About Us

Let's chart a path forward

About Us

Let's chart a path forward

FWD.us is a policy organization working to advance better and more politically resilient solutions on criminal justice and immigration. For too long, our harmful criminal justice and immigration systems have held us back and been weaponized in ways that undermine our nation’s promise and democratic ideals.

FWD.us is a policy organization working to advance better and more politically resilient solutions on criminal justice and immigration. For too long, our harmful criminal justice and immigration systems have held us back and been weaponized in ways that undermine our nation’s promise and democratic ideals.

Our impact and approach

For over a decade, FWD.us has advanced criminal justice and immigration reforms that expanded freedom and opportunities to tens of millions of people in the United States. Working with partners in red, blue, and purple jurisdictions, we have secured legislative and judicial victories and executive actions despite often-challenging political conditions.

Our goals are ambitious, but our approach is pragmatic. We build coalitions with key stakeholders and among unlikely partners, including elected officials, media, academic institutions, business leaders, labor groups, grassroots organizations and more. We use a combination of tactics—research, policy analysis, polling, lobbying, communications, storytelling, digital advocacy, grantmaking, and more—to design bespoke campaign plans for the needs of the time, place, and outcome we are chasing.

As we navigate this incredibly challenging moment for these two issues central to our democratic ideals, this flexibility allows our team to continue making and protecting change even as political windows open and close.

Leadership
& Staff

Meet the FWD.us team

Our team is dedicated to reforming America's criminal justice and immigration systems.

Maria Praeli
Director of Government Relations and Advocacy
Shaunice Henderson
Director of Staff and Leadership Development
Liza Cobey
Manager, Strategy and Systems
Elissa Johnson
Vice President, External Affairs and Impact
Rena Karefa-Johnson
Vice President, National Initiatives
Jamil Hamilton
Press Manager
Ivonne Rodriguez
Press Director, Immigration Reform
Tinsae Gebriel
Policy and Advocacy Manager, Criminal Justice Reform
Alison Silveira
Policy and Research Manager, Criminal Justice Reform
Ali Procopio
Director of Education & Workforce, Immigration
Mary Erickson
Director of Operations
Josie Halpern-Finnerty
Vice President, Chief of Staff

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