About me
Dr. McKinney is the executive director of the National Black Women’s Justice Institute (NBWJI), a Black women-led, national nonprofit working to end the systemic criminalization of Black women and girls. She is deeply committed to advancing rigorous research, policy, and technical assistance that lifts up the voices of system-impacted Black women, girls and gender-nonconforming people. Under her leadership, NBWJI’s research and advocacy centers the need and experiences of Black women, girls, and gender nonconforming people in order to end mass incarceration and advance new models of justice and safety that are rooted in honoring the dignity of all people and promote individual and collective healing. Dr. McKinney has over 15 years of experience in the areas of child welfare and justice reform, leading and implementing research and evaluation in applied settings. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology and an M.A. in law and society from New York University, as well as an M.P.H from Columbia University.
