About Us
Michelle A. Diaz, MPA
Executive Director
Michelle A. Diaz, MPA, (she/her/ella) is the Executive Director of Canary Impact, overseeing strategy, operations, and policy development to advance justice reform. She also leads national technical assistance for the Justice and Joy National Collaborative, supporting efforts in over 18 states to address the needs of girls in the youth legal system. Michelle has served as the National Chairwoman of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, Secretary of the Community Connections for Youth Board, and a board member of the NYS Juvenile Justice Advisory Group. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed her to serve on the NYS Office of Children and Family Services Ombudsman board. A Salzburg Global Seminar fellow, she holds an MPA from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and remains dedicated to transforming justice policies nationwide.
Former Team Members:
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Leyla Martinez – Founder
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Kayode Oseni
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Steven Pacheco – Founder
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Devons Simmons – Founder
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Tina Tinen – Founder
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Roy Waterman – Founder
Patrick Rodriguez
Chairman
Patrick Rodriguez is the Co-Executive Director of the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (GACHEP), working to expand educational access for incarcerated individuals. His commitment stems from his personal experience witnessing the power of education during incarceration. He is currently spearheading the launch of a degree program inside Atlanta’s U.S. Federal Penitentiary and serves on the Advisory Board for the Georgia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Patrick is also the Director of Public Affairs for the National Executive Council at Columbia University. Recognized for his impact, he has been named to Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Best Self Magazine’s 40 Under 40, and was selected as one of Georgia Forward’s Young GameChangers. Through lived experience, academic excellence, and professional leadership, Patrick is committed to empowering formerly incarcerated individuals to build meaningful futures.
Ramieka Robinson
Board of Directors
Ramieka Robinson is a leader in higher education and reentry initiatives, serving as the Director of Continuing Education and Professional Advancement for the Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP). In this role, she helps formerly incarcerated students transition into academic and career success. As GPEP’s Senior Site Director, she also manages daily operations, staff, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring the program’s long-term success. Ramieka has developed partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, and correctional agencies to expand educational access and career pathways. Beyond her directorial roles, she has worked on inclusive hiring policies at the Smithsonian and serves on Maryland’s Department of Public Safety Lived Experience Committee. She is also a member of the state’s Prison Education Delivery Reform Commission, helping shape policies that improve correctional education. Currently pursuing a BA in Business Management at Goucher College, she is committed to creating transformative opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.
Marlon J. Chamberlain
Board of Directors
Marlon J. Chamberlain (he/him) is the Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments, where he leads efforts to dismantle legal barriers faced by people with criminal records. With over 20 years of advocacy experience, Marlon has built statewide coalitions and championed policies that expand opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. Previously, he managed the Alliance for Reentry & Justice at the Safer Foundation, bringing together over 50 organizations to advance systemic reform. He also led the FORCE Initiative, which successfully passed the largest record-sealing expansion law in U.S. history. Marlon is a sought-after speaker on justice policy and community empowerment, leveraging his lived experience to influence state and national reform efforts. His work continues to push for policies that provide people with criminal records a fair chance at stability and success.
Anson Ng (he/him) is a Program Support Specialist at Canary Impact, providing administrative and operational assistance to ensure smooth program execution. He is currently a Senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, majoring in Political Science and earning a Certificate in Dispute Resolution. As a member of the Honors Program and the Academic Preparation Program for Law Enforcement (APPLE) Corps, Anson has developed a strong foundation in conflict resolution and mediation. Before joining Canary Impact, he worked in the marketing department at Schroders, a multinational asset management company, where he managed economic insights, press releases, and client engagement through Salesforce. His experience bridges the fields of justice reform, financial analysis, and strategic communication, positioning him as a valuable asset in policy and nonprofit administration. Anson is passionate about justice reform, operational efficiency, and leveraging data to drive social impact.
Hernán Carvente-Martinez
Strategic Advisor
Hernán Carvente-Martinez is a nationally recognized justice reform leader, founder of Alianza for Opportunity, and a dedicated advocate for Latine/x and Indigenous communities. With lived experience as a formerly incarcerated youth, Hernán has built a career advancing policies and programs that dismantle systemic oppression and promote community healing. He has served as the National Youth Chair for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, led strategic state campaigns for Youth First Initiative to close youth prisons, and worked at the Vera Institute of Justice, ensuring directly impacted families are at the center of policy reform. Hernán has also provided expert consultation to the U.S. Department of Justice, New York City Department of Probation, and major philanthropic organizations such as the MacArthur Foundation and Andrus Family Fund. A graduate of John Jay College, he currently serves on the boards of Community Connections for Youth and the Alliance for Youth Organizing. Through his social enterprise, Healing Ninjas, Inc., Hernán is also expanding access to mental health and wellness resources for BIPOC communities.
Soren Tsui
Strategic Advisor
Soren Tsui is a Community Violence Intervention (CVI) expert with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing social services interventions including street outreach, case management, mentoring, workforce development, and cognitive behavioral programs. From 2017-2023, Soren was a key architect of READI Chicago, where he helped develop its workforce model, designed and implemented new approaches to quality monitoring and improvement, led a collaborative program redesign, and innovated new staff development approaches specifically designed for community-based organizations (CBOs) doing CVI. Since 2023, Soren has worked with CBOs and government offices across the United States, offering a range of support to develop, implement, and strengthen their CVI strategies. Soren is passionate about human rights and committed to fighting for a world where all human beings have safety, freedom, and opportunity. Soren holds a bachelor’s degree in communication science from the University of Wisconsin—Madison and a master’s degree in social services administration from the Crown School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago.
