The principal lead of this Project is Professor Ruby Mendenhall. She is an Associate Professor in African American Studies, Sociology, and Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois. She is also the Assistant Dean at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. She is also an affiliate of the Institute for Genomic Biology and the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

The co-lead of this Project is Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson. She is the Director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs for the University of Illinois System as well as the Roger and Stephany Joslin Professor of Law at the University of Illinois College of Law and the founder and co-director of the College of Law’s Family Law and Policy Program.

Karen Crawford Simms is an experienced consultant, trainer, facilitator and coach. She has a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has spent over 30 years advocating for individuals and families who have been marginalized because of ethnicity, gender, health, or socioeconomic status. She’s the founder Trauma & Resilience Initiative, Inc. a not for profit that coordinates the Community Violence Response effort in Champaign County and coordinates the CU Trauma & Resilience Initiative which is a part of the Champaign County Community Coalition.

Marie Joe Noon is an Academic Researcher at the University of Illinois College of Law as well as a Lebanese Fulbright Scholar at the University of Illinois and an Epstein International Health Law Ambassador for the Epstein Health Law and Policy Program. She received her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International and Comparative Law from the University of Illinois’ College of Law (Class of 2020).

Sara Buitrón, graduated as a Lawyer from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in 2015, in Colombia. She has worked in employment and labor in Colombia, and is currently studying a Master of Law (LL.M.) at the University of Illinois College of Law. She is also a public health law ambassador for the Epstein Health Law and Policy Program.

Roxana Madani recevied her B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in English with minors in Political Science and Criminology, Law and Society. She is currently the Executive Director for the Tolerance Means Dialogues and a Communications & Public Interest Law Liaison for the Epstein Health Law and Policy Program.

Carileigh Jones is a PhD student in the department of Sociology at UIUC. Her research is centered around understanding the causes and effects of crime and violence in minority communities, and seeks to find solutions rooted in structural change.

Juan Ignacio Mata graduated from the Universidad Católica Argentina in 2016 and completed his LL.M. in Corporate Law, Commercial law and Trade in the University of Illinois in 2020. He practices in Buenos Aires, in Allende & Brea as an Associate to the firm's Corporate Law team. He has also been Assistant Professor of Contracts in the Universidad del Salvador, in Buenos Aires, in 2018.