Joshua Brooks

Joshua Brooks joins IDHS as the Executive Director of Justice Continuum for the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention. Joshua brings with him 14 years of leadership experience in program development, project management, and overseeing strategic multi-sector partnerships and initiatives. Joshua previously served as the Community Restorative Justice Hubs Coordinator at Adler University's Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice, where he directed the collective efforts of six community-based organizations that served communities impacted by high crime and low resources across Chicago. Prior to that role, Joshua served as Assistant Program Director at Manufacturing Renaissance (MR) where he coordinated the Young Manufactures Association - a 200+ member initiative of young adults working in manufacturing across Cook County. Additionally, he served in violence prevention and intervention, first in 2009 through CeaseFire (CureViolence), then in 2016 through the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago. Joshua graduated from Northeastern Illinois University in 2016, earning his Bachelors of Arts in Justice Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Criminology. He obtained a Masters in Public Administration at Adler University in 2023.