Kisha Bird

Kisha has expertise in youth development, workforce development policy, reentry, and career pathways, with an explicit focus on equity, opportunity youth, and individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.

She also provides technical assistance to states and local communities on the effective implementation of federal policy. Most recently, as director of youth policy for the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Kisha led a team of experts focused on economic justice, criminal justice reform, and mental health policy. The core work included racial equity, adult and postsecondary education, workforce development, and reentry and reintegration pathways. She helped to drive the organization’s policy agenda on boys and young men of color and girls and young women of color, while also focusing on young adult mental health and two-generation policies and strategies to support young, low-income parents of color.