Michelle Weemhoff, M.S.W., is the Founder and Lead Strategist of Next Generation Justice Consulting, LLC and part-time instructor at Western Michigan University’s School of Social Work. Over the past decade, she has held various roles at the Michigan Center for Youth Justice, including Deputy Director and Senior Policy Advisor, leading initiatives to improve court proceedings and quality legal representation for youth, expand the use of alternatives to detention and incarceration, and end the prosecution of youth in the adult criminal justice system. She frequently serves on statewide coalitions addressing justice reform, child welfare, mental health, race equity and the school-to-prison pipeline and has co-authored numerous reports, including MCYJ's “Youth Behind Bars: Examining the Impact of Prosecuting and Incarcerating Kids in Michigan’s Criminal Justice System" (2013) and the Youth Transition Funders Group’s “Blueprint for Youth Justice Reform" (2016). Michelle received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Michigan.