Ursula is an accomplished criminal justice reform champion with deep roots in community organizing. Born and raised in rural Mississippi, Ursula has been organizing for criminal justice reform in New Orleans since 2001. She joined Safe Streets/Strong Communities as a community organizer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and helped drive a historic campaign for police accountability. This led to the creation of the Independent Police Monitor, which Ursula joined in 2010 and has helped lead for the last eight years. As Deputy Police Monitor, Ursula has led a team that holds the New Orleans Police Department accountable to the community through independent monitoring and investigations. As Director of Community Relations, she has helped develop a police/community mediation program, a rights and responsibilities curriculum and guide, and helped organize New Orleans’ first public forum in which officers and civilians worked together to develop anti-retaliation policy. Ursula is on the board of BreakOUT! and is an experienced fundraiser and organizational developer. She is passionate about member-led organizing and about building diverse coalitions that span urban and rural communities, that unite Black and Brown workers and that bring an explicit gender lens to the work.