Our Team

Barbs (she/her/ella) is Co-Executive Director of the Transformative Justice Project of Colorado, where she leads operations and programs.

Rooted in the border between Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, Barbs came to Colorado for her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Denver. Now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she has spent nearly twelve years working across education, mental health, child welfare, and the criminal injustice system. Her goal has never been to make those systems slightly less harmful. It’s to build something better.

Barbs works in Spanish and English, through real relationships, and alongside young people, families, and communities rather than on their behalf. She has co-authored articles on antiracism and abolishing whiteness and serves as a peer reviewer for the journal Advances in Social Work, reviewing scholarly articles on whiteness, race, and antiracism.

She lives in Colorado with her husband and two tuxedo cats, to whom she is highly allergic.

Erin is Co-Executive Director of the Transformative Justice Project of Colorado, where she oversees development and communications. She also provides court advocacy and case management support through the Community Cares program.

Prior to joining TJP, Erin spent 14 years as a school psychologist in Aurora and Denver Public Schools, where she became passionate about the need for systemic change in education. She earned her undergraduate degree in Special Education from Saint Louis University, began her teaching career at Savio House in Denver in 2007, and holds an Education Specialist degree in Child, Family, and School Psychology from the University of Denver.

Throughout her career, Erin has been guided by a core belief: there are no bad kids, only unmet needs. As a mother of three neurodivergent children navigating dyslexia, ADHD, and hearing loss—and as someone late-diagnosed with ADHD herself—she understands how systems prioritize conformity over creativity, often leaving neurodivergent individuals feeling ill-equipped or unseen. She recognizes the privileges that enabled her own success despite these challenges, privileges too often denied to system-impacted youth.

As a co-founder of the Community Cares program, Erin has led efforts to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by providing holistic support to system-impacted youth. Her leadership integrates her background in mental health and education with an unwavering commitment to decentering whiteness and advancing antiracist practices in youth advocacy.

Erin lives in Denver, where she enjoys camping, traveling, hiking, baking, running, snowboarding, and playing drums with her husband, three kids, and two dogs.

Tiera, a dedicated public servant, has previously worked in Special Education Law with the Colorado Department of Education's Dispute Resolution Unit. She was selected as the 2022 Gault Center Fellow where she helped strengthen the quality of legal representation for system-impacted youth. Tiera previously worked at the Colorado State Public Defenders Office, assisting in the representation of youth with felony and misdemeanor cases. Presently, Tiera provides pro bono legal representation to victims of domestic violence through Volunteer Legal Advocates, and to Colorado youth in need of expungement and deregistration assistance through TJP's Believe in Youth program. She also provides legal research support to the Office of Alternate Defense Counsel. 

Tiera currently serves as the Officer of Community Action and Advocacy for the Colorado Women's Bar Association. She also volunteers for Learn Your Rights in the Community (LYRIC), a new program of TJP’s; LYRIC is led by passionate attorney volunteers that donate their time to educate and empower Colorado youth to exercise their constitutional rights. Tiera graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2020 after receiving her bachelor’s from Boston College.

Tiera lives in Denver, Colorado with her son, their ball python, Kyle, and their growing collection of over fifty houseplants.

Michael is a community advocate, former educator, entrepreneur, and caseworker dedicated to supporting youth and families impacted by systemic inequities. Raised in a single-parent household and experiencing extreme poverty, Michael’s lived experience has shaped his lifelong commitment to service, mentorship, and community empowerment.

He graduated from Sierra High School in Colorado Springs in 2005 and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2014, with a focus on psychology, art, and supporting at-risk youth. Michael credits much of his success to the nonprofits and mentors who recognized his potential early on, inspiring his commitment to “pay it forward” through his work.

Michael began his career with Denver Parks and Recreation, facilitating programming in sports, arts, culture, and education. He later served as a Mentor Coordinator with Friends for Youth and went on to become an educator in the Denver metro area, where he focused on leadership development, mentorship, and creating opportunities for underserved students.

Over the years, Michael has worked across Colorado Springs and Denver with numerous nonprofit organizations, leading grassroots efforts focused on education, justice reform, and economic empowerment. As the founder of Better Days Delivery & SEED, he supported over 100 entrepreneurs and community members through programming, partnerships, and resource coordination.

Today, Michael serves as a case manager with the Transformative Justice Project of Colorado, where he supports system-impacted youth through trauma-informed, community-based care. His work is grounded in a deep belief in second chances, the power of relationships, and the importance of creating pathways for young people to define their own futures.

Nohely is a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Colorado. She obtained her Master of Social Work from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Having grown up in a community and school system where access to support, guidance, and resources was limited, she understands the importance of having trusted adults and supportive communities to help young people navigate challenges and reach their goals. Her work is rooted in creating spaces where youth feel seen, heard, and supported.

In addition to her clinical social work license, she is a Certified Addictions Specialist and Approved Domestic Violence Treatment Provider, with additional training in EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), reflecting her commitment to supporting the whole person and addressing the complex experiences that shape mental health and well-being. She believes that mental health is an important aspect of creating a balanced and meaningful life. She hopes to help break stigmas and stereotypes surrounding mental health, and believes that therapy is most useful when it recognizes how parts of identity interact with our social, cultural, and political environment.

She was raised in Oaxaca, Mexico as well as in Denver, Colorado, and enjoys visiting her family back home every year. She loves spending time with friends and family, as well as enjoying outdoor activities throughout Colorado.

Thai has spent most of her professional career working in the social services realm. She segued into education in 2021 and became passionate quickly. It was a field that married her interests in youth work, direct service, and education itself.

Thai earned her Bachelor’s in Political Science with a minor in Africana Studies from Howard University, working in various capacities throughout her collegiate journey, always centering service. Most recently she worked for Boston Public Schools as a Restorative Practices Safe and Welcoming Schools Specialist, and as a Program Manager for the Push-In Model, an ESSER funded pilot program launched with the intention of reimagining traditional school discipline through increasing adult capacity and offering alternatives to in-school suspensions.

Thai has additional experience as a Case Manager and Youth Engaged in Action (YEA!) Program Coordinator for Action for Boston Community Development Inc., where in addition to case management, she completed outreach for the YEA! program. She has also worked as a Domestic Violence Advocate with the Association of Haitian Women in Boston (Assosyasyon Fanm Ayisyen nan Boston).

Thai is excited to be working in Denver with TJP in this newest capacity.