Biography and Professional Career of Insha Rahman

Insha Rahman is the Vice President of Advocacy and Partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice. She serves as the Director of Vera Action, its independent 501(c)(4) sister organization of the Institute.

She plays a central role in developing the advocacy strategies and campaigns for both the Vera Institute and Vera Action. Her leadership includes working closely with government partners, community leaders, and local organizations. Together, they strive to end mass incarceration, advocate for immigrant rights, improve dignity within correctional facilities, and create safer communities for all.

1. Insha Rahman
Vice President, Advocacy & Partnerships | Director, Vera Action

Insha Rahman is the Vice President of Advocacy and Partnerships at the Vera Institute of
Justice. She serves as the Director of Vera Action, its independent 501(c)(4) sister organization
of the Institute.

2. She plays a central role in developing the advocacy strategies and campaigns for both the Vera
Institute and Vera Action. Her leadership includes working closely with government partners,
community leaders, and local organizations. Together, they strive to end mass incarceration,
advocate for immigrant rights, improve dignity within correctional facilities, and create safer
communities for all.

In addition to setting advocacy priorities, she also supervises key place-based initiatives in
California, Louisiana, and New York. These projects allow the organization to directly engage
with communities while adapting national strategies to local needs.

A Recognized Expert on Criminal Legal Reform

Insha Rahman is widely recognized as a leading expert on criminal legal reform. She has been
quoted in major publications and outlets, including The Nation, City and State, The New York
Times, NPR, PBS’s MetroFocus, and Mother Jones. Her insights are often sought to explain
policy alternatives and to challenge outdated narratives about crime.
Over the last year, she has been spearheading a national effort to reshape the conversation
around safety, accountability, and justice. She has focused on countering “tough-on-crime”
rhetoric, particularly during election periods, while advocating for solutions that are more
effective and less costly than punitive measures.
Insha also spoke at the Masters of Scale Summit in 2024, where she outlined why punitive
policies fail to deliver public safety. Her remarks centered on the importance of rehabilitation,
community investment, and restorative justice as the foundation for a more effective justice
system.
Insha’s Introduction to the Work of the Vera Institute of Justice

Her introduction to the work of the Vera Institute dates back to her time at Vassar College. As a
student, she took part in a college-in-prison program that offered her a close view of the justice
system. That experience exposed her to the reality that the system often failed to ensure
fairness or provide meaningful safety.
During her studies, she learned about Vera Institute’s research that focused on alternatives to
incarceration. The report was eye-opening, as it showed that evidence-based solutions already
existed to move beyond traditional punitive practices. This realization inspired her to pursue a
path dedicated to ensuring that people’s talents and potential were not wasted behind bars.
Today, Insha reflects on her career at Vera as a dream opportunity. She has held many
roles—running justice reform work in New York, advancing bail reform efforts nationally, and
now leading broader national advocacy priorities. Each role has deepened her commitment and
provided new ways to support others in building leadership and driving change.

3. Prior Professional Experience

Insha’s professional journey includes time as a Program Associate at Vera Institute’s Center on
Immigration and Justice, followed by a role as an Associate Planner at the Center for Alternative
Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), a Vera Institute spin-off dedicated to
alternatives to incarceration for young people and those with mental health challenges.
Later, she spent five years as a staff attorney at The Bronx Defenders. It was here that she
developed some of her most meaningful professional experiences as a public defender. One
particularly memorable case involved representing a 16-year-old client who faced serious
charges while also coping with mental illness. His mother was desperate for support, and she
coordinated colleagues, social workers, and mental health professionals to secure treatment
rather than a lengthy prison sentence.

The case required persistence, including repeated conversations with a prosecutor who initially
pushed for years of incarceration. Through patience and determination, she persuaded him to
meet the young man in jail, a decision that proved pivotal. Ultimately, the client received
treatment, avoided a long sentence, and was able to build a healthier future. Even more than a
decade later, she continues to check in with the family and takes pride in seeing the young man
working, healthy, and staying out of trouble.

For Insha, who has spent nearly 25 years dedicated to criminal justice reform, these successes
stand as the valid reward of the work—helping families through crises and creating opportunities
for brighter paths forward.

An Active Board Member in Organizations for Justice Reform, Community
Involvement

In addition to her leadership roles at Vera, Insha serves on the boards of the Aspen Institute’s
Criminal Justice Reform Initiative and Dignity and Power Now (DPN). She is also the chair of the
501(c)(4) arm of DPN, known as Dignity and Power in Action.

The Aspen Institute’s initiative highlights innovative local practices that reshape how justice is
viewed and practiced in the United States. DPN, based in Los Angeles, is a grassroots
organization dedicated to dismantling incarceration and addressing state violence through
healing, advocacy, and community-led initiatives that support individuals and families affected
by the justice system.

Paying It Forward: A Mentor

Mentorship is a core part of Insha’s work outside her primary responsibilities. Each month, she
conducts at least two informational interviews with individuals exploring careers in criminal
justice reform or broader social justice fields.

4. When she started her own career more than two decades ago, Insha had no personal or family
connections in the field. Instead, she relied on mentors who generously offered their time and
advice. Those conversations guided her path, and today, she sees mentorship as the best way
to pay it forward. By supporting others, she ensures that future leaders can find the same
encouragement and guidance that shaped her own journey.

Education

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies from Vassar College and went on to
complete her Juris Doctor (JD) at the City University of New York School of Law.

From her early experiences in college-in-prison programs to her leadership roles at the Vera
Institute of Justice and Vera Action, Insha has dedicated her career to reforming the criminal
justice system. Her journey has included hands-on defense work, national advocacy campaigns,
mentorship, and board leadership. She continues to advance solutions rooted in dignity,
accountability, and community investment, always working toward a more just future.