RONALD MARSHALL
Chief POLICY ANALYST
Meet Ronald Marshall, the Chief Policy Analyst at VOTE. His primary focus is on policy initiatives that directly impact currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. With 25 years of personal experience with injustice, Ronald is determined to be a game-changer in how the system conducts its business.
While in the Louisiana Department of Corrections, he's done some incredible things regarding rehabilitation. Ronald made sure he had equipped himself with all the proper knowledge. He delved into legal studies, business management, effective communication, transactional analysis, trauma-informed care, and compassionate care (caring for terminally ill men in prison). That's not all - he also mastered critical thinking skills, substance abuse education, youth empowerment, and mentorship.
Even during his time behind bars, Ronald didn't waste a moment. He earned a paralegal degree from Blackstone's School of Law and became quite the jailhouse lawyer. After his release, he took his thirst for knowledge to Tulane University, where he's currently working towards a master's degree in Digital Marketing and Media Communication.
Ronald is genuinely making an impact in the mental health field too. He owns a mental health LLC that contracts with local jails and state prisons to teach trauma-informed perspectives to incarcerated people. He's passionate about making a difference in their lives.
Ronald is part of the Governor's Safe Alternative to Segregation, and Louisiana Stop Solitary Confinement Task Forces. He's working alongside other Louisiana Department of Corrections stakeholders and staff to eliminate solitary confinement, revise the disciplinary rules, and identify severe mental illnesses. He knows firsthand how these prison rules and solitary confinement can worsen the situation for those with severe mental illnesses.
He's also a proud member of LEAP (Lived Experience Advisory Panel) at C4 Innovations. As part of the panel, Ronald uses his lived experiences to advise policymakers on a national level. Their goal is to address the prevalence of mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders in local justice systems and reduce the justice system's involvement.
Ronald's impact goes beyond just advising - in 2023, he drafted HB 55, the Mental Healing Justice Act for Incarcerated People, which Governor John Bel Edwards signed into law as Act 214 of the 2023 Regular Legislative Session. How cool is that?
Ronald Marshall is truly an inspiration and a force for positive change. With his passion for rehabilitation and dedication to making a difference, he's an actual role model for all of us!