Ad Hoc Research and Data Practices Advisory Group Members

Last Updated September 2025

CHAIR

Calvin Johnson, Ph.D.
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Office of Research, Evaluation, and Monitoring
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

MEMBERS

Douglas Berman, J.D.
Newton D. Baker/Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law
Moritz College of Law
The Ohio State University

Colleen Berryessa, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of Criminal Justice
Rutgers University 

Thomas Cohen, J.D., Ph.D.
Branch Chief
Office of Probation and Pretrial Services
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Rayid Ghani, M.S.
Distinguished Career Professor
Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy
Carnegie Mellon University

Melissa Hamilton, J.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Law and Criminal Justice
School of Law
University of Surrey

Natalie Harris, M.P.A.
State Chief Data Officer
State of Maryland

Rhys Hester, J.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, & Criminal Justice
Clemson University

Chang Kwon, Ph.D.
Chief Methodologist
Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission

Sam Merchant, J.D.
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota Law School

David Pitts, Ph.D.
Vice President and Director
Justice & Safety Division
Urban Institute

Cassia Spohn, Ph.D.
Regents Professor and Foundation Professor
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Arizona State University

Jeffrey Ulmer, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Criminology
Department of Sociology and Criminology
The Pennsylvania State University

Elizabeth Wiggins, J.D., Ph.D.
Director
Research Division
Federal Judicial Center

Kevin Wolff, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The City University of New York

Christina Yancey, Ph.D.
Vice President for Employment and Economic Opportunity
American Institutes for Research

Jiashen You, Ph.D.
Chief Data Officer
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission