Alyssa Benedict, PhD is a psychologist and public health practitioner with a subspecialty in the neurophysiology and ecology of trauma and resilience. The Executive Director of CORE Associates, she has 20+ years supporting system and agency level healing, growth, and transformation by promoting evidence-based and innovative approaches with women and girls, amplifying lived experience, and promoting inclusive and intersectional frameworks. Benedict has worked across the U.S. to promote gender responsive, culturally attuned and trauma-informed care, has served as an architect and core faculty for various national initiatives, and has authored and co-authored impactful publications, models, and staff training curricula, including NIC’s Supervision Agency Gender-Responsive Evaluation (SAGE), and the widely implemented trauma-informed staff communication model Creating Regulation and Resilience (CR/2™). Benedict is co-founder of the Women’s Justice Institute (WJI), a “think and do tank” building transformational justice across sectors with the goal of ending women’s mass incarceration, co-author of WJI’s groundbreaking report “Redefining the Narrative,” and co-creator of the Women’s Justice Pathways Model (WJP©) and other tools designed to support dynamic, cross-sector work. CORE and the WJI’s work continues to inform efforts to improve justice and behavioral health with women and communities, and has been featured at various state, national, and international conferences.

Deanne Benos is a senior research associate in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute. Her work focuses on how victimization, adversity, and trauma contribute to pathways through the criminal legal system and the impacts of incarceration on families. With more than 10 years of applied research experience, Boppre has led several evaluation studies focused on community and juvenile correctional programs and sentencing policies, with a focus on addressing gendered, racial, and ethnic disparities in admissions and outcomes. She uses qualitative, quantitative, and community-engaged approaches. Boppre has authored more than 50 publications, including 20 peer-reviewed journal articles in outlets such as Justice Quarterly, Crime and Delinquency, and Criminal Justice and Behavior. She has been nationally recognized for her scholarship by the American Society of Criminology Division of Feminist Criminology. Before joining Urban, Boppre worked in higher education as tenure-track faculty in Sam Houston State University’s Department of Victim Studies, where she continues to teach as an adjunct professor. Boppre earned her BA from the University of Nevada, Reno; MS from Portland State University; and PhD from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Bree Boppre, PhD Deputy Commissioner of Operations for the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, has over twenty-seven years of experience in the field of community supervision. Throughout his career, Bert has held numerous positions to include: Probation Officer, Parole Officer, High Liability Training Instructor, Academy Director, Director of Training, Director of Training Investigations & Compliance, Director of Human Resources, Director of Communications, Director of Public Affairs, Senior Policy Advisor, and Chief Operating Officer. These positions have given Bert a comprehensive understanding of field operations and public safety administrative leadership.
Bert graduated from Columbus State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. He is also a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Corrections Leadership Institute and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Program. Additionally, Bert holds certificates from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management as well as Cornell's School of Industrial & Labor Relations.
He is a Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council Master Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, EVOC Instructor, Emergency Medical Instructor, and a Health & Wellness Instructor. In addition to his leadership roles, Bert is an adjunct professor at the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College. There, he has educated hundreds of law enforcement leaders on conservative budgeting principles, helping agencies maximize their resources while maintaining effective public safety practices.
Bert currently serves on the Governor’s Public Safety Awards committee, the Georgia Public Safety Memorial committee, and is a past member of the Governor's Law Enforcement Training Task Force.
Bert is a frequent presenter at conferences across the U.S. and internationally, where he shares Georgia's innovative practices that have positioned the state as a leader in community supervision.

Sandra Brown, MA is the Director of Training at the Women’s Justice Institute, a national trainer and consultant with CORE Associates, an instructor at Millikin University, a doctoral student, and a poet and activist. She also served 22 years as an incarcerated survivor in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Despite challenges to accessing higher education in prison, Brown became the first incarcerated woman in Illinois to earn an academic master’s degree and the first to be accepted into an academic doctoral program. Brown’s experience underscores her work as a student, educator, researcher, activist, and creative writer. Brown's publications include a collection of works featured in “Critical Storytelling from Behind Invisible Bars: Undergraduates and Inmates Write Their Way Out.” Her self-published poetry memoir, “Odyssey in Progress,” was published in 2022. In December of 2022, Brown’s empowerment journey was featured in The Chicago Tribune. Illinois Humanities also features some of Brown’s work in its workbook, “Envisioning Justice RE: ACTION.” She is a two-time recipient of the Davis-Putter Scholarship, which provides grants to students actively working for peace and justice, and the Marilyn Buck Award.

Adam Bentley Clausen is a Leader, Life Coach, Trainer and Entrepreneur whose purpose in life is to use his knowledge, strengths, skills and experiences to inspire others to live into their full potential.
In 2001 Adam was sentenced to 213 YEARS in federal prison with no chance of parole. He spent the next 20+ years transforming his life while compiling an extensive list of “extraordinary and compelling” achievements. Finally, on August 12, 2020 Adam was granted “compassionate release” and awarded a second chance at life. He’s now experiencing levels of success in his life most people only dream of.
While trapped behind 50 foot walls, Adam acquired all of the knowledge and skills he needed to not only survive for over two decades in federal prison, but which allowed him to consistently thrive in the face of unfathomable adversity. He is highly regarded as an expert in; crisis management, conflict resolution, public speaking, physical fitness, leadership and networking.
Adam now serves as the Director of Innovation and Social Impact for a national 501(c)(3) non-profit called Social Purpose Corrections. He is also the co-founder of Legacy Impact Group, LLC, a company that creates safe, stable, and supportive environments for individuals undergoing major life transitions, particularly those reentering society after incarceration.
Adam has become a popular speaker at prominent universities, such as Georgetown Law School, UNLV and Gannon University as well as companies such as Thomson Reuters and Equus Workforce Solutions. He has testified before the United States Sentencing Commission, House Judiciary Staffers and also worked with a multitude of non-profit organizations including Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), Hope For Prisoners, The Chef Jeff Project and Social Profit Corrections.

Jennifer Brady is Criminal Justice professional with twenty-six years of service with the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Department as a Corrections Officer, the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office as a Victim Witness Advocate, and the Massachusetts Trial Court with the Probation Service.
She has served as the Chief Probation Officer in the Hingham District Court for the last eight years. Jennifer has been part of several initiatives and systems changes to advance Evidence Based Practices and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion efforts. She has been awarded three Trial Court Excellence Awards and she is a graduate of the ADL Glass Leadership Institute as well as the Trial Court Leadership Capacity initiative.
Ms. Brady holds a master's degree in criminal justice and bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She has been a trainer and national speaker on issues related to leadership, evidence-based practice, and CBT. Jennifer has been part of numerous committees that have contributed to the agency’s advancement. She has an established quality performance record and the skills to utilize variable and applicable leadership and management styles to serve teams efficiently.
She is committed to professional development and creating a strong culture that impacts employee performance and engagement that creates an environment of dignity and respect for the individuals and communities we serve.

Carmen Z. Gomez, PhD is a respected Judicial and Criminal Justice professional with over 26 years of experience in the system. She currently serves as the Deputy Commissioner for Pretrial Services for the Massachusetts Probation Service. She holds a PhD in Philosophy with a concentration in Law, Policy, and Society. She has served as an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities, and as a consultant to local, state, and federal entities providing expertise in the areas of sex crimes, and serial killings. She serves as an APPA Leadership Institute Coordinator and is on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Probation Executive, Enroot, Cambridge Community Services, and the Governor’s Criminal Record Review Board. She is the Co-Founder of the Foundation for Non-Violent Action. She organized the Massachusetts Trial Court’s first annual Women’s History Month Celebration in 2021 and every year after. A continuation of her dedication to advancing women’s rights and securing recognition for their contributions. She is a national speaker and a thought leader in the areas of Racial Justice, Women’s Rights, Leadership Capacity, and Wellness. She is the recipient of the 2020 Amplify Latinx Latina Leader for the category of Government, and Public Policy, 2019 Martin Luther King Spirit Award, 2018 Mutual of America Community Partnership – Rosie’s Place, 2017 Mutual of America – United States Mint Liberty Coin, 2017 Excellence Award Massachusetts Trial Court, 2017 Women of Distinction, 2015 One of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in Massachusetts, 2012 Excellence Award Massachusetts Trial Court, and Distinguished Alumna in Liberal Arts, Humanity, and Education. She has devoted most of her life to public service, civil rights, wellness, leadership, and community engagement. She is committed to creating and supporting systems that embrace diversity, equality, inclusion, access, and a fair and just legal system.

Dr. Alexandra Walker is the Director of Community Relations and Strategy for the Alliance for Community and Justice Innovation (ACJI). With more than 20 years of experience in the field of reentry and behavioral health, she offers a diverse background in evidence-based practices, training, program development, implementation science, and treatment modalities. As a practitioner in the field, Alex worked on a myriad of federal, state, and local justice initiatives and research projects and most recently was the Vice Chair of the Colorado Parole Board. Alex brings a wealth of experience in both community based and institutional corrections and is well versed in the development, implementation, and measurement of implementation related and decision making tools. and is committed to helping organizations reach fidelity to their highest impact practices and programs. At ACJI, Alex’s super power is dreaming big! She provides tools, strategies, research and evaluation supports for implementation efforts at the state and local level, coaches leaders on implementation and staff engagement efforts, and develops practices and resources for specialized populations with organizations across the country.