Vera Institute of Justice

Maresi Starzmann works as a principal research associate with Vera’s Reshaping Prosecution initiative to support impacted communities in creating and interpreting data that allows them to hold prosecutors accountable and influence policy changes. She was instrumental in developing a participatory action research framework for the team’s work in Wyandotte County, Kansas.

Before joining Vera in 2020, Maresi worked as an assistant professor of anthropology before transitioning to a career in civic education. Her work on women’s rights and climate justice led to the submission of recommendations to the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council.

Maresi holds a master’s degree in archaeology from Free University Berlin and a PhD in anthropology from Binghamton University. Her research and teaching activities have been recognized with multiple awards.