Insha Rahman is the Vice President of Advocacy and Partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice and the Director of Vera Action, its independent 501(c)(4) sister organization. In these leadership roles, she guides advocacy priorities and campaigns that focus on ending mass incarceration, protecting the rights of immigrants, promoting dignity for those who are incarcerated, and building safer, thriving communities. She also oversees place-based initiatives in California, Louisiana, and New York, ensuring that local needs shape national reform.
She is a nationally recognized voice on criminal legal reform. Rahman has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, NPR, City and State, Mother Jones, PBS’s MetroFocus, and The Nation. Over the past year, she has been a leader in shifting the national conversation about safety, accountability, and justice, by challenging outdated “tough-on-crime” narratives that dominate political debate. In 2024, she shared her perspective at the Masters of Scale Summit, explaining why punitive policies often fail and emphasizing a vision centered on rehabilitation, restorative justice, and community investments as more effective solutions.
Rahman’s introduction to this work began while she was a student at Vassar College and participated in a college-in-prison program. That experience highlighted the failures of the justice system and its inability to create true fairness or safety. Learning about Vera Institute’s research on alternatives to incarceration further inspired her belief that real, evidence-based solutions could transform outcomes. Over the years, she has held many different roles at the organization, from leading national bail reform efforts to directing reform initiatives in New York, before stepping into her current position guiding advocacy nationwide.
Earlier in her career, she worked as a staff attorney at The Bronx Defenders, representing clients in challenging cases and supporting families through complex circumstances. She also worked as an Associate Planner at the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services and as a Program Associate at Vera Institute’s Center on Immigration and Justice. These experiences gave her the ability to connect law, policy, and community needs, and advocate for criminal legal reform that is equitable and community-focused.
Outside of her leadership at Vera, Rahman serves on the boards of the Aspen Institute’s Criminal Justice Reform Initiative and Dignity and Power Now, where she also chairs the board. She is committed to mentorship, meeting regularly with individuals who want to pursue careers in criminal justice and social justice, providing the same guidance she received at the start of her own journey. With a Bachelor of Arts in Africana studies from Vassar College and a JD from the City University of New York School of Law, she brings nearly 25 years of experience to this work. For Rahman, the mission has always been about creating opportunity, supporting families, and ensuring fairness in the justice system for all.
