Pavithra Nagarajan (she/her) is the Director of Impact and Innovation for JSP. Pavithra oversees the development, implementation, and delivery of JSP’s portfolio of research, evaluation, policy, and technical assistance projects. Pavithra also guides JSP’s strategic planning and organizational growth and ensures that JSP is grounded in innovation and a deep commitment to improving public safety and community well-being. 

Pavithra Nagarajan has more than a decade of experience across education policy, research strategy, criminal legal system reform, leadership development, and equity-driven organizational change. Her work spans juvenile justice, post-secondary education in prisons, school improvement initiatives, and reducing probation and parole revocations, with a strong focus on data-driven decision-making, policy analysis, and community collaboration to drive systemic transformation. 

Pavithra earned her Ph.D. in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and holds an M.S. in Childhood Education from Pace University, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.