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June 17, 6:00-7:30
Our featured speaker, Dr. Navena Chaitoo won a chapter scholarship in 2009 and is assistant executive director of research at the NYC Board of Corrections. She will share her very interesting history of academic and professional success, and of self-advocacy. In addition, Albert Chen, the generous donor of our annual scholarship will speak,along with this year’s winner of his scholarship, Madelyn Kim, of Bayside HS who will attend Rutgers to study genetics. Because there were so many excellent applicants the Board decided to award a second scholarship, for $1000, to the runner-up, Hugo Vohmann, who is graduating from the United Nations International School and will study economics at Colorado College. Two past Chen award winners, Nicole Varghese, Hunter College graduate, Jonesy Strell, George Washington University, class of 2026, will also speak.
Navena Chaitoo is a criminal justice researcher and policy expert dedicated to improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals and strengthening oversight in New York City’s jail system. She is the Assistant Executive Director of Research at the New York City Board of Correction*, where she leads a team that conducts independent research on conditions of confinement, healthcare access, and compliance with correctional standards. Her work informs policy decisions and ensures accountability through data-driven oversight and evidence-based recommendations. Previously, she worked in pretrial services at the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services, contributing to the implementation of the Manhattan Supervised Release program. Navena has contributed to research and policy recommendations at the Vera Institute of Justice aimed at reducing the jail population and closing Rikers Island.
In addition, Navena went has served as a Research Manager at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where she played a key role in implementing the recommendations of the Behavioral Health Task Force, focusing on strategies to improve services for individuals with mental health needs in the justice system. She then transitioned to New York City Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services where she worked on performance management initiatives to improve healthcare delivery in the city’s jail system. Navena holds a PhD and MPhil in criminal justice from the CUNY Graduate Center/John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a MS in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University, and a BA in economics and political science, magna cum laude, from Fordham University.
* Title and affiliation are provided for identification purposes only. The views expressed are the speaker’s own and do not reflect the views of the City of New York or any of its agencies.
If you would like to join us for this captioned program, register here. After registering, you will receive an email with the Zoom link.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MAY REQUEST A LINK FOR CAPTIONING IN SPANISH WHEN YOU REGISTER.
Can’t Hear? We are here for you!
The New York City Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America is a vibrant, diverse community dedicated to helping people with hearing loss lead more satisfying and productive lives. At the chapter’s monthly meetings, speakers address topics such as hearing aids and hearing-aid alternatives, assistive technology, interpersonal strategies, and advocacy initiatives. Those of you who are interested can find information about our organization on our chapter website by clicking here.
