Advancing the leadership and power of women who are currently & formerly incarcerated to transform the criminal legal system

For more than 25 years, Tamar Kraft-Stolar has worked to transform New York’s criminal legal system and advance the leadership of women directly impacted by incarceration. Tamar co-founded Women & Justice Project (WJP) with Jaya Vasandani in 2015 and currently serves as Organizational Strategist, supporting the Executive Director and WJP team. Over 11 years, Tamar and Jaya co-directed WJP and spearheaded numerous initiatives at the intersection of incarceration and gender justice, gender-based violence, and reproductive justice. Her work includes co-producing the award-winning documentary “Beyond Survival” about NY’s groundbreaking Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) and launching unique expressive arts programs in NY’s women’s prisons. For 12 years prior, Tamar directed the Correctional Association of New York’s Women in Prison Project where she led its first rigorous women-specific prison monitoring effort, expanded advocacy initiatives and helped build the Coalition for Women Prisoners into NY’s foremost advocacy group focused on women and incarceration. She also organized successful policy campaigns led by directly impacted women, including to overhaul sentencing for survivors convicted of crimes related to abuse, ban the shackling of incarcerated pregnant women, and protect the parental rights of incarcerated moms and dads. Previously Tamar coordinated the Correctional Association’s “Drop the Rock” campaign that worked to repeal New York’s draconian mandatory drug sentencing laws. Tamar has co-created an array of multimedia educational materials and authored related policy reports, including “From Protection to Punishment: Post-Conviction Barriers to Justice for DV Survivor-Defendants in NYS” (2011) and “Reproductive Injustice” (2015), the most comprehensive study of reproductive health in prison to date. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University and currently resides with her family in Brooklyn.

As Operations Manager, Michelle plays a key role in ensuring that WJP has the infrastructure, systems, and support it needs to do its best work and advance its boldest vision. In partnership with the Director of Operations & Arts Advocacy, Michelle delivers critical operational and administrative support while boosting effectiveness and efficiency across the organization. With an extensive record of community service and lived experience growing up in a family directly impacted by incarceration, Michelle brings a personal and powerful commitment to WJP’s mission. As a champion for justice from a young age, her volunteer history includes working in food pantries and at summer camps. Michelle is a proud past participant of Hour Children’s teen outreach program. A lover of animals and the outdoors, Michelle loves to hike and spend time with her cat.

Jess Jackson is a dynamic and creative professional with expertise in operations, program planning, organizing, and arts-based advocacy, committed to driving meaningful social change by cultivating highly functional organizations and innovative programming. To all aspects of her career, Jess brings a lifelong passion for the arts and a deep commitment to social justice. In summer 2026, Jess became Executive Director of WJP, leading the organization’s strategy, development, programs and partnerships. For 7 years prior, Jess served as WJP Director of Operations & Arts Advocacy, spearheading operations efforts and leading arts-based and culture change initiatives including creative arts programming at two New York women’s prisons. Prior to joining WJP, Jess worked in sales, business management, and arts administration with organizations including Marriott, Google, and the School of Visual Arts. She is known for developing highly impactful initiatives and programs for organizations looking to carry out their work in ways that are more effective, capacious, and values aligned. With a versatile skillset spanning operations, strategy, program planning, organizing, creative project management, and events, Jess brings an interdisciplinary flair to her work, and a dedication to advancing the brilliant work and vision of WJP’s staff and partners. Jess holds a BA from the University of Michigan, lives in Brooklyn with her family, and in her spare time enjoys volunteering with Narrows Botanical Gardens, traveling, reading, writing, and leaning into her creative pursuits.