Current Office Holder - Ellen Wertlieb:
I came to learn about the Center for Community Justice (CCJ) when working with ex-offenders at SUNY Schenectady County Community College. CCJ’s incredibly valuable and informative Re-Entry Task Force meetings showed me how the organization brings together key community stakeholders to make life better for those returning home from incarceration.
The re-entry stories that students shared with me made me realize all the more the importance in supporting CCJ’s programming.
My relationship with CCJ soon expanded to include that of a volunteer, working in the context of the Community Accountability Board. It was a perfect fit for me given my interest in restorative justice.
I came to CCJ with a wide diversity of experiences, living and working in seven different states, each with its own special culture. I lived and worked in rural as well as urban areas, collaborating in the development of a wide range of programs. My professional positions have included professor, administrator, consultant, learning disabilities specialist, cognitive therapist, and researcher. I earned a PhD from New York University in Educational Psychology and have taught on both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Currently, I am Director Emerita, Wellness and Support Services, SUNY Schenectady.
