Our Team
Dr. Alissa Ackerman
Founder
Dr. Alissa R. Ackerman is the co-founder and owner of Ampersands Restorative Justice and the founder of Ampersands Advocacy Resources. She is a “pracademic” and “survivor scholar” in that she incorporates her academic training, practitioner experience, and personal history with sexual violence into her work. She holds a PhD in Criminal Justice from the City University of New York. Alissa had spent over 20 years studying sexual offending, the impacts of sexual victimization, and restorative options for those impacted by sexual harm. Along with Casey Ballinger, she is a 2024 co-recipient of the Gail Burns-Smith Award presented by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse.
Lauren Ruvo Carroll, Ed.M, J.D., has over 10 years of experience working with survivors of sexual violence in a variety of capacities. She holds a Ed.M. in human development psychology from Harvard University and a J.D. from Georgetown University. Her knowledge of the law and training in psychology positions her well to provide trauma-informed care that supports survivors in ways that they need. Lauren has worked on Capitol Hill, the Department of Health and Human Services, multiple law firms, and Loyola Marymount University providing a wide variety of services to survivors. She is also a trained restorative justice facilitator.