RONALD MARSHALL

Chief POLICY ANALYST

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Ronald Marshall is the Chief Policy Analyst at VOTE, focused on policy changes that truly matter for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. After enduring 25 years of injustice, he’s on a mission to transform the system from the inside out.

Even during his time behind bars, Ronald made every moment count. He earned a paralegal degree from Blackstone’s School of Law and became a skilled jailhouse lawyer. Now, he’s working on a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration at Phoenix University.

Ronald serves on three Louisiana Governor Task Forces. First, he’s on the Governor’s Safe Alternative to Segregation Task Force. His work with Louisiana’s Department of Corrections targets eliminating solitary confinement and improving mental health care for inmates. In 2023, he drafted the Mental Healing Justice Act, now a state law. Second, he’s on the Governor’s Task on Juvenile Policies to develop recommendations for appropriate education, rehabilitation and parole of young people convicted as juveniles. Third, he’s on the Task Force to Study Post-Secondary Education and GED Programs in Prisons, an initiative focused on enhancing educational opportunities within correctional facilities.

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. They aim 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 also owns and operates a mental health LLC, partnering with jails and prisons to teach trauma-informed approaches. His work with Louisiana’s Department of Corrections targets eliminating solitary confinement and improving mental health care for inmates.

And, finally, he is the co-founder and co-executive director of the Protected Class Network, which is committed to advancing justice, equity, and inclusion for formerly incarcerated individuals by challenging systemic discrimination and advocating for their full reintegration into society on both the State and National level.