Associate Director - Gwendolyn Harris

Gwendolyn is currently a doctoral candidate in Urban Planning and Policy at Rutgers University where she is also an adjunct instructor.  Her dissertation topic assesses the impact of affordable housing on taxable property valuation.  Her college and graduate level teaching has included courses in urban policy, municipal management and local economic development. 

Ms. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a Masters from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration.  She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Mercer County Community College, is a board member and treasurer of New Jersey Public Policy Research Institute, and a member and officer of the Central New Jersey Chapter of the Links, Incorporated.  Gwendy, as she likes to be called, lives in Trenton with her husband, Jerome.

Project Manager - Tracy A. Swan, MPA, MCJ A former United Way marketing and fundraising executive, Ms. Swan has managed volunteers and coordinated various projects to increase funding for community health and human service programs for over 15 years. Ms. Swan oversees WRI’s major public safety projects, Camden Safer Cities Initiative, Operation CeaseFire, and a Prison Re-

Entry Initiative with the NJ Department of Corrections.  In her current role, Ms. Swan provides valuable large-group, multi-agency facilitation/convening and program development expertise, as well as research and data analysis on anti-crime prevention programs in the City. Ms. Swan is also responsible for board and resource development activities at WRI. She received her BA in Psychology from Oberlin College, holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) and a Masters in Criminal Justice (MCJ) from Rutgers-Camden.   Ms. Swan has co-facilitated an undergraduate statistics course and serves as a tutor for the graduate level data analysis course in the criminal justice program. Ms. Swan has also authored a chapter on public policy for a college level textbook, Forensic Nursing: Concepts and Challenges, First Edition. While attending Oberlin College, Ms. Swan served as an undergraduate research assistant and conducted research for the publication, Children's Representations of the Pattern of Daily Activities, Child Development, Vol. 61, No. 5 (Oct., 1990), pp. 1399-1412, by William J. Friedman.

Contact Ms. Swan by e-mailing tswan@camden.rutgers.edu

Project Coordinator
– Joseph P. Cassisi

Mr. Cassisi has had an extensive career in the field of community corrections. Notably, Mr. Cassisi served as the regional parole supervisor in the Juvenile Justice Commission’s Office of Juvenile Parole and Transitional Services for thirteen years. He remained in this position until 2009.

He has worked at the Cumberland County Detention Center as well as its Probation Department in the Juvenile Division, Pre-Trial Intervention Services and the Child Support Enforcement Unit. He has also worked at the New Jersey Office of Administrative Courts (AOC) as the Southern Regional Supervisor for the Juvenile Intensive Supervision Program. In this position, he played a pivotal role in the development and staffing of the program.

With more than twenty four years of experience in the field of reentry, Mr. Cassisi is currently a Project Coordinator at the Walter Rand Institute and serves as the Director of Opportunity Reconnect – Camden. This is a re-entry center for adult ex-offenders who are under parole supervision and are returning to Camden County, NJ. Mr. Cassisi received his Bachelors Degree in Law and Justice from Glassboro State College and earned his Master’s Degree in Student Personnel Services and Counseling from the same institution.

Contact Joe Cassisi by emailing: cassisi@camden.rutgers.edu

Research Project Assistant
– Kristin Curtis

Kristin Curtis holds a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Rutgers University- Camden Campus and is in the process of completing her Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from their graduate program.

In 2008, Ms. Curtis served as the Walter Rand Institute's Graduate Assistant. She is currently the lead data analyst on the PRI-RESPECT, PRI-CORP, and Municipal Prevention Projects at the Walter Rand Institute.

Ms. Curtis has presented findings on residence restrictions for sexual offenders with Drs. Michelle Meloy and Susan Miller at the American Society of Criminology and has an article published in the American Journal of Criminal Justice. Her research interests include offender re-entry, juvenile delinquency, sexual offenders, sex crimes, and victim's issues.
>>> more about Kristin 's research

Contact Ms. Curtis by emailing: krcurtis@camlink.rutgers.edu

Project Coordinator - Zoe Selzer, MURP Ms. Zoe Selzer recently relocated to the Delaware Valley from Denver, Colorado.  She brings to the Senator Walter Rand Institute a not-for-profit and environmental background, with experience in projects ranging from Green Building advocacy to redevelopment initiatives in New Orleans.

She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Denver and a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado at Denver.  During graduate school, she took an active role in redevelopment efforts in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, and that experience shaped her interest in community development, as well as environmental sustainability.  She is a professional member of the American Planning Association.  In her current role as a project coordinator for the WRI, Ms. Selzer is working on a variety of projects, including sitting on several committees for the North Camden redevelopment, and conducting an analysis of affordable housing policy in Southern New Jersey.  Ms. Selzer resides in Philadelphia.

Contact Ms. Selzer by e-mailing zselzer@camden.rutgers.edu

WRI Administrative Assistant
- Jennifer Intriago

Ms. Intriago joined WRI in the beginning of 2008 as a part-time Administrative Assistant.  She is responsible for all administrative support, event organizing, and supervision of work-study students.  In addition to her dedication to WRI, Ms. Intriago is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree at the Camden College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Social Work.