People
Together at CANY, we are dedicated to promoting true transparency and accountability.
Through onsite monitoring visits and confidential communication with those inside prisons, the people of Correctional Association of New York aims to shine a light on conditions and serve as the voice of incarcerated New Yorkers.
STAFF
Christine Cook
Director
Yassmin Fashir
Associate
Aidan King
Director
Laura Miller
Senior Associate
Nashla Rivas Salas
Senior Director
Jennifer Scaife
Executive Director
Sumeet Sharma
Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Bell
Chair
Rev. Stephen Phelps
Vice Chair
Martha King
Secretary
Richard Foudy
Treasurer
Wes Caines
Officer
Kenneth Henderson
Officer
Melissa Beck
Jessica Charles, PhD
Michelle Daniel
Arti Finn
Ken Miller
William Snipes
Jay Wardle
Christine Cook
Director
Christine Cook joined the Correctional Association of New York in October of 2022 as a Director. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and an M.S. in Computational Analysis and Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Christine has over 10 years of experience working in data and has worked in government, academia, and tech organizations. The focus of her work at CANY is on scaling and standardizing data collection and building the internal data infrastructure necessary for analytics.
Yassmin Fashir
Associate
Yassmin Fashir has earned a BA in International Affairs, and Near Eastern studies with minors in French, Arabic, and Communications & Public Advocacy from Indiana University. After completing classes with students at the Indiana Women’s Prison through the Inside-Out Program, Yassmin focused her research on different ideas of justice and completed an MA in Human Rights from Columbia University. Before CANY, Yassmin worked domestically for ProAct Indy’s “Project ReAct,” to divert justice-involved youth away from probation and towards community service. Internationally, she has traveled to countries such as Senegal, Morocco, Kenya, and Sudan to work with grassroots nonprofits on social and racial justice. With a love of communications, she has also worked to share her narratives of justice on platforms such as the Moth, NPR, Kite line Podcast, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Aidan King
Director
Aidan King’s work is focused on identifying and disseminating good practice in correctional oversight across the US; he leads CANY’s partnership with the John Howard Association of Illinois and the Pennsylvania Prison Society. Before joining CANY, Aidan worked for over 10 years on prison oversight in numerous contexts. For the International Committee of the Red Cross, he monitored prisons and interrogation centers in Jordan, Gaza, and Lebanon, and advocated for improved conditions and treatment. At DIGNITY- the Danish Institute Against Torture - he designed and led capacity building programs in detention monitoring among national human rights institutions and civil society organizations. Throughout his career, he has directed efforts to drive long-term change in oversight practice.
Laura Miller
Senior Associate
Laura Miller supports CANY’s prison monitoring and advocacy efforts. Prior to coming to CANY, Laura spent over ten years working at the intersection of education and workforce development policy and programs. Previously she worked for the NYC Department of Small Business Services, City University of New York, and NYC Department of Education primarily focusing on developing college and career pathways for young people underrepresented in higher education and the workforce. Laura currently volunteers with the Parole Preparation Project supporting individuals who have been long-term incarcerated in New York as they prepare for parole hearings and return to their communities. Laura earned a BA in Urban Studies from the University of Michigan and an MS in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from The New School. Laura began her career as a community organizer in Detroit.
Nashla Rivas Salas
Senior Director
Nashla Rivas Salas has two decades of experience working in government and non-profits as a researcher, policy analyst and leader working on issues affecting women, families, youth, older adults, and community oversight of law enforcement. Before joining CANY, she worked with the New York City Board of Correction (BOC) as a Deputy Executive Director of Oversight and Evaluation where she led a team of eight correctional oversight monitors to conduct comprehensive assessments and audits of the Department of Correction and Correctional Health Services and developed recommendations to support a process that is coordinated, responsive, and used to improve policy. Nashla is a Board Member for National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) and serves as chair of the Jail and Prison Oversight Committee. In this capacity, she works with colleagues across the U.S to develop strategies and recommendations for the NACOLE Board’s agenda to train and expand civilian oversight. She also serves on the John Jay College Masters of Public Administration Inspections and Oversight Program Advisory Board, where she works to help future public servants learn about the importance of civilian oversight. Nashla received her Master's in Public Administration from New York University's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service and her B.A. in Urban Studies from Queens College.
Jennifer Scaife
Executive Director
Jennifer Scaife joined the Correctional Association of New York as Executive Director in 2018. She previously held leadership positions in local government and in the nonprofit sector, with experience working in prisons, jails, juvenile detention facilities, and community corrections agencies. Jennifer began her career in criminal justice reform as Program Director of the Prison University Project (now Mount Tamalpais College) and later as the Director of the Reentry Division at the San Francisco Adult Probation Department. Just prior to joining CANY, she was Executive Director of Prevention, Diversion and Reintegration at the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where she developed services for justice-involved New Yorkers. Jennifer holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Indiana University Bloomington, a Master of Arts from Hollins University, and a Bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
Sumeet Sharma
Director
Sumeet Sharma advances the Correctional Association's efforts in policy and communications as a Director at CANY. Sumeet holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont and has extensive experience in state government and communications as a former Chief of Staff in the New York State Assembly and as a communications professional for justice-focused campaigns. Sumeet was also selected to join the CUNY Institute of State and Local Governance as part of the inaugural class of the Kriegel Fellowship for Public Service Leaders, completing the program in 2020. As a staffer in the Assembly, Sumeet successfully stewarded dozens of items of legislation into law including measures that allow a path for appeal for people convicted in which domestic violence was a motivating factor, provides for the sealing of Adjournments in Contemplations for Dismissal, and establishes the right for legislative staff to visit correctional facilities.
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Andrea Armstrong
Professor
Loyola University New Orleans
Jack Beck
Retired Director
Prison Visiting Project
Correctional Association of New York
Rachael Bedard
Director of Geriatrics and Complex Care Service
NYC H+H Correctional Health Services
John Brickman
Partner
McLaughlin & Stern, LLP
Robert Cohen, MD
Board Member
NYC Board of Correction
Mylan Denerstein
Litigation Partner
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Tracie Gardner
Vice President of Policy Advocacy
Legal Action Center
Michael Jacobson
Executive Director
Institute for State and Local Governance
Kirk "Jae" James
Clinical Assistant Professor
New York University
Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin
Chief of Housing Community Activities
New York Housing Authority
Julio Medina
Executive Director
Exodus Transitional Community
Karen Murtagh
Executive Director
Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York
Michael Mushlin
Professor of Law
Elisabeth Haub School of Law
Pace University
Marta Nelson
Director of Government Strategy, Advocacy, and Partnership
Vera Institute of Justice
Michele Ovesey
Former General Counsel
NYC Board of Correction
Sam Rivera
Executive Director
Washington Heights CORNER Project and New York Harm Reduction Educators
Stefen Short
Supervising Attorney
Prisoners’ Rights Project
The Legal Aid Society of New York City
Aly Tamboura
Strategic Advisor
The Just Trust
Alethea Taylor
Executive Director
Hour Children
Rebecca Tublitz
Senior Research Associate
Institute for State and Local Governance
James Walsh
Retired Deputy Commissioner
New York City Department of Correction
Andre Ward
Associate Vice President
David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy
Fortune Society
Sharon White-Harrigan
Executive Director
Women’s Community Justice Association
Jessica Yager
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine
STAR Program/SUNY Downstate Medical Center