Betsy Pearl is a Program Director at CUNY ISLG, where she leads the design and implementation of community safety and criminal justice initiatives. She works in collaboration with government and community partners to advance community-centered violence reduction strategies and comprehensive reentry service models.

Betsy served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs during the Biden Administration, where she oversaw policy and operations across DOJ’s $5 billion annual grantmaking portfolio. Previously, she directed local justice and community safety initiatives at the Center for American Progress. Earlier in her career, she served as a Presidential Management Fellow, with appointments at DOJ and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Betsy holds a B.S. from Northwestern University and a Master's from Georgetown University.