Lisa Daugaard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lisa Daugaard
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Daugaard in 2016
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| Born | 1965/1966 (age 58–59) |
| Education | University of Washington (BA) Cornell University (MA) Yale Law School (JD) |
| Occupation | Criminal justice reform activist |
| Awards | 2019 MacArthur Fellowship |
Lisa Daugaard (born in 1965 or 1966) is an American activist. She works to make the justice system fairer. She leads a group called the Public Defender Association. She is also a commissioner for the Community Police Commission in Seattle. In 2019, she won a special award called the MacArthur Fellowship for her important work.
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Early Life and School
Lisa Daugaard was born in 1965 or 1966. She grew up in Seattle, Washington. She started college at the University of Washington when she was only twelve years old. She finished her first degree (a Bachelor of Arts) in 1983.
College and Law School
At age seventeen, Daugaard began graduate school at Cornell University. She first studied political science. She earned her Master of Arts degree in 1987. During this time, she was part of a movement to stop investing in South Africa. This movement was against unfair laws there.
Because of her activism, she decided to study law. She left her Ph.D. program. She then went to Yale Law School. She earned her law degree (Juris Doctor) in 1995.
Helping People Through Law
After law school, Lisa Daugaard joined the American Civil Liberties Union. This group works to protect people's rights. She continued to work on legal cases she started at Yale. These cases helped refugees.
In 1996, she became a lawyer at The Defender Association. From 1998 to 1999, she was a Liman Fellow. This fellowship helps lawyers work for the public good. During the 1999 Seattle WTO protests, she helped organize legal support for activists.
Making Justice Fairer
In 2001, Daugaard started the Racial Disparity Project in Seattle. This program works to stop police from using racial information unfairly. Ten years later, she helped create a program called Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD).
LEAD helps people who have committed minor offenses. Instead of going to jail, they get help from social services. This program has helped many people in King County, Washington.
In 2013, she joined Seattle's Community Police Commission. She first served as a co-chair. Later, she became a commissioner. As of 2019, she is the Executive Director of the Public Defender Association.
Special Recognition
Lisa Daugaard received a 2019 MacArthur Fellowship. This award is also known as a "genius grant." She received it for her work to make the justice system better.
The award noted how successful the LEAD program has been. Because of its success, LEAD has expanded. It is now used in other cities and tribal areas across the United States.
