A network that young people can count on
Our fight for justice would not be possible without a dedicated network of board members, staff, community partners, and funders.
Our Board of Trustees
Passionate about our mission and experts in their fields, our Board of Trustees helps ensure the health
and impact of our organization.
Board of Trustees
Jamaal Thomas | Chair
Associate Director of Yale's Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility
Mark B. Rubin | Treasurer
Geller Advisors LLC, Former Board Chairman (2013-2019)
Ellen Fried | Secretary
Legal Consultant
Alexander Paddington
Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Ann B. Siegel
Former Assistant Commissioner, NYC Department of Juvenile Justice
Christine Pahigian
Executive Director, Youth Justice Network
Jarrell E. Daniels
Project Director & Community Management Liaison, Center for Justice at Columbia University
Neil Callahan
Co-Founder & Managing Director, Pilot Growth Equity
S. Rebecca Neusteter, Ph.D.
Executive Director, University of Chicago Health Lab
Nneka Ukpai
Chief Investment Officer, Pop Venture
Scott Simon
Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance, Vontier Corporation
Co-Founders and Directors Emeritae
Norma Green
Barbara O. Grodd
(1926 – 2018)
Director Emeritus
Hwan-yoon Chung
Our Staff
Youth Justice Network has a profoundly dedicated staff who share a commitment to break cycles of
incarceration and build an equitable justice system.
Aaliyah Nickens
Arches Mentor
Angelina Cooke
Career Services Intern
Anthony DeJesus
Director, Arts and Recreation Program Director, Arches
Bernard Shepherd
Program Director, Family Matters
Catherine Lawry
Youth Advocate
Christian Alfonso
Mitigation Specialist
Christine Pahigian
Executive Director
Christopher Rodriguez
Director, Advocacy and Support Services, Bronx
Corey Baron
Education Advocate
Deja Johnson
Youth Advocate
Detra C. Royal
Director of Human Resources
Douglas Brandt
Senior Job Developer
Felicia Mosley Smith
Associate Executive Director
Francesca Camileri
Mitigation Specialist
Jack Powers
Director, Shifting Gears
Jasmin Luciano-King
Director, Advocacy and Support Services, Manhattan
Jermaine Ferguson
Senior Youth Mentor
Jillian Schweizer
Director of Data and Evaluation
Jisselle Gonzalez
Parent Advocate
Jonathan Weinstein
Grants Administrator
Justin Kwong
Data & Security Support Associate
Kaela Braxton
Law Library Associate
Katherine Neri
Youth Advocate
Kandi Johnson
Director, Advocacy and Support Services, Brooklyn and Queens
Kani Toure
Database Support Associate
Keith Crawford
Case Manager, Friends to Fathers
Kevin Green
Director of Career Services
Lamont Moran
Youth Advocate
Laurie Parise
Director, Law Library
Lesley Achitoff
Art Therapist
Libby Brett
Senior Law Library Associate
Messiah Ramkissoon
Associate Executive Director
Michael Lauture
Senior Youth Mentor
Milaysha Reid
Peer Tutor
Miracle Smith
Youth Advocate
Oksana Francis
Senior Youth Advocate
Omar Branch
Senior Case Manager
Patrick Edge
Policy and Planning Associate
Rachel Cece
Database Support Associate
Robert De Jesus
Program Director, Friends to Fathers
Robert James
Senior Director, Transitional Service
Saher Al Khamash
Mitigation Specialist
Salik Karim
Case Manager, Friends to Fathers
Salvatore Pepe
Director, Finance & Administration
Sean Robinson
Shifting Gears Driver
Sophie Mindes
Grants Manager & Senior Writer
Tahirah Wornum
Finance and Administration Coordinator
Tasneem Yoosufali
Director, Miller Center for Special Mitigation
Teresa Morales
Accounting Manager
Theodore Gee
Case Manager, Friends to Fathers
Tina Lee
Director, Center for Education
Tomás Guardia
Mitigation Specialist
Tyreek Gaston
Arches Mentor
Venus Core
Senior Director, Advocacy and Support Services, City-wide
Vidal Cintron
Office Manager
Vincent Deas
Arches Mentor
Our door is always open
Get in contact with any of our staff members, or take a look at available opportunities to join our team.
Our Community Partners
We're grateful to partner with a powerful network of community organizations who support the
healing, wellbeing, and dreams of our participants.
Our Funders
We are grateful for the support and partnership of our funders.
We are also grateful for the support and ongoing partnership of our government funders:
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD)
NYC Department of Probation
Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ)
National Endowment of the Arts (NEA)
Administration for Children’s Services (ACS)
New York State
Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS)
Join Our Fight
Stand in solidarity with our mission to break cycles of inequality and fight systemic racism by giving young people the opportunities they have been denied. Join our community, and together we can make a difference.