Tommy Winfrey helps young adults transition into careers while offering guidance as a Navigator for the California Conservation Corps. Tommy’s path in life is not one that would be considered a traditional career path into state government. His past justice system involvement has shaped the way he sees the world and how he interacts with the people around him. Tommy cares deeply about his community and is concerned about young people and the opportunities they are presented. Tommy says, “I have a passion for both learning and educating, and I truly believe in the power of shared experiences to help people heal and overcome hardships.” Tommy won the PEN America Prison Writing Contest in the category of Memoir in 2016 and has had the amazing opportunity to have his artwork displayed in two galleries in the San Diego area. Tommy served as an Executive Fellow for the State of California in 2020-2021. Previously he worked at the San Diego based non-profit The Children’s Initiative, were he provided research and material support to the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Juvenile Justice Task Force and Technical Workgroup of San Diego County. Tommy has engaged community partners in forums, trainings, and meetings on juvenile justice, and also played a critical role in coordinating and disseminating information and providing technical research support to the San Diego County stakeholders involved in the Juvenile Justice System Improvement Project with Georgetown University’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform. He also has experience in digital design for both digital media and print media. While interning with the San Diego County Probation Department, Tommy researched, designed, and delivered a curriculum to help youth in detention become leaders and advocates. Tommy possesses a Graduate Certificate in Applied Policy and Government from CSU-Sacramento and a Bachelor of Science from San Diego State University.
The inaugural Eradicate Hate Summit was a truly impressive gathering of leaders dedicated to finding lasting and effective solutions to violent extremism. I was particularly moved by the prominence given to survivors and family members of victims of hate and violence throughout the event. Their stories and those of so many others must be at the center of what we do and why we do it.
