Ameya Kamani is a junior from Aurora, CO majoring in Government with prospective minors in Law & Society and Crimes, Prisons, Education, and Justice. On campus, he is the co-PM of the Prison Reform Education Project’s Sentencing & Advocacy Reform team, on the executive board of the South Asian Council Advocacy Committee, and in the Milstein Program. Outside of school, he is the lead of the Aurora Youth Coalition at a social justice nonprofit that aims to empower BIPOC youth in higher-education and abolition work. Ameya is passionate about abolishing prison pipelines and plans on attending law school after graduation.

Alexandra Watson is a senior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, minoring in Business, and Law and Society from South Florida. Apart from CUPI, she is part of the fashion team for Thread Magazine and she is also a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity on campus. In her free time, Alex loves baking, reading and listening to music. After her undergraduate studies, Alex hopes to attend law school and work in advocacy. Contact avw34@cornell.edu for a coffee chat or any inquiries concerning CUPIC.

Valerie Hu is from Sunnyvale, California in the San Francisco Bay Area and is studying Psychology and Biological Sciences. She is interested in how our social and economic childhood environments shape our brains and behavior. This year, Valerie is volunteering with CUPI. At Cornell, she is also part of CRU, the Anything Goes Musical Theatre Troupe, and Mock Trial. In her free time, Valerie is a performer and appreciator of musical theatre and an aspiring polyglot.

Alyssa Mendez is a senior is currently majoring in sociology and minoring in inequality Studies on the Health Equity track. She is from Staten Island, NY. Currently, she is involved with Arts and Sciences Ambassador program on campus and joined CUPI because she believes people are more than the worst moments of their lives. She believes this program will allow her to advocate for and help incarcerated individuals whom the outside world has been too quick to judge and ostracize. After graduation, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career in the legal field.

Tae Kyu Lee is a junior from New York City studying Government in the College of Arts and Sciences. On campus, he is a part of Pi Lambda Sigma Professional Government Fraternity (POLIS) and is a Community Engagement Program Assistant for the Ultimate Reentry Opportunity. He joined CUPI to learn more about the criminal justice system. He is interested in how education's transformative power can be utilized to promote a more rehabilitative form of justice than a punitive one.

Rachel Sulciner is a senior from the Bay Area, California, majoring in History and Government with a minor in Information Science. On campus, she is also involved in Cornell Hillel, the Wardrobe, and she works at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. Rachel joined CUPI to both advocate for and learn from the individuals who have been affected by the criminal justice system. In her free time, she loves to go on hikes, bake bread, and try new restaurants. Contact Rachel with CUPI inquiries at rss352@cornell.edu.

Alexa Phan is a junior from the Bay Area, California, majoring in Government and Economics. Alexa was inspired to join CUPI and learn about the criminal justice system after reading Bryan Stevenson’s novel, Just Mercy, in high school. Through CUPI, she hopes to advocate for prison reform and connect with people from all walks of life. On campus, she is also a Meinig Family Scholar. Outside of academics, she loves swimming, trying new foods, and playing music with friends and family.

Sharon Lee is a junior from Memphis, Tennessee. She is majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations with double minors in Crime, Prisons, Education, and Justice and Law and Society. Sharon joined CUPI to make genuine relationships with and advocate for those unjustly by impacted our criminal justice system. On campus, she is co-VP of DEI for Pi Lambda Sigma (POLIS) Government Society, an Engaged Ambassador for the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement, and a Meinig Family Scholar. Sharon hopes to attend law school to go into criminal law and legal advocacy in the future.

Alexis is a senior double majoring in History and Government. In addition to continue her role as New Member Educator for CUPI, she is also the co-president of the Prison Reform & Education Project. In her spare time Alexis loves to read and play tennis.

Aitan Avgar is a junior from Ithaca, New York and is majoring in History. His other academic interests include environmental studies and Spanish. On campus, he is involved in the People's Organizing Collective Cornell (POCC) and the Cornell Media Guild. In his free time he enjoys finding new music to listen, running, and being in nature with friends.

Fiona Bradley is a senior from Westchester, NY enrolled in the ILR School. She is passionate about criminal law and criminal justice reform. On campus, she is involved in the Prison Reform Education Project as well as a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. She joined CUPI because she believes that every person deserves a second chance with equal opportunities and resources to achieve that. In her free time, she loves to spend time with friends and go boxing!

Zach is a senior majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations. On campus, he is a tour guide and is involved with Compass, an organization that runs the after school programming for a local middle school for court appointed youth. He is a huge basketball fan (Go Cavs!) and likes watching bad apocalypse movies.

Ellie Shilling is a senior with a Government major with minors in Inequality Studies and Crime, Prisons, Education, & Justice. She is passionate about criminal justice reform and joined CUPI to pursue a more hands-on approach to advocacy. In her free time, she serves as a volunteer firefighter and enjoys being outdoors. Ellie is an ardent supporter of humanizing all people by meeting them where they are, and focuses on the intersection of inequality and the criminal justice system. During the summer of 2022, Ellie worked as an Undergraduate Intern at the Boston College Innocence Program.

Madeleine is a senior majoring in Government and minoring in Law & Society. She is originally Canadian, but she was born and raised in Singapore. Outside of academics, Madeleine is a member of the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Student Advisory Council and a consultant for Social Enterprise Group Cornell (SEGC). Her long-standing passion for helping indigent defendants and reforming the criminal justice system drew her to CUPI; she hopes to continue pursuing her passion by attending law school and becoming a public defense attorney.

Paul Hofmeister is a junior from Scituate, Massachusetts, majoring in biological sciences. He is very passionate about being a part of CUPI because he wants to combat inequality in the criminal justice system. On campus, he is involved in Brain Exercise Initiative and in his free time he enjoys golfing and sailing.

Emil Galhotra is senior from the Bay Area, California, majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations. Emil joined CUPI because he is interested in fighting for reforms in the justice system and contributing to the creation of a more equitable society. In his free time, he likes to cook, read, and hike.

Eva Lifsec is a sophomore from New York City, majoring in Global Development in the school of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her passions involve international relations and reforming public policy and, hence, hopes to minor in international relations and possibly business. Her interest in criminal justice reform began with reading Bryan Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy, and has only grown from there. In her free time, Eva enjoys hanging with friends, spending time with her dog, and laying out in the sun.

Lauren Madrigal is a senior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations from Dallas Texas. On campus, she is an Undergraduate Facilitator for the Intergroup Dialogue Project, she serves as VP of Programming for the Prison Reform and Education Project, and she is also a member of Impact Dance Troupe. Lauren joined CUPI because of her passion for criminal justice work and as a way to create material change. In her free time, Lauren loves watching movies, dancing, and learning to crochet.

Hilary Weisenfeld, is from New York City and is a junior at Cornell. She is studying Urban and Regional studies in the college of Architecture, Art and Planning as well as doing a business minor. Hilary Joined CUPI because of her interest in the criminal justice system and wanted to help enact change within this subject. She also also is a part of PDOW, Professional development of Women. In her free time she likes to play sports and hang out with her friends.

Aima Ali is a junior from Long Island. While growing up in Brooklyn, New York, she developed experience with immigrant organizing and learned about the inequities in the criminal justice system. Passionate about worker rights and social justice, she is majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations. She joined CUPI to create community-based impact, hoping to help applicants regain autonomy while they apply for parole. She hopes her time at Cornell will help her connect with people from different backgrounds with various lived experiences while preparing her for a future in nonprofit work.

Njeri is a senior in the class of 2024 from Nashua, NH majoring in Government with a minor in Law and Society at Cornell University. She is interested in the interdisciplinary study of how the law impacts society and aspires to work in public interest law. On campus, she works in the Office of Campus Activities and is a member of the P3 pre-professional organization. She became interested in CUPI after working with formerly incarcerated individuals at a re-entry program in Boston. After graduation, she hopes to go to law school and work in criminal justice reform.

Tess Wood is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish and Crime, Prisons, Education, and Justice (CPEJ). She is from Cambridge, MA. Tess is passionate about CUPI's mission to humanize those within the criminal justice system. This summer, she worked as a behavioral counselor at a treatment program for children with ADHD, ODD, and CD. Outside of CUPI, she is a research assistant in the Laboratory for Rational Decision Making, Study Skills Tutor, and Cornell Fitness Center Spinning Instructor. In her free time, she loves learning languages, running, hiking, reading, and cycling. She plans to further her passion for advocacy and her interest in the legal system by attending law school after completing her undergraduate studies.

Cassy is a senior from the Bay studying Government and minoring in Moral Psychology and Crime, Prisons, Education, and Justice. Outside of CUPI, she is in Yamatai and Tour Guides and volunteers at Prisoner Express. In her free time, she enjoys making music, road-tripping, and reading (non-academically).

Maya Allen is a Human Development major, with minors in Business and Law and Society. She is from NYC, and is passionate about criminal justice reform. Outside of CUPI, she is in Art Beyond Cornell, Cornell Marketing Club, PAD, SWIB, and MiXed at Cornell. She also loves baking and painting!

Jonathan Lam is a Freshman in ILR from Queens, New York City, double minoring in International relations and migration students. On campus, Jonathan is a Cornell National Meinig Scholar, a part of Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity and is involved with activism work surrounding immigration and criminal justice. He joined CUPI because he hopes to learn more from directly impacted individuals and understand the intersection between the parole and immigration system. Jonathan hopes to attend law school and become a lawyer in the civil rights or international human rights field.

Owen Spargo is a sophomore from San Luis Obispo, California studying Industrial and Labor Relations and minoring in Law and Society and Inequality Studies with a Health Equity focus. On campus, he is involved with Social Business Consutling, the pre-law fraternity Kappa Alpha Pi, and works as an Engagement Ambassador for Alumni Affairs and Development. Owen joined CUPI because of his interest in prison reform and making tangible changes outside of campus.

Maggie Gallagher is a Junior from Massachusetts studying Government with  minors in Classics, English, and Philosophy. Her interest in the organization arose from prior Cornell course work, specifically Crime and Punishment. She looks forward to working towards facilitating a concrete and tangible impact within our current carveral state. Outside of CUPIC, Maggie is President of the Quill Guild, as well as a research assistant, and involved in club running and triathlon.

Nshera Tutu is a junior from New York City pursuing a major in Health Care Policy and a minor in Law and Society. Outside of CUPIC, Nshera is a member of the Meinig Family National Scholars Program, the Brooks School Dean’s Student Advisory Council, Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, Cayuga Healthcare Consulting, and Nothing But Treble A Cappella.

Olivia LaBonte is a sophomore Government major from Massachusetts. She joined CUPI because of her interest in combating inequities within the criminal justice system in addition to her passion for public service. On campus, Olivia is also an analyst in Cornell Policy Group’s Foreign Center and writes for The Cornell Daily Sun. After graduation, she aspires to attend law school and pursue a career in international human rights. In her free time she enjoys reading, thrifting, art and spending time with friends and family (including her cat Harry).

Jacqueline Farnsworth is a freshman from New York City majoring in Public Policy. Her passion for criminal justice was sparked when she visited Sing Sing Correctional Facility with the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice – an experience in which she connected with incarcerated individuals at a human level. She left the visit wanting to make a tangible impact on those who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, and joined CUPI as a way to achieve this. Outside of CUPI, Jacqueline volunteers as a tutor through the club REACH. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, the guitar, and spending time with friends, family, and her dogs, Cazzie and Nipsey.

Jaiden Fisher-Dayn is a freshman from Brooklyn majoring in Public Policy. He is excited to be a part of CUPI, and joined to help address the injustices within the criminal justice system. Outside of CUPI, Jaiden is also in the Cornell Policy Group, Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, and Club Basketball. In his free time he loves to play and watch basketball, and spend time with family and friends.

Carissa is a freshman majoring in Anthropology and CS. She is from Potomac, Maryland. She joined CUPI because of her interest in addressing the injustice within the legal system. Outside of CUPI, she is also part of Cornell EARS and involved in teaching chess. In her free time she enjoys reading, crocheting, and binging reality shows.

Alex is a freshman from New York City and is majoring in Plant Science. Her interest in CUPI arose from her past experience leading a conference on advocacy and inequality in the criminal justice system, working with formerly incarcerated individuals and organizations like PEN America and Broadway Advocacy Coalition. Outside of CUPI, she is also a part of the Model UN team and the club PREP. She is currently on the pre-med track and hopes to become a gastroenterologist. In her free time she likes to read, go for runs, cook, and try new coffee shops!

Anushka is a sophomore from Long Island, New York. She is majoring in Information Science and History. Her interest in CUPI comes from addressing issues with mass incarceration and inequality within the criminal justice system. Outside of CUPI, Anushka is a staff writer for the Cornell Daily Sun, an ambassador for the women’s network, and a member of the Hindu Student Council e-board. In her free time, she enjoys baking, binge watching tv shows and movies, and trying new food!

Saatvik is a sophomore hailing from Mountain View, California studying Industrial and Labor Relations. He is particularly passionate about public policy’s impact on people and how good public policy can help build a more just and sustainable society. Saatvik joined CUPI because of the rewards of working with and uplifting the voices of marginalized people. In his free time, he enjoys experimenting with coffee and exploring new places through cycling (not uphill).

Zacharie Henningsen is a sophomore from Worcester, Vermont, who's lived in six different states. He's majoring in Classical Civilization with minors in Crimes, Prisons, Education, and Justice as well as Law & Society. On campus, Zacharie is involved with the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, the Cornell ACLU, Compass, and PPGA. Zacharie's involvement with CUPI stems from his passion for equity within the criminal legal system, and criminal justice reform. In his free time, Zacharie plays music, writes, and collects vinyl records.

Hank is a freshman from Brooklyn majoring in Government. His commitment to criminal justice reform stems from work in his local representative’s community outreach programs. Hank got involved with CUPI because of the direct, tangible services the organization provides. Outside of CUPI, he volunteers with the Cornell Prison Reform and Education Project and Cornell Cinema. He spends his free time watching movies, listening to records, and trying different cuisines.

Angel Flores Rodriguez is a junior from Pismo Beach, California, who is majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with a specialized focus on Biometry/Statistics, Global/Public Health Sciences, and Policy Analysis, accompanied by minors in Migration Studies and Entrepreneurship. Beyond CUPI, Angel is an active participant in various campus organizations. He is a member of Pi Lambda Sigma, La Association Latina, Cornell Anti-Detention Alliance Club, and GlobeMed. Driven by a deep-seated passion for immigration issues, Angel found a natural fit with CUPI, drawn to its exploration of the intersection between criminal justice and immigration policy. During his free time, Angel enjoys riding ATVs on the dunes back home accompanied by his friends.

Olivia is a junior from Newburyport, Massachusetts studying Government in the College of Arts and Sciences. On campus, she is involved as a Research Assistant for the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law, a mentor for ENGin, and is a part of the NY State Policy Advocacy Clinic. Her passion for prison reform was ignited during an internship in Mental Health Litigation, where she observed firsthand the urgent need for systemic change. In her free time, Olivia enjoys hanging out with friends, working out, traveling, and exploring Ithaca.

Elizabeth Lara (she/her) is a Junior in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, majoring in Government and American Studies and minoring in Law and Society and Latino Studies. In addition to her role at CUPI, she serves as a student ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of The Wardrobe and the Cornell Latino Pre-Law Association. Elizabeth joined CUPI after witnessing how the justice system tends to deprive people of fair trials especially those from minority backgrounds. Joining CUPI would allow her to have hands-on experience in making an impact on her community and provide a second chance at life. In her free time, you can find her baking, hanging out with friends, working at the Management Library at Sage, or heading back home to New York City on the weekends.

Abby Srulevich is a junior from New Jersey studying Government and Performing Media and Arts. In her free time she loves to dance, cook and try new cuisines, craft playlists, and watch movies.

Ria is a junior from Clifton, New Jersey. They are studying Government with a concentration in Crime, Prisons, Education, and Justice. Their interest in CUPI comes from a desire to address inequalities within the criminal justice system. Outside of CUPI, they do art and graphic design for Thread, Collective X, and Big Red Heads, and are involved in other justice-related organizations like PREP and Compass.

Alysha Adusei is a freshman from Massachusetts who is majoring in Government and Performing & Media Arts. In addition to her role in CUPI, she serves as a freshman representative for the Pan-African Student Association, a part of the Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, and is involved in showcasing stories from individuals within marginalized communities through her podcast. She joined CUPI to advocate for and help incarcerated individuals seeking another chance into society. Furthermore, to help address the injustices within the criminal justice system through learning about them and finding ways to dismantle them. In her free time, Alysha loves video editing, watching shows, and making fashion mood boards.