Our Executive Team
Executive Leadership
Interim Executive Director
Rob Woronoff
Rob Woronoff has worked with and on behalf of children, youth, and families for more than 30 years and is thrilled to join ARC as its interim Executive Director, having previously served in the same capacity for the California Youth Connection. Rob was also the Executive Director and CEO of Sanctuary Palm Springs, a housing placement program for transition age youth in foster care. His body of work includes serving as a national program director with the Child Welfare League of America in Washington, DC; directing the Probation Training Program at the USC Suzanne-Dworak Peck School of Social Work; and with Just Detention International, directing Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) implementation projects in jails, juvenile facilities, and prisons in several states. Rob has trained thousands of social workers, foster parents, probation officers, lawyers, judges, law enforcement personnel, and youth in nearly every state in the country through his consulting work with clients such as the National Foster Parent Association,National Court Appointed Special Advocates, the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the National Juvenile Defender Center, the American Bar Association, Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, the Judicial Council of California, the National Association of Social Workers and numerous others. Rob has co-chaired a sub-committee of the Federal Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and served on the Administration and Staffing Committee of the California Board of State and Community Corrections. His work with children, youth, and families has been featured in Time and USA Today, on NPR and CNN, and other media outlets throughout the country. He holds an MS in human services program planning from the University of Massachusetts’ College of Public and Community Service and a BFA in acting from Carnegie-Mellon University’s drama school.
Before he began working in the public service arena, Rob performed in productions for Lincoln Center, the New York Shakespeare Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Guthrie Theater, Goodspeed Opera House, and in productions for many other theaters throughout the country. Rob produced, wrote, and narrated the documentary short film Tyler/Berdie about a teenager in foster care and his foster mother; and was a consulting producer on the Emmy-nominated documentary Transformation for MTV Docs. He is currently writing scripts for Phoenix Rising, a series designed to highlight the experiences of children and youth growing up in the foster care system, currently in development as a web series for the National Association of Social Workers; as well as a limited series based on Justin Reed Early’s memoir Street Child in order to shine a light on the experiences of some of the 1.5 million children who are currently homeless in America. Rob was a licensed foster parent through Washington, DC’s Child and Family Services Agency and is the adoptive parent of former foster child who recently earned her Master’s of Social Work (MSW) degree.
Chief Financial Officer
Laura Minzenberg
Laura Minzenberg is the Director of Finance for The Anti-Recidivism Coalition. She joined ARC in 2018, having spent ten years in non-profit management in Los Angeles. She is originally from Florida but now considers herself a naturalized Angeleno. She believes that the work ARC does is critical for creating a more just society. Her favorite part of working at ARC has been seeing ARC influence governmental policies in a way that helps large numbers of Californians. “I look forward to seeing more of this in California and nationwide.”
Chief of Staff
Norma Cumpian
Norma Cumpian, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s (ARC) Women’s Department Director, joined ARC in March 2016 as a Life Coach after nearly five years working in the criminal justice reform and nonprofit sector. As a formerly incarcerated woman, Norma has firsthand experience in the many challenges of reentry, making her a compassionate and effective guide for people navigating society after returning home from prison.
Norma is an unrelenting advocate for incarcerated women and girls. She has traveled to the California State Capitol to educate legislators, spoken on panels, and presented in numerous classrooms in order to affect change for incarcerated women, mothers, and girls and to create a fairer justice system for all. In 2019, she co-designed and launched ARC’s first Women’s Services department to better serve the needs of 1,300+ formerly and currently incarcerated members.
In 2020 she was the appointed by Governor Newsom, with senate approval, to sit on the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). She was reappointed for a second term in 2023. In all of her work, she is most proud to continue to carve out spaces to ensure formerly incarcerated voices are heard and valued.
Chief of Programs
Jacob Brevard
Jacob Brevard is the Associate Director of Inside Programs for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC). A former life prisoner himself, Jacob has firsthand experience with the many challenges that formerly incarcerated people face upon their release from prison. Jacob manages the Hope and Redemption Team (HART), comprised former lifers who return to California state prisons to provide hope, demonstrate that redemption is achievable, and prepare participants for successful re-entry into our communities. Jacob is a fierce advocate for cultural change in the criminal Justice system. He has traveled to the state capital, spoken on panels, and presented in numerous arenas in the hopes of changing the narrative around mass incarceration.
Board of Directors
Policy Advocate
Jerome Dixon
As a high school junior, I was arrested by the Oakland Police Department (CA) as a suspect in a murder investigation. Unconnected to the crime, I was questioned without parental notification. After twenty-five hours of interrogation, I was then coerced into signing a police-scripted statement. This statement was used against me in a court of law despite the initial judge’s ruling to the contrary and my subsequent denial of having committed this crime. I am now known to the State of California as a “term-lifer”. Twenty-one years later at my 2011 Parole Hearing and after numerous appeals to lawyers, journalists, and judicial stewards, the Prison Parole Board had difficulty comprehending the facts surrounding my incarceration. They acknowledged my claim of innocence and released me from their custody in October 2011. Since my release, I have been touring the country speaking about my ordeal, advocating for justice and social reform; and how I harbor absolutely no animosity towards the system for what has happened.
Chairman, Wells Group of New York
George Wells
George Wells is the Chairman of Wells Group of New York, a 15-person management consulting firm that specializes in working with high growth businesses in the consumer internet, healthcare, technology, and contemporary arts spaces, and the CFO of Quip, an oral care startup. Mr. Wells also serves as interim CFO of Maisonette, a children’s luxury goods marketplace and business manager to contemporary artist Mickalene Thomas. His previous executive roles include serving as interim CFO of Draper James, a lifestyle clothing brand founded by Reese Witherspoon, and interim COO/CFO of Lehmann Maupin, one of the top ten art galleries in the world.
Mr. Wells serves on the Out in Tech board, an organization committed to promoting diversity in the tech and startup community and has pledged a $1 million dollar art donation to his alma mater, Morehouse College.
Founder, Anti-Recidivism Coalition
Scott Budnick
Scott Budnick is an American film producer, Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), and is currently CEO of One Community, LLC – a film, television, and new media co-financing company that uses the power of storytelling to encourage and inspire positive global change.
Recently, Budnick returned to the film business as executive producer of One Community’s first film, JUST MERCY, released in theaters on January 10, 2020.
As the former Executive Vice President of Todd Phillips’ Green Hat Films, Budnick produced OLD SCHOOL, DUE DATE, and the highest-grossing R-rated comedy trilogy in film history, THE HANGOVER, which grossed over $1.4 billion.
Since 2004, Budnick has been a fierce advocate for social justice and a fairer judicial system. In 2003, he began volunteering with InsideOUT Writers (IOW), a program that brings creative writing into juvenile halls. In 2013, Budnick founded ARC, whose mission is to reduce incarceration, improve the outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, and build healthier communities. ARC provides formerly incarcerated men and women with direct services such as housing, counseling, job training and opportunities, mentoring, and education. The organization also empowers and mobilizes its members to play a role in justice reform efforts through direct policy advocacy.
For his work with youth in the criminal justice system, Governor Jerry Brown named Scott the 2012 California Governor’s Volunteer of the Year. He sits on the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) and was selected to serve as a Board Member for President Barack Obama’s foundation, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.
Senior Talent Partner, Agent WME
Brad Slater
BRAD SLATER, an agent at WME in Beverly Hills started his career after graduating from the University of Arizona in 1996. His first job upon graduating was in foreign distribution selling American made films to countries throughout the world. In 1998 he made the transition to the representation business and went to work at Michael Ovitz’ Artist Management Group (AMG) as an assistant to talent manager Rick Yorn.
After learning the business and working his way up, Mr. Slater was promoted and became a talent manager in August 2001. After managing various careers, he made the transition to agent in 2003 at the William Morris Agency. After working as an agent for 7 years, the William Morris Agency merged with the renowned Endeavor Agency forming WME in 2009.
He is currently a Senior Talent Partner and has been an agent for over 20 years. Mr. Slater represents the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kim Kardashian, Amy Poehler, Forest Whitaker, Addison Rae, Tinx, Gina Rodriguez, Billy Bob Thornton, Eva Longoria, Shay Mitchell, Michael Strahan, Lebron James, Odell Beckham Jr, and Ronda Rousey.
Brad lives in Brentwood, California with his wife, Kara, and their twin 13-year-old boys, Brady and Jackson.
Jimmy Horowitz
Jimmy Horowitz is Vice Chairman of Business Affairs & Operations for NBCUniversal. In this newly-created role, he oversees global deal making across the portfolio of the media industry’s premier film and television studios, television networks and streaming service, Peacock. Horowitz advises and collaborates with Business Affairs teams across the Company, providing expertise, counsel, and insight into all major deals, and setting policy across the portfolio addressing the new distribution landscape.
Horowitz has been with the Company for over 30 years, rising through the ranks to the highest levels of studio leadership. He was named Vice Chairman and President of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) in January 2019, after serving in several senior roles, including President of Universal Pictures, Co-President of Production and Executive Vice President of Universal Pictures.
While serving as Vice Chairman and President of UFEG, Horowitz negotiated an unprecedented five-year exclusive partnership with visionary filmmaker Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions, secured a five-year exclusive deal with The LEGO Group to develop, produce and distribute theatrical releases based on its intellectual property and original ideas, negotiated a new five-year overall film and TV deal for Working Title with Universal Pictures and NBCUniversal International Studios and brought LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company over to the film studio in a four-year deal.
He began his tenure at the company in 1992 in the feature legal department and subsequently held the roles of Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs and Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, managing all of Universal’s term deals, along with oversight of the business and legal affairs departments. Earlier in his career, he served as counsel for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. He also practiced labor law at Manatt, Phelps, Phillips, LLP and later at Greenberg Glusker until 1990.
Horowitz is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
He earned his Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School and graduated cum laude from Tulane University with a Bachelor’s Degree in political science.
Vice President of Operations, One Community LLC
Christine Mammolito
Christine currently serves as Vice President of Operations for One Community, LLC. She began her career in New York working in the substance abuse treatment field. After a successful 14-year career in addiction services, she pivoted to the entertainment industry, working for Robert Downey Jr. as Chief of Staff. During that time, on the set of the movie Due Date, she met ARC founder Scott Budnick and connected over their common interest in the criminal justice world; their friendship grew out of this shared interest. Toward the end of her career in addiction services, Christine specialized in working with those returning to the community after lengthy prison terms. When Scott left the entertainment industry to create the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Christine served as board proxy when Robert Downey Jr. joined ARC’s Board of Directors. Her involvement with ARC during its infancy sparked an interest in returning to the non-profit world, and Christine became ARC’s Deputy Director in 2016. Christine continued to serve the organization in various roles through 2021 and was integral in developing ARC’s operations.
Christine was instrumental in helping to establish and grow both programs and administrative departments that are the foundation of ARC. She helped build a scrappy, startup operation into the sophisticated organization that it is today. She remains passionate and deeply involved with ARC on a weekly basis, providing guidance and mentorship to both members and staff.
Founder and President, Post Investment Group
Jason Post
President/Creative Director of Shaka Senghor, Inc,
Shaka Senghor
Shaka Senghor is the President/Creative Director of Shaka Senghor, Inc, having previously held the position of Vice President of Corporate Communications at Navan (TripActions), an online travel management, corporate card and expense management company valued at $9 Billion.
During his tenure at Navan, Shaka played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s strategic evolution. His leadership encompassed the successful execution of a comprehensive company re-brand, the development of cutting-edge sales and success training programs, and the formulation of a robust DEI strategy.
Shaka is a distinguished author, wth his memoir, “Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison,” achieving recognition on the New York Times and The Washington Post Best Seller Lists. His sophomore mainstream release, “Letters to the Sons of Society,” was released in 2022 to critical acclaim and was a two-time Porchlight best seller.
Shaka is a former MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow, and a former Fellow in the inaugural class of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Network. His 2014 TED Talk was featured in their “Year in Ideas” roundup and has over 1.5 million views.
Shaka is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Black Male Engagement (BMe) Leadership Award, the Manchester University Innovator of the Year Award, the FORD Man of Courage Award, Ebony Magazine Power 100 Honoree, and the NAACP Great Expectations Award. He was recently recognized by OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network) as a “Soul Igniter” in the inaugural class of the SuperSoul 100, a dynamic group of trailblazers whose vision and life’s work are bringing a higher level of consciousness to the world around them and encouraging others to do the same.
He has taught at the University of Michigan and shares his story of redemption around the world with top businesses, universities, and in popular media. Today, Shaka’s priority is shifting societal narratives by creating content with deep social impact and high entertainment value.
Philanthropist
Jaime Schwartzberg
Born and raised in New York, Jaime is a Boston University graduate with a
degree in communications. After college, Jaime began a career in public
relations, specializing in arts and entertainment, where she honed her skills in
communication, outreach, and community engagement.
For 18 years, Jaime lived in Bethesda, MD, where she became an active
volunteer for political campaigns and developing a passion for giving back to
her community. Over the past 20 years, she has served on the boards of
impactful nonprofit organizations, including Make-A-Wish Foundation and
Most Valuable Kids, an organization that provides tickets to sporting and
entertainment events for underprivileged youth.
Currently, Jaime serves on the board of Hope in a Suitcase, an organization
dedicated to supporting children in foster care. She has also been a member
of the Los Angeles committees for Joyful Hearts and Communities in Schools,
where her contributions were recognized with an honor for her dedication and
service.
Now living in Pacific Palisades with her husband and three daughters, Jaime
continues her commitment to social impact by focusing on advocacy and
reform. She is excited to bring her experience, passion, and dedication to the
work of ARC and looks forward to contributing to the organization’s mission.
Co-Founder LA Traveler Space LLC & House of PR Realty LLC
Toni Michelle White
Toni Michelle White, Co-Founder of LA Traveler Space LLC & House of PR Realty LLC, hasn’t always walked a straight line. By looking at her, no one would believe she was a 23-year fugitive from the efforts of law enforcement to imprison her away from her only daughter back when she was 19. Today, she is a licensed realtor, licensed state notary, & fingerprint technician. Freedom was the main ingredient. Being free to raise a female child with an absent father and deceased grandparents gave Toni the fighting spirit to rise from ashes. Her greatest accomplishment is her daughter who is a retired nuclear power electrician after service in the U.S. Navy.
Toni has always been someone that’s passionately committed to serving groups that are under-represented and under-resourced. Her desire to serve others came after the period in her life when she was homeless with her daughter on the streets of Los Angeles. Toni was introduced to great non-profit organizations such as Upward Bound house which housed her family and Chrysalis in Santa Monica, where she was able to redefine herself by reentering the workforce & licensure in fields that would produce a life career. Toni learned valuable skills through her academic studies at Southwest Community College & returned to Southwest as an A.R.C Construction Cohort Member.
Toni appreciates that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving and feels that way with each client she works with as a Case Manager at WLCAC-Re-Entry Department in Watts, CA. Prior to that, she worked for Los Angeles County as a Supervisor with the homeless shelter, Home at Last CDC, where she worked on homeless outreach through “Project Room Key.” Toni’s story isn’t finished yet, she looks forward to the next chapter – being part of the ARC board where she can lead by example and be a good role model to encourage anyone running from the greatness within us all.
ARC Program Directors
Director of Development
Eboni Nash
Eboni Nash (she/her) is a liberation practitioner, racial justice advocate, and community builder who centers her work on radical self-care and healing pedagogy. She identifies as a Black and Indigenous woman, descended from the Muscogee Creek tribe, and embraces her identity through her efforts to deconstruct oppressive infrastructures and elevate lived experiences. Nash earned her BA from Hastings College, where she triple majored in criminology, psychology, and religion.
She then pursued a Master’s in Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on social justice, Black liberation, and institutional frameworks. Drawing from her diverse educational background, Nash grounds her work in development using evidence-based models and story-weaving frameworks to create narratives of resonance and collective understanding. “Philanthropy is the goal, but to achieve lasting results, we must prioritize building relationships and establishing a community of care.”
Director of Operations
John McClelland
John has over 20 years of coordinating, supervising, and overseeing reentry services for men and women returning to Los Angeles. He came to reentry via coordinating substance abuse services after going through a treatment program himself in 1996. “Having gone through a program, I understand how utterly critical safe, supportive housing is during the reentry process.” ARC’s goal of providing individualized, supportive reentry housing is what brought him here. Growing that concept and refining those services is the sense of reward that drives his continuing path at ARC. He spent over 13 years with Healthright 360 and joined ARC in July of 2016. “I love the dignity and compassion ARC brings to re-entry services.”
Director of Human Resources
Eryka Stovall
Eryka Stovall was raised in Fresno, CA, but has called the Greater Los Angeles area home for many years. She earned both her BS and MBA with an emphasis in Human Resource Management from California State University, Fresno. While at Fresno State, she was a founder, Vice President, and Director of Community Outreach for the university’s first-ever African American Business Student Association.
Eryka has built a diverse career in Human Resources across several industries, including Manufacturing, Hospitality, Production, and Tech. Although ARC marks her first role in the nonprofit sector, she is no stranger to service. Her longstanding commitment to philanthropy includes years of volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation: Central Valley Chapter, building playgrounds in underserved communities with KaBOOM!, and traveling to Haiti to help rebuild schools following the devastating 2010 earthquake.
Eryka brings not only years of HR experience to ARC, but also a deep personal connection to the mission—her brother’s incarceration fuels her passion for redemption, second chances, and the transformative work ARC does every day. With compassion and purpose, she is proud to serve an organization that aligns so closely with her values.
Director of Communications
Ben Lear
Ben Lear is an award-winning filmmaker and composer.
He produced and directed THEY CALL US MONSTERS (2017), a feature documentary about juveniles facing life sentences, which premiered on PBS Independent Lens and won the audience award for its 2016-2017 season. His short film, BAD FOR THE BOATS (2017), premiered at the Academy Award-qualifying Palm Springs International Shortfest and continued to play in festivals around the country. He has also produced and directed numerous short documentaries for organizations including Represent Justice, Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the LinkedLearning Alliance.
Previously, Ben Lear wrote and performed in LILLIAN: A FOLK OPERA (2010), which premiered at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC and led to performances at TED and the UN. His original song, “Imaginary Friends,” made the Academy Award shortlist for Best Original Song in 2011.
Director of ARC, Sacramento
Junior Vargas
My name is Junior Vargas, and I have been working for ARC as the Admin & development coordinator for a year now. I am a student, currently working toward attaining a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent development. I was introduced to ARC in 2015 and the organization has changed my life for the better. Many people from this organization have supported and been there with me through my transition. With that being said, I am here as a vessel to do the same for others.
Director of Policy
Kent Mendoza
Kent Mendoza was born in Mexico but migrated to the United States at the age of six and was raised in Los Angeles County. Being in a foreign country, poor and with no farther, he was quickly expose to gangs, drugs, and violence. He joined a gang at the age of fourteen which led to his incarceration at fifteen and served time in a probation camp. At the age of seventeen, he was tried as an adult for a crime he didn’t commit and was facing a prison life sentence. Fortunately, Kent beat it and instead was sent to California’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and served an overall 5 years incarcerated. Kent’s story saved him when he spoked to an Immigrating Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who believed in him and was then released from incarceration on April 9th, 2014.
Kent is a youth justice expert, mentor community organizer, activist, artist, writer, motivational speaker, and filmmaker. He is also the Manager of Advocacy and Community Organizing at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) where he first started off as the Member and Community Engagement Coordinator in 2016. Prior to ARC, Kent worked at the LA Area Chamber of Commerce on smart justice issues from 2014 to 2016. He was appointed to and serves on California’s State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (SACJJDP) by Governor J. Brown in 2016. Kent has also been serving on the Los Angeles Juvenile Justice Coordinated Council (JJCC) since 2018. He has also been working with the W. Haywood Burns Institute (BI) on the founding and implementation of the LA County’s Youth Justice Reimagined (YJR) vision and the first ever Department of Youth Development (DYD) since 2020. Lastly, Kent is a Represent Justice Alumni and filmmaker of two films, animated film title, “Chasing The Mexican Dream” and a short documentary of about his life and work, “A Million Dollar Cage”.
Director of Member Services
Carlos Cervantes
Carlos has been an integral member of the ARC, joining after being released from prison in 2011. The retreat at Hummingbird Nest Ranch inspired him to find a meaningful purpose in his life. Carlos strongly believes in being present with those being released from prison. In 2012, along with Michael Romano, Director of Stanford School of Law Three Strikes Project, Carlos co-founded the ARC Ride Home Program, which was nationally recognized by the administration of President Barack Obama and was awarded the Champions of Change Award.
The New York Times Magazine has profiled Carlos for the Ride Home Program. Carlos was also awarded the Empowerment Congress 2019 Emerging Civic Leaders 40 Under Forty Award in recognition of dedicated service to the affairs of the community. Carlos is an alumnus of the John W. Mack Movement Building Fellowship. He was recognized by Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti for his commitment, mentorship, and service to our community. Carlos is a member of the Clothes The Deal Board of Directors Last but not least, he is a husband, father and chef!
Directors of Youth Development Programs
Jason Holland
Jason Holland is a grateful member of Directors of Youth Development Programs with ARC. He served 28 years on what was originally an LWOP sentence within the CDCR. Jason credits the ARC HART team as being integral to his rehabilitation and life change. Now, he aims to utilize his experience and education to help others in their transformation process. This includes helping them develop an awareness of what they need to change in their lives, encouraging a willingness to make that change, and then supporting them as they take action.
Director of Inside Programs
David Amaya
David Amaya is a former lifer whose life has become an example of positive change. For the past six years he has volunteered with preventative and restorative community programs for youth at risk, formerly incarcerated and justice impacted people. He began his career with ARC in 2017 as a life coach on the Hope and Redemption Team, and is proud of the work the team does in helping people inside transform their lives and prepare for reentry into their communities as healthy and responsible people. David is grateful for his second chance in life and the opportunity ARC has provided him to pursue his passion and commitment to help others heal and succeed in their lives.
Director of Workforce and Education
Zac Martin
As the director of workforce and education, Zac works with our team and collaboratively with the coalition in providing economic and educational opportunities for our formerly incarcerated folks.A pastor, community organizer, activist, Zac has been in various leadership positions over the last 10+ years working with, learning from the unhoused, the formerly incarcerated and migrant brothers and sisters and building and equipping teams of impacts folks and collaborations to provide holistic care and programming, secure jobs, housing and opportunity. Zac believes deeply in a work of mutuality in learning from, equipping and encouraging impacted folks as we move together towards a future of possibilities that encourages others to take the journey together.An avid reader, runner, biker, and 90’s hip-hop fan, Zac loves learning about how cities work and how people think and helping people connect to and learn from each other.
Director of Housing
Michael Hawk
Michael served 26 years in prison, on a 25 to life term. He joined ARC in the summer of 2016 and moved into ARC housing in 2017 as a mentor. He found that helping others with their reentry seemed more important than anything else at the time. He began working for ARC in 2017 where he lived and worked at Magnolia Housing. He then became a Life Coach for Bromont Housing in 2018 and is currently Program Coordinator for Lorena Housing. His favorite part of ARC is the way ARC supports and guides all their members in becoming productive members of society.
Director of Learning and Innovation
Kacy Martin
Kacy Martin is a research strategist with a deep commitment to social justice, systems transformation, and data-informed decision-making. As Director of Learning and Innovation at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, she leads a talented team dedicated to measuring impact, driving continuous improvement, and shaping policy to support successful re-entry and reintegration efforts across California. She specializes in developing Theories of Change, designing and implementing comprehensive evaluations, and communicating research findings to diverse stakeholders.
Previously, Dr. Martin served as a Strategic Data Project Fellow at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, where she worked closely with partners to evaluate policy effectiveness and manage grant-funded initiatives. She also held research positions at UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools and the Civil Rights Project, where she led studies on educational equity, discipline policy, and statewide reform in California.
In addition to her research roles, Kacy has served as an adjunct instructor at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, teaching applied statistics for policy analysis. She also contributed to research at the RAND Corporation, exploring the link between teacher diversity and parental engagement in schools. Kacy earned her Ph.D. in Education Policy from Michigan State University, where her dissertation focused on exclusionary discipline trends and the school-to-prison pipeline in California. She also holds M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Michigan.
