Roberta Meyers-Peeples is Director of the Legal Action Center's National H.I.R.E. (Helping Individuals with criminal records Reenter through Employment) Network, a project aimed at increasing the number and quality of job opportunities available to people with criminal records by changing public policies, employment practices and public opinion. Prior to assuming this position, Ms. Meyers-Peeples served as Co-Director of HIRE for two years, Co-Deputy Director for one year and as the Field Educator and Organizer for two years while dramatically expanding the outreach of the Network. She has worked directly with policy makers and advocates around the country to identify public policy priorities that directly affect employment opportunities for people with criminal records as well as helped develop appropriate advocacy strategies in strengthening or challenging existing legislation in those states. Ms. Meyers-Peeples has also served as a Legal Assistant at the Legal Action Center for 10 years.

Ms. Meyers-Peeples has accepted invitations to present at dozens of national, regional, and local criminal justice and workforce development conferences around the country. She has trained hundreds of workforce development and corrections staff on employment strategies that best serve job seekers who have criminal histories. She is the author of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) newly released primer entitled Serving the Employment Needs of Justice-Involved Juveniles and Adults: A Primer for Treatment and Recovery Support Service Providers (May 2008), is a contributing author for the U.S. Department of Labor guidebook, Working Ahead: A Guide for Connecting Youth Offenders with Employment Opportunities (July 2004) and is author of the “Completing Employment Applications” section of Legal Action Center’s How to Get and Clean Up Your New York State Rap Sheet, Sixth Edition 2003.

Roberta has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, Management, and Economics with a concentration in Management from the State University of New York/Empire State College. Additionally, she serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Youth Represent, a non-profit legal advocacy organization for juveniles in New York City and on the Steering Committee of the National Transitional Jobs Network.