Lana J Mendis

I’m a transformational leader and justice reform advocate whose work is grounded in lived experience and driven by a commitment to systemic change. As Leadership Training Manager at JustLeadershipUSA, I help design and deliver leadership development, strengthen communication across staff, alumni, and partners, and support advocacy efforts that elevate the expertise of system-impacted leaders nationwide.

I’m also a 2022 Leading with Conviction™ alumna and have advanced reentry and healing through roles with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s Chopping for a Change program (culinary training and trauma recovery), as well as through my work as a mentor and ambassador for the Prison-to-Professional PhD initiative. I’m a member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, a Community Ambassador for the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, and a published author.

With more than two decades of leadership experience in finance—including Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, and CBOT—I bring strategic insight, operational rigor, and heart-centered execution to every endeavor. I hold a B.A. in Leadership & Ministry, an MBA in Organizational Management, and I’m currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership at the University of Dayton.

My journey—from incarceration, abuse, and homelessness to national leadership—reflects my resilience and unwavering belief in redemption and human potential.