Kenitra Brown joined the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center in April 2019 as Practitioner-in-Residence and Engagement Coordinator. A life-long Dallas resident, Kenitra received her J.D. from the SMU Dedman School of Law. Before attending law school, Kenitra received her B.A. from Rice University where she worked to improve diversity in education.
Kenitra joins the Deason Center after several years of private criminal defense practice in North Dallas. She also has extensive experience in post-conviction litigation, including federal clemency advocacy, and Texas parolee release and reentry management. Kenitra serves as a volunteer with Girls Embracing Mothers, a North Texas nonprofit for young women impacted by a parent’s involvement in the criminal justice system. Kenitra spearheads the Deason Center’s community engagement initiatives for the law school, the university, and the North Texas area. Kenitra also leads Deason Center’s advocacy and engagement efforts with criminal justice research and reform advocates across the nation.