The Marshall Project is pleased to announce two new members of its Board of Directors: Nicola “Nika” Cohen, an attorney whose practice focuses exclusively on pro bono matters involving the criminal legal system, and Susan Dix Lyons, a longtime leader and social entrepreneur whose career has spanned journalism, healthcare, philanthropy and design.
Cohen is a senior public service attorney at Squire Patton Boggs and a member of the firm’s Public Service Initiative, where she represents clients in death penalty, post-conviction and prison conditions cases across the country. She previously served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice and as a law clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where she currently co-teaches a seminar on constitutional rights in life and capital cases. “I have long admired The Marshall Project’s commitment to rigorous journalism that deepens public understanding of the criminal justice system,” Cohen said. “I’m honored to join the board and support that mission at such an important moment.”
Dix Lyons has a doctorate in clinical psychology and brings more than two decades of leadership experience. She comes from a journalism family and began her career as a reporter, later becoming an editor and publisher before moving into social entrepreneurship and healthcare. She founded Clínica Verde, which developed a community-based model of healthcare for families in Nicaragua, and has held leadership roles including president and CEO of St. Helena Hospital Foundation and co-founder of The Better Lab. “Working as a psychologist in a large correctional facility, I saw firsthand the gaps in care and the opportunities to improve the treatment and rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals, most of whom will one day return to our shared communities,” Dix Lyons said. “I’m thrilled to join The Marshall Project’s board and help advance journalism that brings greater understanding and accountability to our criminal justice system.”
Katrice Hardy, CEO of The Marshall Project, said she is delighted to welcome Dix Lyons and Cohen. “They bring an extraordinary combination of experience in journalism, law, public service, healthcare and nonprofit leadership, along with a shared commitment to creating a more informed and just society,” Hardy said. “Their perspectives will be invaluable as The Marshall Project continues to grow its journalism and its impact across the country.”
The Marshall Project’s full Board of Directors:
- Liz Simons (Board Chair), President, Heising-Simons Foundation
- Nicola Cohen, Senior Public Service Attorney, Squire Patton Boggs
- Marie F. Dageville, Co-founder, The Patchwork Collective
- Susan Dix Lyons, Psy.D., Social Entrepreneur and Nonprofit Leader
- Nicholas Goldberg, Former Columnist and Editorial Page Editor, Los Angeles Times
- Ariel Green, Director of Grants and Strategic Initiatives, The IV Fund
- C. C. Melvin Ike, Managing Partner, The Visualize Group
- Andrew Jarecki, Filmmaker
- Ron McCray, Limited partner of Boston Championship Basketball, LLC, and an advisor to RLJ Equity Partners
- Ashley Pettus, Strategic GrantMaker, Wellspring Foundation; Freelance Writer
- Michele Roberts, Former Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association, and Co-Founder, Free and Fair Litigation Group
- Topeka K. Sam, Founder & Executive Director of The Ladies of Hope Ministries
- Amy Solomon, Senior Fellow, Council on Criminal Justice
- Carter Stewart, Executive Director, Impact for Equity