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What’s a WhyLight? It’s a spotlight on members of the New Profit community and why they do what they do. This week, we talk to Adam Lewis…

What is your role here?
I am the Criminal Justice System Policy Analyst for the America Forward team. I conduct research on investment and policy opportunities for New Profit and America Forward in the criminal justice space.

What drew you to New Profit?
After working at a number of different nonprofit organizations, I was excited by New Profit’s focus on helping nonprofits effectively measure and magnify their impact. I was also very impressed with the America Forward policy team and liked that New Profit as a whole had an appreciation for the essential role of policy reform in achieving systemic impact in the social sector.

How long have you been at New Profit?
Only six months (since October 2013) although it feels like longer!

What has been your path here?
My position at New Profit is actually a temporary one. I’ll be leaving New Profit to attend Stanford Law School in the fall, where I hope to continue my work on criminal justice.

What is your favorite part of working here?
My Boston office mates and my America Forward colleagues in the Washington, DC office are amazing–they are some of the brightest and most dedicated people I’ve ever worked with and it’s a pleasure to collaborate with them every day. I also love how many interesting people cycle through the New Profit office on a daily basis. Having the chance to meet and learn from entrepreneurs and policy leaders working at the highest levels of private and public organizations is invaluable.

What is the most surprising thing about you?
I grew up in a really small town in Northern California called Nicasio where there are probably more cows than people. Downtown Nicasio consists of a little league baseball field, a church, a restaurant, a post office, a general store, and a volunteer fire department. It’s a pretty rustic spot but it was a great place to grow up.

What’s on your bucket list?
Take a road trip across the US with my wife. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park and I would love to stop at both along the way. We’re hoping we can cross this off our list when we move West this summer!

What are you currently reading?
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore. It’s an amazing story about two men who were born blocks from each other with the same name–one became a Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow (the author) while the other is a convicted murderer serving a life sentence.

Want to hear more from Adam? Read his blog post: 5 Questions On Criminal Justice Reform