Vera Institute of Justice

Bridgette has extensive experience working on behalf of young people impacted by violence. Prior to joining Common Justice, Bridgette worked at the W. Haywood Burns Institute as a site manager, where she provided technical assistance to jurisdictions around the country on addressing racial and ethnic disparities within the youth justice system. In her role, Bridgette conducted assessments, trained probation officers, judges, and law enforcement, and provided intensive site services to more than 200 stakeholders on improving life outcomes for youth of color. Before that, Bridgette worked at Parenting for Prevention and Catholic Charities providing counseling services for youth and their families. She also worked as a case manager for youth returning from secure confinement with the Youth Empowerment Project of Louisiana, as an education advocate at the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, and as the Orleans Parish's JDAI Coordinator, where she facilitated a collaborative process with various stakeholders to reduce the number of youth detained in New Orleans and to create alternatives to secure detention. Bridgette received her Bachelor’s and Master's Degrees from Xavier University of Louisiana.