Board Chair

Herschella Conyers is a nationally recognized expert in juvenile defense. She is the Lillian E. Kraemer Clinical Professor in Public Interest Law and the Director of the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic's Criminal and Juvenile Justice Project. Before joining the Law School, she served as an assistant public defender, supervisor, and deputy chief in the Office of the Cook County Public Defender from 1986 to 1993.

Vice Chair

Veronica Williams is the Founder and President of Mothers Against Wrongful Conviction (MAWC) in Lake County, IL.

Dr. Rodgers is a Visiting Clinal Instructor at the University of Illinois at Springfield, and has served as Director of Criminal Justice at Millikin University in Decatur, IL. She is a leading researcher and proponent of restorative justice.

Founder and Interim Executive Director

Elizabeth Clarke, J.D., is the founder, immediate past president and board treasurer, and current Interim Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI). In addition to JJI, Clarke co-founded the Midwest Juvenile Defender Center, and the North American Juvenile Justice Network, and was a founding member of the National Juvenile Justice Network. Prior to JJI, Ms. Clarke worked in the Cook County Public Defender’s Office and the Office of the State Appellate Defender.

Ms. Anderson is a prominent advocate for justice policies grounded in principles of human rights and restorative justice.

Mr. Brooks is the Restorative Justice Hubs Coordinator, Adler University.

Ms. Campanelli is currently the Public Defender for Muskegon County in Michigan. Previously, Ms. Campanelli was the Public Defender of Cook County.

Rev. Carson is the Assistant Vice President, External Affairs, and served as the Director of Essential Skills and Community Relations for Richland Community College in Decatur, IL.

Mr. Chalmers is the Chief of Staff, 5th District for Cook County.

Mr. Keenan-Devlin is the Executive Director of the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy.

Mr. King is an Executive with Creative Artists Agency. He was formerly a Senior Development Associate with Audent Global Asset Management and prior to that with Swiftarc Ventures. A native of Evanston, he is deeply committed to justice for all children and young adults in Illinois.

Mr. Main is the Assistant Director of the Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, a division of the Office of the State Appellate Defender.

Ms. McDowell is the immediate past Chair of the JJI, and a past President of the Illinois Parent Teacher Association. She is also a past member of the Illinois State Board of Education.

Mr. Reed is a retired researcher whose credits include the earliest documentation of the racial injustice in automatic transfer policies. He was a founding board member of JJI and has served as Board Secretary.

Mr. Rodriguez is the former Executive Director of Enlace Chicago - he is an experienced community activist and non-profit leader.

Mr. Smith serves as Director of Policy at Chicago CRED (Creating Real Economic Destiny).

Hon. George W. Timberlake was the Chief Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois, and the immediate past chair of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, as well as a past appointee to the Redeploy Illinois Juvenile Oversight Board.

Ms. Wallace served three terms in the IL General Assembly and is a champion for children’s rights.

CEO at Chicago Area Project

Ana Navarro is an organizer, advocate, and change-maker working to speak up for the thousands of people unjustly imprisoned in America’s carceral and deportation centers. Ana  serves as a facilitator for Women Initiating a New Directive, is a Committee member for Organized Communities Against Deportation, and is a honored member of the Illinois Prison Project Ambassador Fellowship.

Kyana King has provided administrative support to the Juvenile Justice Initiative for over seven years, with responsibilities including managing the donor database and providing planning and support for JJI development events. Kyana works for JJI on a part time basis, as she also serves as an assistant director of student services at a therapeutic day school. In her limited free time, Kyana is also in her last year at Northeastern University, with an emphasis on criminal justice reform.