Joanna Abaroa-Ellison

Joanna is responsible for identifying, developing, and managing criminal justice grants with a focus on opportunities for police reform. With policy and data experience in various parts of the criminal justice system, including policing, courts, and corrections she is passionate about reducing harm and racial disparities among those impacted by law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

Before joining Arnold Ventures, Joanna served as a Policy Specialist at the Crime and Justice Institute. She was responsible for providing technical assistance to law enforcement agencies implementing policy, training, operational changes, conducted data analysis and research in the field of police reform, and supported statewide policy efforts aiming to reduce prison populations.

Prior to her time at the Crime and Justice Institute, Joanna served as the Data Integration Specialist and Research Analyst for the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office located in Massachusetts. In this role, she was able to extract, analyze, and visualize data as well as build capacity for implementing data-driven practices and policies.

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in social work from Boston College. Outside of work, she loves to knit and spend time with her husband and son.