Experience

CSG Justice Center

• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Policy Analyst

  • Feb 2021 - Present

  Supports state policymakers to reduce the number of people with behavioral health needs in local criminal justice systems. Supports state policymakers to reduce the number of people with behavioral health needs in local criminal justice systems.



Holihen Justice Consulting LLC

• Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Principal Consultant

  • Jan 2020 - Dec 2021

  Chicago-based social worker providing grant writing, curriculum development and program design services to nonprofits, museums, foundations and local jurisdictions to build more equitable public safety systems. Chicago-based social worker providing grant writing, curriculum development and program design services to nonprofits, museums, foundations and local jurisdictions to build more equitable public safety systems.



Cook County Public Defender

• United States
• Legal Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Grant Analyst

  • Jul 2018 - Jan 2020

  Designed, managed and secured funding for public defense programs with multi-disciplinary partners that aligned legal and human services to benefit low-income, justice-involved youth and adults in Cook County. Secured over $1.1 million in state, federal and private funding, designing and launching new programs in holistic defense, data analytics enhancement, community engagement and professional development. Designed, managed and secured funding for public defense programs with multi-disciplinary partners that aligned legal and human services to benefit low-income, justice-involved youth and adults in Cook County. Secured over $1.1 million in state, federal and private funding, designing and launching new programs in holistic defense, data analytics enhancement, community engagement and professional development.



University of Illinois Chicago

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Program Coordinator, Center for Public Safety and Justice

  • Oct 2015 - Jul 2018

  Developed, designed and managed community engagement initiatives, research partnerships and large-scale federal grant programs at the intersection of policing, social work and community engagement. Served as principal investigator and lead curriculum designer for three U.S. Department of Justice policing projects. Managed complex programs with multidisciplinary stakeholders across the country, maintaining strong partner relationships and lead the Center’s business development. Employed Art of Hosting strategies to design and facilitate dialogues for law enforcement executives and the Illinois NAACP, a summit for trauma-informed community practitioners, and to build community engagement components in COPS curricula.

• Training Coordinator, Center for Public Safety and Justice

  • Sep 2011 - Oct 2015

  Coordinated national expansions of U.S. Department of Justice grant-funded training initiatives at the intersection of policing and community engagement, including over 150 co-occurring training deliveries across multiple projects on a national scale. Skilled in event planning, relationship building and program management.



The Field Foundation of Illinois

• United States
• Philanthropic Fundraising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Fellow

  • Sep 2016 - May 2017

  Reviewed grant proposals, conducted site visits, made and defended funding recommendations to staff and Board. Special projects related to development of Field’s new grantmaking model included: researching grantmaking models of twenty benchmark foundations, conducting an impact evaluation of Field’s internship program, and coordinating the foundation’s first Former Intern Luncheon. Reviewed grant proposals, conducted site visits, made and defended funding recommendations to staff and Board. Special projects related to development of Field’s new grantmaking model included: researching grantmaking models of twenty benchmark foundations, conducting an impact evaluation of Field’s internship program, and coordinating the foundation’s first Former Intern Luncheon.



Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

• Organizing Coordinator

  • Aug 2010 - Aug 2011

  Coordinated speaking and fundraising events, lobby days and in-district meetings with legislators in a successful statewide effort to end the use of capital punishment in Illinois. Coordinated speaking and fundraising events, lobby days and in-district meetings with legislators in a successful statewide effort to end the use of capital punishment in Illinois.



Next Act Theatre

• United States
• Entertainment
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Development Intern

  • May 2009 - Aug 2009