Dr. John R. Hart
HAVRE DE GRACE,MD
Summary
Visionary senior research leader with over a decade of experience driving justice reform, public health, and family science through equity-centered research and strategic leadership. Expertise in designing and managing multimillion-dollar research portfolios, securing funding, and guiding interdisciplinary teams to achieve impactful outcomes. Renowned for translating complex data into actionable insights that shape policy, practice, and philanthropy. Committed to fostering cross-sector partnerships, mentoring research staff, and advocating for antiracist, participatory approaches that amplify community voices and promote systemic change.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director, Restoring Promise Research Agenda Support
Vera Institute of Justice
01.2022 - Current
- Co-lead national research strategy for Restoring Promise, aligning research with broader advocacy and programmatic goals.
- Serve on Vera’s Research Leadership Team, setting institute-wide standards, advising on strategy, and mentoring researchers across projects.
- Principal Investigator for Towards Liberation, a longitudinal reentry study; ensured rigor, IRB compliance, and antiracist design.
- Represented Vera nationally, briefing correctional executives, funders, and policymakers to advance evidence-based reforms.
- Secured and managed multi-year funding while supporting development of proposals and donor engagement.
Senior Research Associate
Vera Institute of Justice
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Led multi-site randomized control trials in correctional facilities, overseeing design, budgets, IRB protocols, and partner relationships.
- Supervised and mentored junior researchers, building a pipeline of diverse research talent.
- Partnered with Departments of Correction across multiple states, presenting findings that shaped practice and policy.
- Designed and facilitated collaborative convenings centering impacted communities’ expertise.
Research Consultant
CTIS, Inc.
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Conducted health policy and informatics research for NIH and local government partners.
- Delivered policy recommendations to Prince George’s County legislators addressing health disparities in underserved populations.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory and ethical standards across projects.
Doctoral Research Assistant
University of Maryland, College Park – School of Public Health & Family Science
01.2011 - 01.2018
- Advanced multi-year research on Black men’s health, family resilience, incarceration, and fatherhood.
- Designed and led an innovative program supporting incarcerated fathers, later adopted in community interventions.
- Trained and mentored undergraduate and graduate researchers, instilling culturally responsive, equity-driven research practices.
- Co-authored peer-reviewed publications and policy reports influencing family science and justice reform.
Education
Ph.D. - Family Science
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, MD05-2017
M.S. - Marriage and Family Therapy
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, MD05-2012
B.A. - Psychology (Minor in Sociology)
The George Washington University
Washington, DC05-2008
Skills
- Research Leadership & Portfolio Management
- Grant Writing & Fundraising Strategy
- Policy Translation & Evidence-Based Advocacy
- Participatory Action Research & Equity-Centered Design
- Cross-Sector Partnership Development
- Team Supervision, Mentorship & Capacity-Building
- Public Speaking & National Representation
- Qualitative & Mixed-Methods Expertise (SPSS, SAS, NVivo, Dedoose)
Publications
- Hart, J., Belcher, C., Porter, R., Taylor, S., Somers, J., & Staton, Z. (in progress). Toward liberation: A qualitative study of Restoring Promise participants’ experiences after reentry. Vera Institute of Justice.
- Hart, J. R., Coates, E. E., & Smith-Bynum, M. A. (2019). Parenting style and parent-adolescent relationship quality in African American mother-adolescent dyads. Parenting, 19(4), 318-340.
- Hart, J. R. (2017). Fathering after Incarceration: Navigating the Return of Young Black Men to Families, Jobs, and Communities (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park).
- Hart, J. R., Roy, K. M., & Charkoudian, L. (2017). Clinical theory and intervention for families of incarceration. Contemporary families at the nexus of research and practice, 221-235.
- Roy, K., Hart, J. R., & Golojuch, L. (2018). Authenticity in qualitative data analyses: Notes on racial and gender diversity in team ethnography of young men of color. In How Qualitative Data Analysis Happens (pp. 97-111). Routledge.
- Davis Tribble, B. L., Allen, S. H., Hart, J. R., Francois, T. S., & Smith-Bynum, M. A. (2019). “No [right] way to be a Black woman”: Exploring gendered racial socialization among Black women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 43(3), 381-397.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & RECOGNITION
- Panelist | U.S. Department of Justice – Suicide Prevention & Criminal Justice Policy (2024)
- Panelist | Beyond Confinement: Rethinking Corrections, Univ. of Baltimore Law School (2023)
- Panelist | Championing Dignity: Addressing Harm & Improving Prison Culture (2021)
- Documentary | Murder Unit 2.0: From Death, To Life – Interviewer (2021)
- Presenter | Global Learning for Health Equity Network (2021)
- Research Presentation | Council of State Governments: Towards Liberation Study (2020)
- Guest Speaker | Criminal Justice Insider Podcast (2020)
Timeline
Associate Director, Restoring Promise Research Agenda Support
Vera Institute of Justice
01.2022 - Current
Senior Research Associate
Vera Institute of Justice
01.2019 - 01.2022
Research Consultant
CTIS, Inc.
01.2017 - 01.2018
Doctoral Research Assistant
University of Maryland, College Park – School of Public Health & Family Science
01.2011 - 01.2018
Ph.D. - Family Science
University of Maryland, College Park
M.S. - Marriage and Family Therapy
University of Maryland, College Park
B.A. - Psychology (Minor in Sociology)
The George Washington University
Similar Profiles
LATESHA GREENLATESHA GREEN
Coordinator at Vera Institute Of JusticeCoordinator at Vera Institute Of Justice
Rayhan C ZianRayhan C Zian
Accounts Payable Assistant at Vera Institute of JusticeAccounts Payable Assistant at Vera Institute of Justice
Janell GleeJanell Glee
Operations Associate at Vera Institute Of JusticeOperations Associate at Vera Institute Of Justice
Linda ScottLinda Scott
Business Owner at I.M. CareBusiness Owner at I.M. Care
Patricia CunninghamPatricia Cunningham
Inventory Management Specialist at Department Of Defense ArmyInventory Management Specialist at Department Of Defense Army