Nicole D. Porter

Senior Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project

Nicole D. Porter is a prominent figure in criminal justice reform and advocacy. As the Senior Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project, she has established herself as a leader in state sentencing policy, social policy development, and grassroots organizing.1

Professional Experience

Porter has been with The Sentencing Project since 2007, steadily advancing through various roles:

Senior Director of Advocacy (August 2021 - Present)
Director of Advocacy (May 2012 - August 2021)
State Advocacy Coordinator (May 2009 - May 2012)

In her current position, she manages campaign efforts on sentencing reform, voting rights, reentry, and racial disparity. She also develops state-level advocacy and communication strategies on criminal justice reform policy and supervises advocacy staff.1

Areas of Expertise

Nicole D. Porter specializes in:

State movement in criminal legal reforms
Sentencing reforms
Racial disparities in prisons and jails
Voting rights and felony disenfranchisement
Prison closures and prison reuse

Her work focuses on promoting a broader framework of public safety within America's criminal legal system.1

Previous Roles

Before her current position, Porter held several other roles in advocacy and policy:

Blogger at Texas Prison Bid'ness/Justice Strategies (2007-2021)
Advocacy Trainer at One Voice Texas (2008-2009)
Project Director at ACLU of Texas (2005-2007)
Field Coordinator at Appleseed Foundation (2004-2005)

These positions involved research, policy analysis, legislative work, and training in various aspects of criminal justice and advocacy.1

Education

Porter holds advanced degrees that have prepared her for her career in advocacy:

Master's degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin
Bachelor's degree in International Studies from The Johns Hopkins University1

Throughout her career, Nicole D. Porter has consistently worked towards reforming the criminal justice system, with a particular focus on state-level policy changes and addressing racial disparities within the system.