Amy Cross

Managing Director of Advocacy

Amy is a native Chicagoan who brings over 20 years of experience working for social and racial justice to her role as Managing Director of Advocacy. Prior to joining Impact for Equity, Amy’s primary focus has been on transforming the criminal legal system where she has shaped and led the implementation of several successful; national initiatives aimed at police reform, community violence intervention, jail decarceration, prison reform, and reentry, including the National Initiative for Building Community Trust & Justice and the Restoring Promise initiative.

Amy credits her early experiences as a youth organizer, a teacher, and a public defender for shaping her understanding of the myriad harms our social and legal systems inflict on people and communities, for teaching her effective strategies for driving change, and for inspiring her commitment to dismantling injustice and making space for people to heal and thrive. She holds a JD from Yeshiva University Cardozo School of Law, an MEd from Queens College, City University of New York, and a BA from Smith College.

In a city bursting with beauty and creativity, Amy enjoys spending her spare time getting to know Chicago anew by taking long walks through different neighborhoods, visiting museums and libraries, and exploring local arts and music.