Development

Abbey McHugh joined the Innocence Project in 2023 as the digital fundraising coordinator. She helps to cultivate the Innocence Project’s online presence in order to grow and engage our community. Prior to joining the Innocence Project, Abbey worked as a voting rights organizer with Common Cause New York and on various campaigns in the Midwest and Northeast. She is a graduate of Boston College. When Abbey is not working, she can be found playing soccer at a park or reading a fantasy series at home.

Ava Master joined the Innocence Project in 2023 as the assistant director of individual giving. She is responsible for creating and maintaining meaningful connections with donors and advocates to further the organization’s mission to free wrongly convicted people and reform the system. Previously, Ava spent a decade leading fundraising initiatives at the Sikh Coalition — the nation’s largest Sikh civil rights nonprofit — including cultivating individual donor relations and exponentially growing the budget. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego. When Ava is not working, she can be found reading or catching a Broadway show.

Chloe serves as the director of individual and major giving at the Innocence Project. Before coming to the Innocence Project, she worked with generous contributors at the RAND Corporation, New York Public Radio and a number of off-Broadway theatre companies. Chloe is passionate about helping organizations find and raise funds from philanthropists with a shared vision, and she loves building relationships with people who are committed to making a difference in their communities and the world.

Crystal Ortiz is passionate about how her commitment to building community and justice can contribute to the mission and impact of the Innocence Project. As the assistant director of special events, Crystal is responsible for planning the annual gala and stewardship events.  Crystal’s ability to project manage and align events with the mission of the IP helps her carry forth these efforts each day. Crystal previously worked at The Cooper Union, where she managed the events program. She is a graduate of the University of Florida. In Crystal’s spare time, she enjoys traveling and watching movies!

Dominique De.Lisle joined the Innocence Project as a gift processing associate in 2023.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Ithaca College. Her longstanding interest in — and support of — non-profit and community based organizations has been realized in her career as an experienced administrative professional and in her demonstrated history of working in the social service industry.

With deep ties to music and arts advocacy, supportive resources, and civic engagement, Dominique is most passionate about empowering others to discover and pursue their purpose. She seeks to create environments that holistically foster equity across all socioeconomic backgrounds. As a Brooklyn born-and-raised black woman of faith, she is very active in her church ministry on the weekends.

Dominique values creativity, integrity, trust, and building meaningful relationships through thoughtful and compassionate communication. At her core, she operates with love, grace, excellence, wisdom, and humility. She loves to laugh, travel, and make refreshingly new memories with her loved ones — and she’s a foodie!

Jessica Rawlins Smith is the chief development officer at the Innocence Project. She has over a decade of experience in fund development, using public and private philanthropy, and strategic planning, to bring high-impact resources to organizations eliminating the inequitable outcomes of systemic oppression. With a B.A. in religion from Dartmouth College and an M.S. in fundraising management from Columbia University, Jessica has built an impressive record as a fundraising specialist supporting some of the most transformative education, arts, and justice-oriented initiatives. Prior to joining the Innocence Project, Jessica served as chief development officer at Partnership with Children, leading the critical growth of private fundraising in support of school-based mental health supports. In addition, she served as the senior director of development at All Our Kin, overseeing a broad portfolio of philanthropic, public, and corporate funding in support of high-quality family child care programming. Jessica also served as director of institutional giving at the Harlem Children’s Zone, supporting a broad range of early education, K-12, postsecondary and family-based programs. Jessica serves on the board of directors of Fiver Children’s Foundation.

As the data solutions manager, Joseph Martinez manages the Innocence Project’s Salesforce instance and donation processes. Joseph is passionate about criminal justice reform, studying criminal justice in college before moving into tech. His ability to adapt and problem-solve allows him to handle a complex Salesforce environment with the aim to have an accurate and clean data tool for the Innocence Project to be able to see and measure its impact. Joseph previously worked at Ennube Solutions, where he led implementation projects for other nonprofits as a project manager and consultant. When he isn’t working, you can find him kickboxing or watching a scary movie!

Justin Rodriguez joined the Innocence Project as assistant director of institutional giving in 2024.

He has over 10 years of experience in corporate engagement, philanthropy, international development, and nonprofit management, with a significant focus on racial equity, diversity, inclusion, and education initiatives. Most recently, he was at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as the manager of corporate engagement, managing corporate advocacy and employee engagement events. Before the ACLU, Justin was a program analyst at Open Society Foundations, and led a portfolio on police reform and community-led solutions to policing. Prior to his work at OSF, Justin worked in international development with a focus on global education, both for the Fulbright Program at the Institute of International Education and at the United Nations. His work served racially-marginalized and politically-underrepresented populations in the Global South, with a particular emphasis on the Afro-Latin American experience.

Justin is a native New Yorker. He is a proud Latinx American and is fluent in Spanish.

Keenan Pace joined the Innocence Project in 2023.

As director of institutional giving, Keenan is responsible for building relationships with foundations and corporate philanthropies to support the Innocence Project’s work to restore freedom, transform systems, and advance the movement for a more just criminal legal system. For over a decade, she was a fundraiser at the Osborne Association, a nonprofit serving New Yorkers at every stage of the criminal legal system. She holds a master’s in public policy from the University of California, Irvine, and a bachelor’s in political science from Fordham University.

Drawing from her diverse background and commitment to making a positive impact, Mary Jane serves as the Innocence Project’s development assistant. She holds a B.A. in international studies from American University and a certificate in community-based participatory research methods. Previously, Mary Jane worked as a tenant organizer in Washington, D.C., where she navigated complex landlord-tenant housing cases. Her professional experiences include youth victimization, food insecurity, and accessibility to higher education, which showcase her ability to problem-solve and collaborate with community stakeholders. With familial roots in Colombia, Mary Jane is proud to be a first-generation Colombian American.

Mónica González Martínez joined the Innocence Project in 2023 as the individual giving coordinator. She is responsible for creating and maintaining connections with donors and keeping them updated on the Innocence Project’s work.

Prior to joining the Innocence Project, Mónica worked as an operations & development coordinator at Youth Represent. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey. When Mónica is not working, she can be found baking or catching a Broadway show.

Ricardo Hernandez joined the Innocence Project in 2024 as the director of digital fundraising. He is responsible for leading the strategy, production, and execution of digital campaigns and initiatives to increase donor and prospect engagement in online giving.

Prior to the Innocence Project, Ricardo has held revenue-driven and marketing roles at Human Rights Watch, American Express, and Children’s Aid. Ricardo earned his M.S. in integrated marketing from New York University. He is also a graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he received a dual B.A. in political science and journalism.

Ysabel has experience in development from her time at Spark MicroGrants, Physicians for Human Rights, and Hamilton College where she also graduated with a B.A. in women’s and gender studies. As the donor relations and stewardship coordinator, she is involved in the data as well as the donor experience. A Bronx native, she often fosters dogs and can be found in any dog-friendly NYC establishment. Ysabel began her time at the Innocence Project in 2021.