Our People

Katie has served as executive director since Healing Justice was founded in 2015. Before joining Healing Justice, Katie served as the senior advocate for national partnerships at the Innocence Project, where she worked to develop support for, and collaboration on, innocence-related reforms with national criminal legal system stakeholders, including crime victims, police, and prosecutors. Before that, she was the executive director at the Rocky Mountain Innocence Center and senior counsel at the Constitution Project and the US Commission on Civil Rights. Katie received her Juris Doctor from George Mason University and has taught law school courses on wrongful convictions at George Mason and the University of Utah. She has served on the board of directors of the Innocence Network, the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project, and the Victim Services Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Katie’s interest in wrongful convictions began in 1992 when her mother was wrongly convicted in Virginia. Katie spearheaded a legal battle to free her mother, which was won in 2003.

Stephanie brings extensive experience working in nonprofit and for-profit organizations to Healing Justice, with a focus on public health. She spent nearly a decade in biomedical research and another decade in international development with organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Old Dominion University, a Master of Science in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Public Health in Global Health with a concentration in Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation from George Washington University. She is certified in project management for non-profits and has managed numerous grants and programs funded by the US government and private foundations. She has supported the implementation and management of programs on HIV and AIDS, cancer, heart disease, refugee health care, and natural disasters, among others. Stephanie is passionate about public health and is interested in its intersection with restorative justice, particularly focusing on how trauma affects physical and mental health.

Jené O’Keefe Trigg joined Healing Justice’s team in July 2022, bringing more than 20 years of experience in organizational fundraising, communications, and management. Before joining Healing Justice, Jené was the director of strategic partnerships and development at the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office, where she was integral in forming the office’s Civil Rights Division, created opportunities for community engagement, collaboration and fundraising, and supported the implementation of critical criminal legal reforms. At Innocence Project New Orleans, she was the managing director for over a decade, leading the organization’s financial and operational success and implementing a robust re-entry division, one of the first for any innocence organization nationwide. Jené has also held leadership positions at Pro-Media Communications and the Moratorium Campaign and served on the board of directors of Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation and Daughters Beyond Incarceration. Her tremendous experience and passion expand Healing Justice’s reach and impact nationwide.

Brittany joined Healing Justice in 2016 after her interests in restorative justice and criminal justice reform led her to a year-long internship coordinated via her Master of Social Work program. After graduating with a Master of Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master of Divinity from Duke University, she joined the staff of Healing Justice. As the director of healing programs, Brittany oversees and implements the development and refinement of programs and resources for individuals directly impacted by a wrongful conviction. She is a trained restorative practitioner, and her experience in qualitative research, evaluation, and program development strengthens our existing programs and provides new opportunities to engage the communities we serve.

Claire joined Healing Justice with extensive experience in victim services, victims’ rights, and systems change. Before joining Healing Justice, Claire provided direct assistance to crime victims and survivors as a victim witness advocate in the Milwaukee District Attorney’s office and a victim services coordinator in the Winona County (Minnesota) District Attorney’s office. In these positions, she led several multidisciplinary teams focused on enhancing justice system partnerships and improving system response to victims and survivors. Claire has a Master in Leadership Education from Winona State University. Her graduate research focused on understanding the needs of individuals affected by victimization, exploring how service providers meet their needs, and identifying gaps in response. Claire is passionate and driven to continuously evaluate and improve the work of the justice system while supporting those impacted by crime. Her education, experience, and enthusiasm increase opportunities for Healing Justice to engage with our multi-state legal system partners and expand support and services for victims and survivors.

Diana brings a public health and non-profit office and program management background to Healing Justice. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Health from Boston University, where she focused her coursework on women’s reproductive rights. Before joining Healing Justice, Diana managed a culinary job training program at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County, as well as an adult education program at Father Joe’s Villages in San Diego, providing services for individuals who had been formerly incarcerated. She also directed the human resources department at a worker-owned cooperative bakery in the Bay Area did bookkeeping for two small businesses. Diana contributes these collective experiences to her many roles at Healing Justice.

Shanika brings a background in the mental health field with experience in trauma-informed care as an inpatient and outpatient therapist. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UNC-Greensboro and a Master of Social Work from the Joint Master of Social Work program with UNC-Greensboro and North Carolina A&T. Shanika is passionate about making a positive difference in individuals and communities through program planning and resource development utilizing a diverse skill set. As the healing programs coordinator, she applies her skills and experiences to expand our direct services for the lives of those we serve.