Join us as we host Dr. Wangui Muigai and Kimberly Haven as our fourth STEMulate The Vote Seminar Series panelists!

Wangui Muigai, Ph.D.

Wangui Muigai, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor at Brandeis University in the departments of History, African and African American Studies, and the Program in Health: Science, Society, and Policy. Her research focuses on race and health, and the history and politics of reproduction in the U.S. She is currently writing a book on the history of black infant mortality in the United States. Dr. Muigai received her Ph.D. in history of science from Princeton University and her A.B. in history of science from Harvard University. In 2017 she was the History Fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Kimberly Haven

Kimberly Haven is a thought leader and a powerful voice and force in the social justice movement. She is a focus-issue expert and is a frequently called upon speaker on issues such as Women in Prison, Women’s Reproductive Justice, Voting Rights and Democracy, Collateral Consequences, Conditions of Confinement, Mass Incarceration and Re-Entry, Pre-Trial Reform, and Parole and Probation reforms.  She is a sought-after expert for legislative testifying and media commentary on a broad range of criminal justice reform and advocacy issues and she consults with state and local elected officials and executives on criminal justice issues. She has played a leadership role in numerous statewide efforts and has executed a variety of message campaigns in order to engage and impact public debates and ultimately to move policy.  She has successfully ideated and created innovative community engagement strategies and campaigns during the past 20+ years and she has the unique distinction of being one of only 2 formerly incarcerated individuals (and the only woman) who has written and gotten passed several pieces of legislation at both the State and City levels. She has an extensive background in community organizing, creating advocacy campaigns and leading legislative campaigns. She is uniquely familiar with the criminal justice system as a result of her own incarceration and is adept at organizing in this space. Currently, she is the Director of Policy, Advocacy and Outreach for “From Prison Cells to PhD” where she leads the efforts of the Policy and Communications teams as well as a team of Ambassadors who are operating in three states to develop satellite programs.  Additionally, she is a member of the Unlock Higher Ed steering committee and sits on several sub-committees providing administrative support. She has a strong passion for all justice issues, with a special focus on the reproductive justice issues facing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and is committed to reforming the negative conditions of confinement.  In this space, she is the Policy and Coalition Director for Reproductive Justice Inside (RJI) where she wrote the first-in-the-nation law prohibiting the forced solitary confinement of pregnant and post-pregnant individuals. This law ended and archaic practice that was tantamount to punishing a woman for being pregnant. Ms. Haven speaks with a fresh voice, insight and authority that brings new attention to the issues in the criminal justice system.