Brianna is originally from Northeast Ohio, where she grew up system-impacted and incarcerated at 16. As a firsthand witness to the negative repercussions of historical social and economic injustices, she started to see a need for change beyond herself, especially in our government systems. She began submerging herself in every textbook & focus group held within the detention center’s library to learn about the system and the communities it impacts the most. Soon after her release, Brianna took her lived experiences in the system and turned them into a commitment to achieving abolition, which requires uplifting historically marginalized communities and dismantling the systems perpetuating these disparities.
Brianna went on to earn her undergraduate degree in psychology and forensic studies, where she engaged in social justice research and data analysis. Her dedication to continuously learning about and addressing community disparities led her to South Los Angeles, where she obtained a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree focusing on social change and innovation. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, Brianna engaged in varying research and data analysis projects, where she saw the impact of data and its ability to get to the root causes and work upstream to create equitable pathways for those hindered by structural oppression and racism. This impact led to her lifelong commitment to navigating systems and advocating for change.
In her previous roles, using data to disrupt systemic inequities and empower communities, she equipped individuals with tools to address root causes effectively in her previous roles. In 2022, Brianna joined CoCo as a Social Work Intern and moved into the role of Development Associate soon after. She has a strong passion for critically analyzing systemic issues and developing evidence-based strategies to bring about transformative change. She prioritizes centering lived experiences and utilizing research and data as powerful tools to shape policy reform and dismantle systemic barriers.