The New York State Youth Justice Institute strives to build and strengthen the capacity of localities around New York State to adopt evidence-informed youth justice practices. We do so by disseminating information, assisting with implementation and assessing efficacy in existing youth justice programs, and by conducting cutting-edge research to advance the science and practice of evidence-based initiatives.

We aim to become the premier resource for evidence-based policy and practice nationally and beyond. To that end, we:

• Serve as an information hub for stakeholders;
• Cultivate and support practitioners’ commitment to evidence-based practices;
• Develop a prolific and ever-growing network of research expertise;
• Foster and sustain synergy among stakeholders;
• Leverage current public investment to attract external funding that will enable the Institute to grow.

• School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany
• New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
• New York State Office of Children and Family Services

Giza Lopes, PhD 
Executive Director
518-442-5598
[email protected]       

Dr. Giza Lopes is the Executive Director of the New York State Youth Justice Institute. 

Giza's scholarly work has investigated, among other topics, the collateral consequences of youth contact with criminal justice system as it relates to employment, education, and interpersonal relationships. Her research into these and other criminal justice issues has appeared in top-ranked academic journals, such as Justice Quarterly and Crime and Delinquency, as well as in multiple edited volumes, encyclopedias, and media outlets. She has also published a book, Dying with Dignity: A Legal Approach to Assisted Death, which traces the origins of the debate surrounding the legalization of "assisted suicide" in the United States and Europe. 

Prior to joining the Institute, Giza was a Senior Research Associate at the NYS Office of Indigent Legal Services, where she oversaw the implementation of data infrastructure in Public Defender programs statewide and supported localities by providing training and technical assistance related to that implementation. 

She received her PhD and MA from the School of Criminal Justice, the State University of New York at Albany.

Jennifer Vanderminden, PhD
Director of Research
518-442-5597
[email protected] 

Dr. Jennifer Vanderminden is the Director of Research at the New York State Youth Justice Institute.

Jenn’s scholarly work has investigated, among other topics, violence and victimization in the lives of children and youth, inequality, data analysis, and community-based research. Jenn is most passionate about engaging in actionable equity-focused research.

Prior to joining the Institute, Jenn was a tenured Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. Prior to her time at UNCW, Jenn worked in the Crimes Against Children Research Center and Family Research Laboratory.

She received her PhD and MA in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire and her BA in Sociology from the University of Vermont.

Michele Ellis
Director of Finance and Grants
[email protected]

Michele Ellis is the Director of Grants and Finance at the New York State Youth Justice Institute. As the Director of Grants and Finance, Michele oversees and administers the Institute’s accounting, budgetary, audit, personnel, and grants programs; and oversees office operations.

Before joining the Institute, Michele was the Administrative Director of the Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center. She has over 20 years of experience in Grant management. Michele received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Plattsburgh and her associate degree in accounting from SUNY Cobleskill.

Kathy Graubart
Administrative Assistant
518-442-5596
[email protected]

Kathy Graubart is the NYS Youth Justice’s Administrative Assistant. Kathy assists our team in all administrative projects as well as event organizing. She works closely with the Director of Grants and Finance, making sure the YJI’s fiscal and logistical needs are met timely and efficiently.

Before joining the Institute, Kathy was the Administrative Assistant in the Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center at the School of Criminal Justice. She has also worked in other State agencies including the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and the NYS Department of Civil Service.

Victoria (Tori) A. Knoche, Ph.D
Research Associate
518-442-5385
[email protected]

Dr. Victoria (Tori) A. Knoche is a research associate at the New York State Youth Justice Institute. Her research is interdisciplinary and centers around the intersection between criminal justice, psychology, sociology, and social welfare. She is particularly interested in the justice system as it relates to juveniles, including judicial impact on youth and families in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Tori's research has been presented at national and international conferences. She earned her PhD and MA in Interdisciplinary Social Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. Prior to joining the Institute, Tori was a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Amy Secor
Senior Technical Assistance and Training Specialist
518-442-5602
[email protected]

Amy Secor is a Senior Technical Assistance and Training Specialist at the New York State Youth Justice Institute. Amy has over 23 years of professional experience in human services, including 18 years of experience in the field of probation in both Alaska and New York State.  As a probation supervisor, she spearheaded several innovative projects that encompass restorative justice principles, evidenced-based practices, trauma-informed approaches, and team building for the purpose of strength-based youth and community driven systems change.  

She is passionate about science backed initiatives that not only prevent system involvement but enhance desistance for youth and young adults involved in the juvenile and criminal justice systems.  Amy received her Bachelor of Science degree from Utica College of Syracuse University.

La-Meik Taylor
Senior Technical Assistance and Training Specialist
[email protected]

La-Meik Taylor is a Senior Technical Assistance and Training Specialist at the Youth Justice Institute. In this role, he supports the development of the Institute's Technical assistance plan by creating and delivering training curricula, technical assistance materials, and other actionable resources. Prior to joining the YJI, La-Meik worked in various youth justice-related roles, including restorative justice peer support, mentoring, Alternatives to Violence,  Kingian nonviolence, among others. His practice expertise is further strengthened by his lived experience as a systems-impacted person. La-Meik received his BA  in Social Studies from Bard College through the Bard Prison Initiative and is currently enrolled in Bard's MBA in Sustainability program.

Nicole Collazo
Youth Empowerment Specialist
[email protected]

Originally from Harlem, NY, Nicole Collazo landed in the capital region to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice at Russell Sage College. Since obtaining her bachelor's degree, Nicole has been a part of multiple nonprofit organizations whose mission revolve around youth, their purpose, and their wellbeing—especially youth of color. Nicole Believes in amplifying the places she walks in, providing a space for others to be honest and vulnerable, and passing her wisdom on to the leaders of tomorrow. She will continue to center those values in her new role as YJI’s Youth Empowerment Specialist. 

Alysha May (née Gagnon), PhD
Research and Evaluation Specialist
518-442-5643
[email protected]

Alysha May (she/her/hers) is the Research and Evaluation Specialist for the NYS Youth Justice Institute. She has been involved in several research projects including literature reviews about electronic monitoring, and youth with sexual behavior problems, and process evaluations of prevention/intervention programs with the Institute. Her dissertation focused on the impacts of school-police partnerships, including their efficacy and collateral consequences. Her broader research interests include program evaluation, longitudinal research, and the intersection of child welfare and juvenile justice systems. She received her PhD and MA in Criminal Justice at the School of Criminal Justice at UAlbany and her BA in Criminal Justice at Iona University. 

Meera Bhat
YJI Research Fellow
[email protected]

Meera Bhat (she/her) is a PhD candidate at the School of Social Welfare at University at Albany, SUNY. She is interested in working on issues at the intersection of political and economic justice and learning from and supporting stakeholder-led initiatives. Her work has focused on issues of poverty, microfinance, entrepreneurship, and youth and women's reproductive health and participation. She received her MA in Social Entrepreneurship and BA in Social Work and Rural Development from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), India.  She has also served as a UNFPA Special Youth Fellow for the Asia-Pacific region.

Subhajit Pal
YJI Graduate Research Assistant
[email protected]

Subhajit Pal (he/him) is a PhD candidate at the Department of Anthropology at the University at Albany, SUNY. He received his MA in Global Studies from Ambedkar University Delhi and BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from Calcutta University, India. Subhajit’s research interests include infrastructures of violence and settler colonialism, social movements, religious movements, and tourism and its narratives. He primarily utilizes qualitative methods, and his recent work is around the political consequences of tourism narratives within a settler colonial complex.

Interested in joining the YJI Team as a Scholar in our internship program? Please fill out this Google Form and send your Resume and Writing Sample to [email protected]. If you have any questions, please review our FAQs or email us at [email protected].

Hannah Desnick
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Isabelle Lopez
BA Student
Department of Sociology/Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Kiera O'Brien
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Lex Halpin
BA Student
Department of Sociology

Nya Pemberton
BA Student
Department of Psychology

Sanaa Woodley
BA Student
Department of Political Science/Department of Sociology

Alexis McQuade
BA Student
Department of Sociology/School of Criminal Justice

Alexis Schnyer
BA Student
Department of Psychology/School of Criminal Justice

Allegra Walker

BA Student
Department of English/Department of Africana, Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies

Amanda Scarlata
BA Student
Department of Psychology/School of Criminal Justice

Anabelle Lopez
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Anna Grosse
BA Student
Art/Creative Writing

Ashley Hall
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Briana Williams
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Brianna Caetano
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Caitlin Nolan
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Casey Pav
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Christoph Cervantes
BA Student
Department of Sociology/Departments of Mathematics & Psychology

Connor Reohr
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Emily Wilson
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Erin Gardner
PhD Student
School of Social Welfare

Gianna Fiorello 
MA Graduate
School of Criminal Justice

Gracie Badlia
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Holly Yauchler
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Jacob Nielson
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Jee Won Ryu
BA/MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Jenny Mudd
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Jillian Cassidy
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Philosophy

Josh Baldwin
BA Graduate
Department of Political Science

Justine Dicio 
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Justis Manchur
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Kalpita Dapkekar
MS Student
Data Science

Kyla Zybczynski 
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Lara Thomas
BA/MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Lauren Russell
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Lisa Mendoza
MBA Student
Massry School of Business

Meghna Tetambe
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Mei-Ella Vickers
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Michaela Webb
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Mohammed Ibrahim
MS Student
Urban and Regional Planning

Morgan Magierski
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Morgan Thomas
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Sociology

Nicholas Gonzalez
MA Graduate
Department of Political Science

Nick O'Rourke
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Nyasha Biggs
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Paul White
BA/MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Roz Sasa
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Samahria Alpern
Urban Studies
Brown University

Sara Regensburger
MA Student
Department of Anthropology

Sasha Boroda
BA/MA Graduate
School of Criminal Justice

Shaniah Roseborough
BA/MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Shelby Peck
BA Graduate
Southern Methodist University

Sierra Siedsma
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Sofia Bank
BA Student
School of Criminal Justice/College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity

Sri Nikhil Surapaneni
MS Student
Data Science

Sujaya Balachandran
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice

Sydney Bryans
BA Student
Department of Psychology

Taylor Oathout
MA Student 
School of Criminal Justice

Tierney Nash
MPA Student
Public Administration

Zhuoning Wu
MA Student
School of Criminal Justice/Department of Psychology

Interested in joining the YJI Team as a Scholar in our internship program? Please fill out this Google Form and send your Resume and Writing Sample to [email protected]. If you have any questions, please review our FAQs or email us at [email protected].