatory. In 2005, Wayne was honored with the Robert J. Heeney Award, NACDL’s most prestigious recognition. Wayne is the Past President of NACDL, Past President of National Foundation of Criminal Justice, and serves on numerous committees around criminal justice issues. Wayne served as a member of the Colorado Supreme Court Standing Committee on Ethics. She is also as a member of The Colorado Sentencing Reform Task Force. Wayne is a law graduate of Pepperdine University Law School and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado.

Jordan W. Siev

Jordan W. Siev is the leader of Reed Smith’s non consumer Financial Services Litigation team. His representation of financial institutions and hedge funds focuses on litigation in federal and state courts throughout the United States. He also regularly handles arbitrations before FINRA, JAMS and AAA arbitration panels, and defends financial institutions in major class and derivative actions. Additionally, Jordan has represented financial institutions and hedge fund groups in some of the most hotly contested bankruptcy litigations in recent years.

Jordan's practice is at the cutting edge of structured products litigation, including representing liquidators in the largest CDO fund litigation in history, as well as multiple financial industry players in other structured products litigations and out of court disputes, including disputes related to structured investment vehicles. Jordan also routinely counsels clients regarding potential risks and rewards relating to their structured products investment strategies.

Jordan also represents many high net worth individuals and public figures, including in the entertainment and sports fields, in courtroom and out-of-court disputes related to all facets of their entertainment and sports activities.

Jordan has an extensive pro bono practice focusing on criminal justice reform, civil rights and prisoners’ rights issues.

Jordan is a frequent writer and speaker on litigation matters, and serves as Chairman of the Board of the New York City chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

 

Alex Spiro

Alex Spiro is a partner based in the firm's New York office, where he serves as Co-Chair of the Investigations, Government Enforcement & White Collar Defense Practice. Mr. Spiro is a graduate of Harvard Law School. As a Manhattan prosecutor, among other cases, Mr. Spiro helped indict and convict Rodney Alcala, the “Dating Game” serial killer, for two New York murders in the 1970s, and, convicted, at trial, serial murderer Travis Woods. He also worked with the Conviction Integrity Unit investigating potential wrongful convictions. Mr. Spiro has, as lead counsel, tried well over 50 cases to verdict. Notably, over the last several years, he has secured a string of significant verdicts for his clients in both federal and state court. Alex's practice area spans nearly every type of litigation or dispute across the globe. Mr. Spiro has handled and tried cases across the country and Europe, and has litigated cases involving white collar and regulatory issues, defamation and 1st Amendment law, securities, complicated financial matters, intellectual property, bankruptcy, etc. He has also overseen an array of complex investigations that include companies in a wide range of issues and industries. In addition, Mr. Spiro has served on the faculty of Harvard's Trial Advocacy Program, a lecturer at Harvard Law School, and is Chairman of the Board of Harvard's criminal justice initiative - The Fair Punishment Project. He also serves as Counsel to the Reform Alliance. As an attorney, Mr. Spiro has lectured on a variety of subjects including trial practice, corporate privilege, evidence, and criminal law. Mr. Spiro is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and has received several other academic and professional citations, including the Albert Imlah writing award, and the ACC Northeast Ethics Lawyering award. He also sits on several company boards - both private and public. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Spiro studied bio-psychology and worked at Harvard's Psychiatric Facility, McLean Hospital. In his five plus years at McLean, Mr. Spiro supervised departments of an adolescent treatment facility and ran a program for children with Autism and Asperger's syndrome.

 

Eboni K. Williams 

Eboni K. Williams is currently the Host & Executive Producer of REVOLT BLACK NEWS, which airs on REVOLT TV founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs. She's also a co-host on the network's hip hop talk showState of the Culture. Eboni has emerged as a powerful media voice in the national conversation where politics, law, justice, sports, and popular culture intersect. Ms. Williams is an attorney, best-selling author, television personality, and contributor to Forbes. She made her literary debut with ‘Pretty Powerful: Appearance, Substance & Success’ in September 2017. ESSENCE Magazine named Williams one of its ‘Woke 100’ in the April 2018 anniversary edition. She has become a regular guest on the nationally syndicated radio show ‘The Breakfast Club’, breaking down issues such as judicial discretion and Black political power versus electoral influence. Eboni received her B.A. in Communications and African-American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She successfully practiced law in both the public and private sectors. Eboni has represented clients in criminal matters including murders, rapes, high volume drug cases, sex crimes, and federal offenses. She is a proud and active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Eboni also serves on the Board of Directors for Safe Horizon, which is the nation’s leading victims assistance organization. 

Dan Slepian

Dan Slepian is an award winning journalist at NBC News and a veteran producer of its signature newsmagazine, Dateline. Over more than two decades at NBC, Slepian has spearheaded dozens of documentaries, hidden camera investigations, and breaking news reports.

Referred to as “A TV News Gumshoe” by The New York Times, Slepian’s investigations have helped solve cold cases, assisted in exonerating the wrongfully convicted, and sparked changes in laws.

In February 2023, NBC News released “Letters From Sing Sing,” an eight-episode podcast hosted by Slepian that documents his 20-year journey investigating the wrongful conviction of Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez. The podcast hit #1 on Apple’s top charts the day of its release.

Slepian also conceived, developed and produced “Justice For All”, an NBC News/MSNBC series about the criminal justice system. The week-long event included the Emmy nominated first town hall from a maximum security prison as well as Dateline’s Emmy nominated “Life Inside,” an impactful and emotional hour about mass incarceration in which Slepian and anchor Lester Holt spent two nights inside Louisiana’s notorious Angola prison.

In February 2021, NBC premiered Dateline’s first docuseries, “The Widower,” an epic five hour network primetime series airing over three nights detailing Slepian’s 13-year investigation into Thomas Randolph, an eccentric murder suspect who had been married six times, and four of his wives are dead.

In May 2019, Dateline debuted its first-ever podcast with Slepian at its helm. The eight episode series “13 Alibis” chronicles Slepian’s investigation into a confounding murder case, and helped exonerate an innocent man.

In 2018, Slepian was granted exclusive access to film rapper Meek Mill on the day of his highly publicized release from prison. Dateline's special, "Dreams and Nightmares" featured Lester Holt's exclusive interview with Meek just hours after his release.

Most notably, Slepian is known for his in-depth reporting about the criminal legal system and specifically, wrongful convictions. His documentaries on the topic have earned him a total of eleven Emmy nominations.

As a volunteer, Slepian works with incarcerated men at Sing Sing prison where he helped create "Voices From Within," a video featuring deeply personal testimonials intended to help reduce gun violence. Slepian introduced the project, which is now a program at the prison, during a TEDx talk at Sing Sing.

Before joining NBC News, Slepian began his career with the Phil Donahue talk show.

 

Shelley Stewart

Shelley is a Partner with McKinsey & Company, where he serves a range of clients on strategy and growth topics. He has deep expertise in designing go-to-market models, channel optimization, and pricing strategies.

Additionally, Shelley is the founder and Director of McKinsey's Institute for Black Economic Mobility. The Institute works across sectors to identify solutions to improve economic outcomes in the service of building a more inclusive economy. He has published numerous articles and is a speaker on the topic. Shelley is on the Board of Directors of the National Black MBA Association and the Brooklyn Community Foundation. He resides in Brooklyn with his wife Rochelle and two sons, Shelley (IV) and Ellis.

Before joining McKinsey, Shelley worked in the financial services industry, beginning his career in the Investment Bank at JPMorgan.

Shelley has a BA in Economics from Boston College, an MBA from Columbia University, and an MPA from Harvard University.

 

Jana Fleishman

Jana Fleishman began her music career in 1992 and over the years has worked alongside artists such as Gangstar, LL Cool J, Tony, Toni, Tone and Ludacris, Rihanna, and Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter. She joined Roc Nation in 2009 and now as EVP of Strategy & Communications, oversees both artist and corporate communications for Mr. Carter and works across Roc Nation initiatives including the United Justice Coalition Summit, the NFL and special projects such as The Book Of HOV exhibit at The Brooklyn Public Library. Fleishman also serves as agent and manager to WNBA 6x All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith.

Dasha Smith

Dasha Smith is the Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer for the National Football League. Dasha is a member of Commissioner Goodell's executive operating committee and oversees all league office administration including technology, data & analytics, strategy & business intelligence, human capital, diversity & inclusion, and social responsibility & philanthropy. Prior to joining the NFL in 2019, Dasha served in senior leadership roles at Sony, GCM Grosvenor and Time Warner. Early in her career, Dasha practiced as a corporate attorney in New York and London. Dasha has been recognized as a Sports Business Journal Game Changer and one of the Most Influential People in Football by NBC Sports.

Ms. Smith is an Independent Director for Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE: CNS), CAPTRUST, Beautycounter and Pendulum. Dasha is also a trustee for several non-profit educational and arts organizations including RFK Human Rights, University of Virginia School of Law and Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

A native of Denver, Colorado, Ms. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia.

 

Whitney Tymas

Whitney Tymas is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in criminal law. She has led initiatives to promote fairness and accountability and has taught and presented widely across the nation. Whitney advises individuals, organizations and political action committees, such as Justice & Public Safety PAC, Justice & Public Safety Action Fund and others, about justice policy and strategy. In 2015, Whitney launched a national initiative focused on electing progressive leaders, committed to equity and public safety. Since then, she has overseen several dozen campaigns in prosecutor and sheriff races across the country. Before this, Whitney served as director of the Prosecution and Racial Justice Program at the Vera Institute of Justice. This groundbreaking national program identified and sought to remedy patterns of racial injustice and ethnic disparity caused by prosecutors. Beginning in New York City as a public defender with the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Whitney also practiced law at the Office of the Appellate Defender, the Legal Aid Society Criminal Appeals Bureau, as a prosecutor in Virginia, and in private practice as a defense and civil rights attorney. Whitney has practiced in state and federal courts, at the trial and appellate levels, handling a wide range of criminal cases, from misdemeanors to multiple defendant homicides. Whitney is a graduate of Barnard College and New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden-Snow Scholar. She was born in Washington, DC, came to adulthood in Harlem, and has devoted her life to public service and social justice.

 

Dania Diaz

Dania Diaz serves as the Managing Director of Philanthropy at Roc Nation. In her role she works with her team to significantly maximize the charitable and community impact of artists and athletes through strategic philanthropic management and advisory support services so that they may be better equipped to effectively advance social good and impact, locally, nationally, and globally. She also helps to maintain the company’s unwavering commitment to humanitarianism through Team Roc, the Social Justice Department. In addition, she serves as Executive Director of the Shawn Carter Foundation. She has been with Roc Nation and the Shawn Carter Foundation since July 2011. Prior to her current role Dania spent seven years as Deputy Director and Interim Executive Director of Oliver Scholars, a youth development program for underserved, high-achieving Black and Latino students seeking to attend private independent and boarding schools. Prior to that, she spent nine years at Columbia Business School’s Executive Education Department, serving as the Associate Director of the Institute for Not-for-Profit Management, dedicated to building managerial and leadership capacity within the not-for-profit sector both domestically and globally. Dania is also mother to her high school-age son and college-age daughter. She earned her master of arts degree at Teachers College, Columbia University and bachelor of arts degree at Columbia College, Columbia University in New York. 

 

Desiree Perez

Since 2009, Roc Nation’s Chief Executive Officer, Desiree Perez has been, besides Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter himself, the person most responsible for realizing his ultimate vision of creating a business empire that spreads far beyond its origins. In her time at the company, Roc Nation has grown beyond a record label, music publishing, and artist & sports management agency, to become a company that both engages and employs his community.

In addition to her involvement in all aspects of Mr. Carter’s music career, from platinum records to sold-out tours, Perez has had her hand in every significant deal the company has made in the past decade, including a groundbreaking deal with the NFL focused on entertainment and social justice, all while overseeing Roc Nation’s day-to-day operations.

Perez is responsible for a 10-year, $200 million worldwide touring deal between Mr. Carter and Live Nation, a decade after the two parties had inked a multi-million dollar 360-degree deal that included management, publishing, licensing and other outside investments. Her work led to a worldwide partnership with Universal Music Group, under which Roc Nation joined the Universal family, while still operating as a standalone label.

The company’s management arm boasts a roster of superstars including Mariah Carey and Rihanna, the latter of whom Perez negotiated multi-million sponsorship deals with Samsung and Puma. After helping to found Roc Nation Sports, Perez negotiated Kevin Durant’s groundbreaking endorsement deal with Nike—a whopping 10-year, $300 million dollar contract. This came only a short year after shepherding Robinson Cano’s 10-year, $240 million player contract with the Seattle Mariners. She continues to further help to expand Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter’s portfolio with the successful luxury liquor brands D’USSÉ Cognac and Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades) champagne and clothing line, Paper Planes.

Her business acumen extends to negotiating the purchase of the streaming service TIDAL for $56 million and spearheading the deal to sell a 33% stake in the company to Sprint for $200 million.

In addition to building the business, Perez also leads Team Roc, Roc Nation’s philanthropic division. She fights tirelessly to tackle social injustices on a daily basis; whether it is helping families with legal aid to taking on Governors and prison systems. In February 2020, Perez led the team that assisted over 150 inmates to sue over barbaric conditions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. She was the driving force behind Meek Mill’s legal team to petition the courts to secure the rapper’s release from prison. Although she prefers to keep a low profile, Perez has worked tirelessly to bring attention to the subject of prison reform, which led to the formation of REFORM Alliance, an organization that fights for prison and probation reform.

The Bronx, NY native honed her skills through the nightlife and restaurant management ranks at several locations in NYC before co-founding the flagship 40/40 club located in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, of which she is part owner.

Through all initiatives and all her work, Perez allows the voiceless to have a voice and a platform from which to speak. 

Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter

Since 1996, 24-time GRAMMY award-winner, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter has been a dominant force in popular culture. Among his vast entrepreneurial achievements, Mr. Carter has used the platform he has been afforded to speak on various issues, including criminal justice. In September 2016, Carter teamed with Molly Crabapple for “The War On Drugs Is An Epic Fail,” a history lesson on the war on drugs and a call to end biased policing and mass incarceration. Over the next year, Carter executive produced the Peabody Award-winning documentary series, TIME: The Kalief Browder Story, which tackled juveniles in solitary confinement and the New York bail system and penned a powerful op-ed on Meek Mill, bringing to light the lifetime prison that is probation. Mr. Carter also serves as executive producer of the 2018 critically, Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story and the 2019 Free Meek six-part documentary series.