Staff Organization

Delrice Adams is a justice warrior with over 25 years of directing social service and public health reform efforts. On January 4, 2020, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker appointed Delrice to lead the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA). ICJIA spearheads and informs on public safety policies, research, and best practices. In this role, Executive Director Adams leverages her expertise in criminal justice, violence prevention, and racial equity to support the agency’s work. Her expertise informs and enhances public safety priorities, equity grant administration, and evidence-based solutions to violence prevention.

Executive Director Adams institutes a transparent and straightforward approach to the work. Equity, fairness, and opportunity are the priorities of every grant program and policy administered by ICJIA.

A visionary leader trained in trauma-informed approaches, Executive Director Adams co-chairs a first-of-its-kind cross-governmental violence prevention advisory group with county and city officials. She also chairs or administers various state boards and commissions, such as the Ad Hoc Victim Service and Prevention committee, Domestic Violence Pretrial Working Group, and Violent Crime Reduction Taskforce. Nationally, she is the Chair of the National Criminal Justice Association’s Board of Directors Equity in Criminal Justice Funding and Budget Committee.

Previously, Executive Director Adams held progressive leadership roles at the Cook County Justice Advisory Council and the City of Chicago’s Department of Public Health Office of Violence Prevention and Behavioral Health. She was responsible for the restorative justice and violence prevention initiatives in these roles. A trained peace circle keeper, Executive Director Adams’ successes are grounded in her love for and strong ties with the community.

In July 2022, Executive Director Adams was selected into the highly competitive National Criminal Justice Association Leadership Academy for Executives where she represented the great state of Illinois. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a master’s degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago.

Doresah Ford-Bey is ICJIA Chief Communications & Programs Officer. Prior to joining ICJIA, Doresah was the assistant chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. In that role, Doresah was responsible for leading the office’s strategic initiatives, communications, and external affairs. Doresah is a dynamic thought leader with over 25 years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, with various roles that include administrative staff, education executive, brand marketer, security analyst, and master facilitator. Doresah earned a graduate degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and corporate finance and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance at Clark Atlanta University.

Javon Gregoire is ICJIA Chief of Staff/Deputy Director. Prior to joining ICJIA, Javon served as a strategic advisor for state and private organizational leaders on lifting critical societal issues that hinder equitable treatment and creating systems that help individuals live healthy and safe lives. She also served as senior policy advisor for the IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention and was deputy director of READI Chicago, a program within Heartland Alliance. During her time at READI, she was responsible for strategic leadership and planning to achieve program goals, creating business operating models that allowed for service expansion, and managing community and government relations. Additionally, Javon served as project lead for implementing Illinois’ statewide eligibility system until she was promoted to IDHS Division of Family and Community Services chief of Staff. In that role, she counseled the division director on effective operational planning for agencies within the division to enhance program policies and service delivery models for maximum community impact. Javon holds a master’s degree in professional counseling.

Timothy Lavery is the ICJIA research director. Tim has over 20 years of experience gaining insights from criminal justice data. His areas of expertise include police violence prevention strategies, police oversight and reform, and restorative justice programs. Tim has spent most of his professional career working at the Chicago Police Department (CPD) where, for the past three years, he supervised an analytic team devoted to providing data and information to inform CPD’s ongoing reform process. In this capacity, he advised on CPD use of force policy and helped improve public information on complaints against police. He also served on the CPD Tableau Center of Practice management team, shaping key business intelligence metrics and providing data support to new Tableau users.

Tim has a master’s degree in social psychology and a doctorate of philosophy in criminology, law, and justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is working toward a master’s degree in information technology at Virginia Tech University.

Dr. Millicent Lewis-McCoy is ICJIA Assistant Deputy Director. Millicent has over 20 years of proven leadership experience in the re-entry and criminal justice space. Utilizing data to drive strategic and operational decisions, Millicent has devoted her professional life to bringing equity and balanced justice to individuals, organizations, and systems. Prior to joining ICJIA, Millicent was director of TASC Corrections Transition Programs, where she developed, coordinated, and evaluated services for thousands of clients annually, in collaboration with state partners and a network of community service providers, to restore lives, improve health, reduce recidivism, and ensure accountability. In addition, Millicent served as the deputy executive director of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and the assistant superintendent of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice Illinois Youth Center in Joliet. Millicent began her career in the field of criminal justice as a re-entry coordinator under contract with the Illinois Department of Corrections. Millicent earned a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration at Western Illinois University, a master’s degree in criminal justice at Chicago State University, and a doctorate of philosophy in business psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Sharyn Adams is with ICJIA as a research analyst in the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation.

Susan Alrifai is a Research Fellow with the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation, where she is conducting a program evaluation on police-led deflection initiatives. She has research experience in public policy analysis and program evaluation, focusing on developing solutions to improve systems that impact community safety, social equity, and public well-being. She received her BS in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and her master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University.

Kimberly Atkins is a strategic project administrator in the Federal & State Grants Unit. Kimberly has 10 years of project management experience working on federally mandated projects. Projects have included developing critical infrastructure and overseeing systems planning and implementation to meet federal compliance measures. Kimberly earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and applied psychology from Loyola University of Chicago and a master’s degree in human relations and organizational management. Kimberly is pursuing a juris doctorate with career plans to focus on legal compliance, enterprise risk management, and privacy law.

Jaimelee Behrendt-Mihalski is a Research Scientist in the Center for Violence Prevention & Intervention Research. In this role, she conducts research and supports the R3 program. In particular, Jaimelee enjoys working with direct service organizations to build capacity and strengthen data collection efforts.

Jaimelee has a PhD in Community Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and completed her BA in Psychology at DePaul University. Before joining ICJIA, Jaimelee completed a post-doctoral fellowship at National Louis University managing a National Science Foundation-funded grant exploring public perceptions of barriers to equity within Illinois public safety legislation. Prior to that, she worked as a policy advocate for a children’s rights organization in North Carolina.

Jessica Blake is a criminal justice specialist working on the American Rescue Plan Act program. Prior to joining ICJIA, Jessica worked with women who were incarcerated and children at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. She was later employed at a group home for teen moms in Illinois Department of Children and Family Services custody. She later served as a social services career trainee for the State of Illinois and was later promoted to human services caseworker. Jessica graduated from Aurora University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and minor in psychology. She later studied forensic psychology and received a master’s degree from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Nichole Broadhacker is a criminal justice specialist. Prior to joining ICJIA, she worked as a probation officer in Macon County. She also worked as a grant program manager with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and as the grants administrator for the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee.

In addition to her work with ICJIA, Nichole is an emergency medical technician with the Mt. Zion Fire Department and a teacher with Richland Community College’s Emergency Medical Services Program. Nichole holds a master’s degree in public administration with a certificate in emergency preparedness and homeland security from University of Illinois at Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minor in biology and sociology from Millikin University.

Karen S. Crawford is a grantee auditor in ICJIA’s Office of Fiscal Management. Karen joined ICJIA in 2018 with over 30 years of experience in various accounting leadership positions across public and private industry. Karen served as acting chief financial officer for ICJIA from October 2019 through March 2021, is a certified public accountant, and holds a Project Management Professional license.

Karen holds a master’s degree in management from National-Louis University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Samantha DeLuna is a criminal justice specialist with the R3 program. Prior to joining ICJIA, she worked at non-profit organizations as case manager and youth violence prevention coordinator, serving at-risk youth. Samantha earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus on criminal justice at Roosevelt University.

Gabriella DeMartinis is Research Fellow in the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation conducting a program evaluation for the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Post-Overdose and Public Safety program. Gabriella earned an MA in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University and a BA in Political Science and History from the University of Michigan.

Maria DiMeglio is a research fellow with ICJIA’s Center for Community Corrections Research, where she focuses on Adult Redeploy Illinois program. Prior to joining ICJIA, she worked as a research assistant at the Loyola University Chicago Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. Maria earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Iowa State University and is nearing a master’s degree in criminal justice and criminology at Loyola University Chicago. Maria’s research interests include corrections, juvenile justice, child welfare, and program evaluation.

Dawn English is an associate general counsel with ICJIA. Prior to joining ICJIA, Dawn was an administrative law judge at the Illinois Department of Human Services. She has a dual master of public administration/juris doctor degree from Illinois Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in education from DePaul University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University. Dawn’s areas of interest include public law, employment law, and family law.

Lily Fahrenwald is a Research Scientist in the Center for Victim Studies. Lily earned her MPH specializing in epidemiology from Louisiana State University’s School of Public Health. Her research experience includes COVID-19, monkey pox, HIV/STIs, mortality epidemiology, and applying infectious disease modelling to assess patterns of violence. Her internship was with the New Orleans Police Department, and her work experience includes the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and Howard Brown Health.

Crystal Freeman is a criminal justice specialist trainee. Prior to joining ICJIA, Crystal Freeman was the Illinois Department of Corrections Program Director and managed the Adult Male Reentry program. Crystal Freeman received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in corrective services from Jackson State University and has 24 years of corrections experience working in both the private and public sectors with emphases on recidivism reduction and substance abuse treatment.

Alysson Gatens is a research scientist in the Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research. Alysson earned her MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, with a Certificate in Policy and Program Evaluation, and BA in Criminology and Sociology from the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the Authority, Alysson worked in law enforcement planning and research for the City of St. Louis.

Fernanda Gonzalez joined ICJIA as a research analyst on the Safe from the Start program in January 2021. Prior to joining ICJIA, Fernanda worked as a research assistant on a systems evaluation for the Southwest Organizing Project. The project brought together mental health, healthcare, and social service providers to Southside Chicago communities. Fernanda’s areas of interest include early childhood program development, migration research, and continuous quality improvement in social services. She earned a master’s degree in social work administration at the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Loyola Chicago.

Emilee received her master’s degree in Criminal Justice Sciences and bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Illinois State University. Before joining the ICJIA, she was a graduate research assistant, where she worked in conjunction with the Illinois State University Police Department on a project to reduce property crime on campus. Recently, she published a paper in the International Journal of Police Science and Management on crime analysts’ perceptions of role clarity and job satisfaction. Her research interests include crime prevention and intelligence analysis.

Tracy Hahn manages criminal justice research that is sponsored by ICJIA. She has overseen research and program evaluations conducted by experts in the field and has worked with the Authority’s Federal and State Grants Unit to develop program performance measures, identify evidence-based practices and document program effectiveness. Prior to her work with the Authority, she assisted in program development under the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Ms. Hahn earned a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor degree in Legal Studies from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Nicole Hansel is a Research Fellow in the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation. Before joining ICJIA, she worked on various research projects examining topics such as racial diversity in jury selection, predictors of suspicion and guilt in 911 calls, and chronic illnesses. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Iowa and her M.S. in Forensic Psychology from Arizona State University.

Jacqueline Hawkins is a criminal justice specialist with the R3 program. Prior to joining ICJIA, Jacqueline worked in community and workforce development, serving in various client-facing and executive-level capacities. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business management at Chicago State University.

Jennifer Hiselman manages ICJIA’s InfoNet System, a web-based data collection and reporting system used by over 100 victim service providers statewide. Jennifer joined ICJIA in 1996 as a researcher focusing on victimization, victim services, and interpersonal violence. She worked closely with ICJIA’s Federal & State Grants Unit to inform victim services planning, lead an evaluation of Illinois’ Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs, and managed the state’s first crime victimization survey. As InfoNet Manager, Jennifer oversees InfoNet’s operation, provides training and assistance to users, hosts user forums to identify new data collection needs, and works with various stakeholders using InfoNet’s data for strategic planning. Most recently, Jennifer led efforts to rebuild InfoNet on a new technology platform for increased performance, utility, and sustainability. InfoNet 2.0 was deployed in April 2018. Outside of ICJIA, Jennifer volunteers for a domestic violence service provider in her community.

Kyle Hucke is trained in Developmental Psychology with an emphasis on adolescent development. He has over 10 years of research experience evaluating programs focused on improving health outcomes, education achievement, youth development, and violence prevention in both Louisiana and Illinois. Kyle joined the Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research in 2022 and supports research and evaluation for programs such as the Restore Reinvest and Renew (R3) program.

Tony Jenkins is the deputy director of the Information Systems Unit. He has nearly 30 years of experience in computer information technology, having worked as the ICJIA operations director for IPSAN and in other ICJIA capacities during most of his career.

Thomas Johnson is a Criminologist and manager of the Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research. His research interests include interpersonal violence, prison programming, and the effects of emerging technologies on justice involvement, especially artificial intelligence.

Thomas earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from DePauw University. He earned his master’s degree in Criminal Justice Data Analytics and an additional master’s degree in Data Science from Marquette University, where he teaches a course on spatial analysis of crime and the use of algorithms by law enforcement and legal practitioners.

Bethany Judson is a research fellow with ICJIA’s Center for Community Corrections Research, where she focuses on Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) program. Bethany is a licensed social worker and substance use counselor dedicated to supporting individuals caught at the intersection of substance use and incarceration. Her project employs machine learning to predict the likelihood of recidivism among ARI participants. Bethany earned master’s degrees in social work and public policy at the University of Chicago.

John Klaer is a business manager overseeing ICJIA operations within the Office of Administrative Services. John serves many vital agency roles including agency procurement officer, telecom officer, inventory manager, vehicle fleet coordinator, emergency response team leader, and others. Prior to joining ICJIA, John worked as an inventory control manager at an M&M Mars distribution center and as an aeronautical parts salesman at an aviation and fastener wholesaler. His interests include aerospace, cosmology, quantum physics, finance, outdoor activity, travel, history, and sports. He also has a private pilot’s license. John earned a master’s in business administration focusing on finance and information systems at Dominican University and a bachelor’s degree in business and aviation administration at St. Louis University.

Dr. Amanda Klonsky is the new Deputy Director of Research and Analysis at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Previously the Research and Policy Fellow at the UCLA Law COVID Behind Bars Data Project, she has conducted significant research on the impact of COVID-19 in carceral settings. Her forthcoming book, “Pandemic of Punishment,” documents the experiences of people behind bars during the pandemic.

Prior to her doctoral studies, Amanda worked as an educator in jails and prisons. She co-led an arts and literacy program for detained youth at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center and helped launch a district-wide initiative at Chicago Public Schools to support post-release youth. Later, she led a large prison education organization operating in the Northeastern United States. Amanda holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from Harvard University and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. Amanda lives in Chicago with her husband , their 7-year-old daughter, and a giant poodle.

Alda Leavy-Skinner is a strategic project administrator in the Federal & State Grants Unit. Prior to joining ICJIA, Alda was a paralegal with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Her career in public service spans 20 years at state and county levels and in the nonprofit and private sectors with a focus on at-risk populations within the juvenile justice, criminal justice, child welfare and school systems. She is also a U.S. veteran. Alda has served as village official and as an adjunct professor at Governor State University. Alda has prior experience working in grant management for Children Home and Aid, where she managed community school grant funding that addressed academic decline, ISAT scores, and parental engagement. Alda holds a doctorate in public safety leadership with a specialization in criminal justice from Capella University, a post-graduate certificate in adult continuing education from National Louis University, a master’s degree in public administration from Roosevelt University, and a bachelor’s degree from Alabama State University completing at Chicago State University.

Michael Lynch is a strategic project administrator with ICJIA. Prior to joining the agency, Michael was a senior government services consultant at Bronner Group, a Chicago-based public sector-focused consulting firm. At Bronner Group, Michael managed projects for public sector clients to help solve their operational and programmatic challenges. Projects included designing, administering, and managing large public and non-profit sector programs, including an R3 collaborative assessment and planning process for Will County, the City of Joliet, and other partners. Michael also oversaw a grants management assessment for Shedd Aquarium, which included reviewing the grants management function, developing a series of observations and recommendations, creating and codifying new policies, and training staff. Michael also was an independent grant evaluator for the Rochester City School District, which included developing evaluation logic models, evaluating grant implementation fidelity and progress toward objectives, and recommending improvements.

Prior to Bronner Group, Michael worked at World Business Chicago. There, he helped administer the Blackstone Inclusive Entrepreneurship Challenge, which provided grants to innovative community organizations that effectively recruited and supported entrepreneurs in underserved communities and scaled startups in Chicago. Michael earned a master’s degree in public administration at DePaul University School of Public Service and a bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Alex Menninger is a senior research fellow with the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation, where he is evaluating a multi-site deflection program. Alex has performed research in the areas of infectious diseases, climate science, and nutritional science. His areas of interest include issues relating to refugees, the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized populations. Alex earned his master’s degree in public health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, with a concentration in health equity, human rights, and social justice.

Vanessa M. Morris is an Authority Administrative Assistant for the Federal and State Grants Unit and Office of the Executive Director.

Lajuana Murphy is a Criminal Justice Specialist II in ICJIA’s Federal & State Grant Unit. Lajuana’s work includes, but is not limited to, monitoring a variety of state and federal programs, training, federal/state reporting, and providing technical assistance trainings throughout Illinois. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a master’s degree in public administration from DePaul University.

Marvin Nesbitt is a criminal justice specialist working on the American Rescue Plan Act program. Prior to joining ICJIA, Marvin worked as a community coordinator for Chicago Public Schools. He also worked as an adult transition center shift supervisor at the Illinois Department of Corrections. Marvin has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a criminal justice communication certification.

Peter Nicholson is the R3 deputy program manager. Prior to joining ICJIA, Peter was a manpower planner with the City of Chicago, where he administered the Substantial Rehabilitation Training Program and the Work Experience Program, designed to combat racism in the construction trades. Peter also served as Cook County Department of Planning and Development director, responsible for all community and economic development activities in Cook County. He also served as the Illinois Department of Human Services housing and transition liaison. With a special interest in housing issues, Peter co-founded a community development organization, which developed 57 units of affordable housing.

Peter earned a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, a master’s degree in inner city studies at Northeastern Illinois University, and a master’s degree in public administration at The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Michelle Nowicki is a Project Manager with ICJIA’s Research and Analysis unit. She received her B.S. in Psychology with a Minor in Law, Justice & Public Policy from Michigan State University, and her M.S. in Psychology from Arizona State University. Her primary research interests include juvenile justice, developmental psychology, and intersectional philosophy. Prior to joining ICJIA, Michelle worked as a Project Coordinator at DePaul University, overseeing several NIH-funded research grants for post-viral illnesses and public health.

H. Douglas Otto is a Research Analyst with the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation. Prior to joining ICJIA, Doug was a research assistant at Loyola University Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy, and Practice. There he assisted in a study on costs associated with violent and property crime in Illinois. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice and criminology from Loyola University Chicago. His thesis compared the effect of length of incarceration on recidivism among gang members and non-gang members released from Illinois prisons.

Idetta Phillips is a research analyst with the Authority’s Research & Analysis Unit. Idetta has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. Her areas of interest include adult and juvenile reentry, reentry program operation, community corrections, and data collection.

Quierra Phillips is the human resources specialist in ICJIA’s Office of Human Resources. Quierra has more than 10 years of human resources experience. Prior to joining ICJIA, she worked in the Illinois Department of Human Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, and Department of Corrections human resources departments and background investigations units. Quierra earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science at Western Michigan University, where she graduated with honors.

Karina Polanco is a Research Fellow working on an the evaluation of IDHS youth employment programs. received a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Florida International University, in her home city of Miami, Florida. She recently received her M.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. Her primary research interests are institutional correctional environments, particularly examining reentry programming, human rights violations, and the mental health outcomes of staff and the incarcerated. Her research also investigates crime victim outcomes, and public perception as it relates to police interrogations and extraordinary crimes. Prior to joining ICJIA, Karina worked with correctional facilities in Florida to evaluate violence reduction initiatives, and also worked with University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute to evaluate criminal-justice practitioners’ application of evidence-based interventions for persons under supervision.

Trevor Ramsey is a Grant Specialist Trainee. Prior to joining ICJIA, Trevor worked for five years as a caseworker with the Illinois Department of Human Services. Before joining state government, Trevor was employed in the private sector in customer service/sales management and radio broadcasting.

Jessica Reichert is a highly accomplished and experienced researcher in criminology. With over two decades of experience, she had made significant contributions through her work at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, where she serves as a Senior Research Scientist and Manager of the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation. Her research interests span a range of topics, including policing; deflection/diversion programs; behavioral and public health; probation and court services; corrections; and reentry. She have published extensively on those subjects, authoring well over 150 technical reports and peer-reviewed articles. Her work has garnered recognition, and she has been a 4-time recipient of the Justice Information Research Network’s National Research Publication Award. She taught crime analytics, research methods, and juvenile justice courses as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago. She earned her master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and bachelor’s degree from Bradley University.

Anna Lucia Rizzo is a Research Fellow working on the evaluation of police co-responder programs. She is originally from Los Angeles, California. She received her BA in Criminology from DePaul University and a master’s degree from UC Irvine in Legal and Forensic Psychology. She has work and research experience in reentry, violence prevention, and behavioral health. She is a former intern for ICJIA’s Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research.

Janis Sayer is a Research Fellow in the Center for justice Research and Evaluation working on the Chicago Youth Intervention Pathways evaluation. Janis has over 10 years of research and evaluation experience focusing primarily on behavioral health and public health topics. Previously, Janis held roles in policy and planning at the Chicago Department of Public Health and worked as a psychiatric social worker. Janis has a PhD in social work from University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Social Work from University of Pittsburgh.

Erinne Smith is a research assistant in ICJIA Research & Analysis Unit’s Center for Victim Studies, working on the IL HEALS program. Erinne has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cornell College and a master’s degree in sociology from Middle Tennessee State University. Her research interests include human trafficking, reproductive rights, social justice, data analysis, and sociological theory and she has a strong background in qualitative and quantitative analysis. Erinne’s prior research experience includes working with professors on topics such as reproductive rights and women serving life sentences.

John P. Smith is a Research Fellow working on the evaluation of IDHS police deflection programs. He was born and raised in Chicago. He is a McNair Scholar with a bachelor’s in psychology from Northeastern Illinois University and a master’s in international Family Studies from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Before joining ICJIA, John was a job coach at Heartland READI serving victims and perpetrators of gun violence.

Thomas E. Smith, Sr., is a strategic project administrator in the Federal & State Grants Unit. Prior to joining ICJIA, Thomas was vice president of the Proviso Lynden Council of Community Action Children and Family Service Division. Thomas has more than 20 years of experience working in the education, child welfare, and mental health communities serving in various roles from direct service provider to administrator. Thomas has experience in grant writing, program development, budgeting, and system management. Under system management and development, Thomas worked with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago to develop community-based grassroot programs and events. He also has worked in the mental health field as a service provider in the capacities of social worker and therapist and in program development in both non-profit and private sectors.

Jaesok Son is a Research Scientist in the Center for Violence Prevention & Intervention Research. His research interests include the relation between the government and civil society and their cooperation in providing services such as crime prevention and welfare programs. Before joining ICJIA, he worked for the General Social Survey project. He received a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago.

Nancy Sullivan is an ICJIA research fellow. She will work exclusively on police-led deflection research. Prior to joining ICJIA, Nancy was a field coordinator at Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities working on a juvenile justice program evaluation. She also worked for a background investigation and consulting company as a project manager and served as a research intern at the Loyola University Chicago Center for Criminal Justice. Nancy earned a master’s degree in criminology at Loyola University Chicago with a graduate certificate in public affairs and management.

Amanda L. Vasquez manages ICJIA’s Center for Victim Studies. She received her master’s degree in criminology, law, and justice, and a bachelor’s degree in applied psychology and criminal justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Amanda has over 15 years of research experience and has conducted research on victimization, with a focus on gender-based violence, victim service programming, and violence prevention. She is particularly interested in research approaches that involve partnering with communities and social service agencies to conduct program evaluations; other areas of interest include gender-based violence, underserved victim populations, and vicarious trauma.

Jing Wang is a Senior Research Scientist at the Center of Justice Research & Evaluation. Prior to her role at ICJIA, Jing served as a Policy Analyst at the City of Chicago, a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, and an Assistant Professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Additionally, Jing has fulfilled teaching and research responsibilities at Loyola University of Chicago and Arizona State University. Jing has more than 15 years of research experience in statistical analysis for public policy, public management, and program evaluation. Her work has resulted in the publication of research reports and academic journal articles in these fields. Jing received her Ph.D. in Public Administration & Policy from Arizona State University.

Lauren Weisner is a research scientist in ICJIA’s Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research. Lauren has worked on a variety of projects, including an evaluation of the Pathway to Enterprise for Returning Citizens program and a statewide survey of police chiefs on naloxone administration. Prior to joining ICJIA, Lauren worked as a research assistant in Loyola University Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy, and Practice. Lauren obtained a Master of Arts in criminal justice and criminology from Loyola University Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in psychology as well as criminal justice from Grand Valley State University. Her interests include applied criminal justice research, criminal justice policy, and program evaluation.

Cydney Wessel is ICJIA’s American Rescue Plan Act and Violence Prevention Program manager. Prior to joining ICJIA, Ms. Wessel was the DeKalb County Youth Service Bureau, Inc., executive director. Ms. Wessel spent 25 years working for the Healthy Families America (HFA) program, an internationally recognized, evidence-based, in-home family support program. She was instrumental in ensuring HFA was designated as a proven and effective model by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services leading to a nationwide expansion of services through the federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. Ms. Wessel earned a master of social work with a focus on child and family therapy and administration at the University of Wisconsin Helen Bader School of Social Work and a master of business administration at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Katherine Wilson McCoy is a Research Fellow in the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation. She has research experience in areas such as racial disparities in the death penalty, evidence-based policing practices, and public-private partnerships in emergency management.  Katherine has been awarded the 2024 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Doctoral Summit Fellowship and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Equity and Inclusion Fellowship. She earned an M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University, B.A. in Criminology from the University of South Florida. She is a doctoral candidate in Public Affairs at the University of Central Florida, focusing on criminology, social equity, and police-citizen interactions.