People and Culture

Carrie Baker is a strategic People & Culture leader at the Innocence Project, bringing over a decade of experience in talent and performance management across academia and the nonprofit world. Before joining the Innocence Project in 2022, she spent several years at a non-profit organization focused on advancing criminal legal reform in the pre-trial space.

At the IP, Carrie focuses on developing people-centered systems that support staff growth and development initiatives. She leads initiatives related to performance management, professional development, and workforce planning, and partners with the DEI Subcommittee and People & Culture team to bring in organization-wide learning opportunities that foster an inclusive and thriving workplace.

Outside the IP, Carrie enjoys long walks, diving into a good book, and exploring her creative side through singing and songwriting classes.

Carrie is passionate about criminal legal reform and is proud to support the Innocence Project’s staff and mission to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and other scientific advancements and reform the criminal legal system to prevent future injustice.

As the chief people and culture officer, Corinne Padavano sets the strategic vision for how the organization attracts, develops, engages, and retains talent in alignment with its mission and values. She leads the evolution of people-centered practices across compensation, benefits, recruitment, diversity and inclusion, employee experience, and policy infrastructure. She ensures not only operational integrity, but a thriving, equitable workplace culture that supports long-term organizational success.

Corinne joined the Innocence Project in April 2006 after working in non-profit finance, human resources, and operations support roles with organizations such as the American Institute of Architects and the Brain Injury Association of New York State. She also owned and operated a storefront arts business for several years in Queens.

Donna Kenton graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in English. She taught junior high school English then studied music and acting, singing briefly with an R&B band. For 31 years, she worked on Wall Street, mostly for Merrill Lynch, focusing on municipal bonds. In her retirement, she has been privileged to volunteer for this wonderful organization, acting as the volunteer coordinator. It is her joy to match someone who is passionate about giving their time to ensure justice for all with a department in need of their skills.

Erika joined Innocence Project in September 2014. She previously worked with community nonprofits (Henry Street Settlement and University Settlement) in the Lower East Side. She also had the opportunity to work for Project Hope, the FEMA-funded program created after Hurricane Sandy.

Ira Rollins (he/him/his) is the assistant director of employee relations. His goals are to ensure that the Innocence Project’s internal community remains heard, seen, and prioritized, and to ensure that they can focus on the intricate work they do to assist those in need of the Innocence Project’s services. Previously, Ira worked as a psychotherapist, life coach, and project manager in HIV research. He holds a M.A. in counseling for mental health and Wellness from NYU Steinhardt and a B.A. in the psychology of race, gender, and sexuality from the interdisciplinary CUNY BA program.

Shoshanah joined the Innocence Project in August 2012. In her role as manager of events and engagement, she works with various departments in the organization including operations, Network Support Unit, and data science and research. Since 2015, she has helped plan the annual Innocence Network Conference, the major annual gathering of hundreds of people who have been exonerated and attorneys and advocates working on wrongful conviction. Shoshanah also coordinates in-house staff events for the Innocence Project and serves as the liaison to the Exoneree Advisory Council, a group of exonerated people who advise the organization on policy and outreach based on their experience. Shoshanah is a sought-out resource and mentor on event planning and organizational information for both staff and former clients. Before 2012, she followed in her grandmother and mothers’ footsteps and became a teacher, working in early childhood education as a preschool teacher and assistant director. When she is not planning an event for the Innocence Project, she’s probably writing, listening to music, or spending time with her family.

Zeus Rivera joined the Innocence Project as an HR manager in May 2021. He has almost a decade of HR experience under his belt working in a few industries, including hospitality, architecture, and nonprofit. His nonprofit experience comes from working his way up in the HR department at HANAC, a social service organization in Astoria, Queens.