Experience that informs meaningful change.

LaKeesha N. Woods is the chair of the board for Envisioning Justice Solutions, Inc. Dr. Woods has over 15 years of experience in providing training and technical assistance, research, consultation, program development and evaluation, program management, and clinical services.

Dr. Woods obtained a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a MA in Psychology and PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Virginia.

Nancy Chand is an EJS Board Member and Mica’s Mission subject matter expert and policy advocate. She is a retired Public Defender who spent her career representing men, women, and children facing criminal charges.

Her work evolved toward holistic representation, particularly for women, after recognizing that traditional approaches were failing women with histories of trauma.

That work led to a longstanding collaboration with Dr. Nena Messina and ultimately to the creation of the 2nd Chance Women's Re-Entry Court, developed in partnership with the Los Angeles County District Attorney and Los Angeles Superior Court.

It was the first court in the nation designed to divert women charged with serious and violent offenses from jail and into treatment.

Nancy brings to EJS a unique perspective shaped by decades of courtroom experience, systems innovation, and a deep commitment to understanding the whole person behind the criminal charge.

Susanna Nemes, Ph.D., is the CEO of Social Solutions International, Inc., a research and technical assistance organization dedicated to improving outcomes for underserved populations in the United States and around the world.

A clinical psychologist by training, Dr. Nemes brings more than 25 years of experience as a researcher, clinician, and executive, with expertise in substance use, behavioral health, gender, violence, HIV/AIDS, and the needs of underserved populations.

She has led and overseen research, evaluation, training, and technical assistance initiatives in nearly 100 countries across the Americas, Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Dr. Nemes brings to EJS extensive expertise in research and evaluation, program development, international collaboration, and translating evidence into practical solutions for underserved populations.

Barbara Owen, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized researcher and expert on women’s imprisonment, women’s prison culture, and improving correctional practice through research.

A Professor Emerita of Criminology at California State University, Fresno, she brings decades of experience conducting research in women’s prisons and other correctional settings, including mixed-methods studies, ethnographies, large-scale surveys, policy research, and program evaluation.

Dr. Owen’s work has examined gender-responsive policy and practice, safety and violence in women’s prisons, prison culture, and the experiences of women involved in the criminal justice system.

Internationally, Dr. Owen serves as a Senior Advisor to the Thailand Institute of Justice, where her work focuses on implementing human rights protections for women in prison and advancing the principles of the United Nations Bangkok Rules.

Lynn Acosta is a Hope and Redemption Life Coach with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition at Central California Women’s Facility, where she works directly with incarcerated women to support their growth, healing, and preparation for life beyond incarceration.

Lynn serves on the Board of Directors of Envisioning Justice Solutions, where she contributes her leadership, advocacy, and lived experience to advancing research, policy, and programs that center the voices and realities of people most directly affected by the criminal legal system.

Lynn holds a business certificate, she is a certified domestic violence counselor, a grief counselor, and personal trainer.

Lynn brings a powerful perspective grounded in a deep understanding of the challenges facing incarcerated women, and years of working alongside women within the correctional system.

Her work is rooted in compassion, resilience, and the belief that women deserve the opportunity to heal, envision different futures, and reconnect with their families and communities.

Angela Wonzo-Hill holds an associate degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and brings 26 years of experience in customer service, training, supervision, and leadership.

Her work with EJS grew from her experience facilitating Beyond Violence at the California Institution for Women, where she led group sessions, developed and delivered lesson plans, trained new facilitators, and supported women as they worked through traumatic life experiences.

Angela played an essential role in the implementation and day-to-day operation of the prison-based program. Her firsthand experience facilitating trauma-informed programming and working directly with incarcerated women brings an important perspective to EJS, one grounded in practice, relationships, and an understanding of what it takes to bring evidence-informed approaches to life inside a correctional setting.

Judith Barnett brings decades of leadership, advocacy, caregiving, and lived experience to the Board of Envisioning Justice Solutions and Mica’s Mission.

She is a co-founder of Comfort Care, established in 1998 to provide compassionate companionship, grief support, and end-of-life care to women at Central California Women’s Facility.

Judith provided hospice care for more than a decade and served in leadership roles advocating for the needs and well-being of incarcerated women.

Judith currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Lioness Tale Prison Project, a program of Skyline Harvest dedicated to fostering resilience, emotional growth, and inner freedom among women serving long-term and life sentences.

Judith also serves on the Board of Directors of Envisioning Justice Solutions, contributing her leadership, advocacy, and lived experience to advancing research, policy, and programs that center the voices and realities of people most directly affected by the criminal legal system.