FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY – The Vera Institute of Justice announced the appointment of Damien Dwin as the newest member of its board of trustees. Dwin will join the 18 current trustees devoted to Vera’s mission to drive change in the justice system and bring it to scale, on a range of issues from widespread bail and pretrial reform, to radically transforming life behind bars, to providing universal representation to immigrants facing deportation around the country.

Dwin is co-CEO and co-Founder of Brightwood Capital Advisors, LLC – a leading alternative asset manager providing debt capital to family, founder and entrepreneur owned businesses in the US middle market – and has been involved in all phases of the firm’s development since its founding in 2010. He also serves on philanthropic boards for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and The Studio Museum in Harlem, and is a Trustee of The Boys’ Club of New York and Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Damien to our board of trustees during an era of reform defined by innovation and bold-thinking,” said Nicholas Turner, Vera’s president and executive director. “His deep commitment to racial justice along with his vision, creativity and forward thinking will be huge assets to us. I look forward to a great partnership as we fight to build justice systems that center human dignity and bring safety to all communities.”

“Injustice impacts us all – inhibiting economic growth and harming American families. A substantive conversation about race and criminal justice reform is finally taking place globally and Vera is uniquely qualified and positioned to lead a national movement seeking structural change,” Damien Dwin added. “It is a privilege to serve Vera alongside President Nick Turner, Chairman John Savarese, board and staff in advancing these efforts to meaningful structural change.”

Under Dwin’s leadership, Brightwood has invested over $7 billion in 150 companies. He currently participates on the boards of many portfolio companies and has managed capital for hundreds of limited partners, including many prominent public, private and corporate pension plans, insurance companies and endowments. Prior to founding Brightwood, Dwin worked at Credit Suisse from 2004 to 2010 and Goldman Sachs in New York and London from 1998 to 2004. He holds a B.S/B.A. from Georgetown University.

“I’m thrilled to have Damien join Vera’s board at a time of great expansion and growth”, said John Savarese, chairman of Vera’s board. “His breadth of experience, deep financial expertise, and obvious passion for justice reform will strengthen our board and help us to bring forward new and innovative ideas that advance Vera’s mission. I look forward to working with him.”

About the Vera Institute of Justice:

The Vera Institute of Justice is a justice reform change agent. Vera produces ideas, analysis, and research that inspire change in the systems people rely upon for safety and justice. Vera collaborates with the communities most impacted by these systems and works in close partnership with government and civic leaders to implement change. Across projects, Vera is committed to explicitly and effectively reducing the burdens of the justice system on people of color and frames all work with an understanding of our country’s history of racial oppression. Vera is currently pursuing core priorities of ending the misuse of jails, transforming conditions of confinement, providing legal services for immigrants, and ensuring that justice systems more effectively serve America’s increasingly diverse communities. Vera has offices in Brooklyn, NY; Washington, DC; New Orleans, and Los Angeles.

For more information, visit www.vera.org