Maryland
Melanie Shapiro is Director of Juvenile Justice Policy for Maryland's Office of the Public Defender, where she previously served as chief attorney and supervising attorney in the Baltimore City Juvenile Division. As director, she represents the Office during the Maryland legislative session and in joint efforts to improve the juvenile justice system, including participation in Maryland's SAG, the Work Group to Study Safe Harbor Policy for Youth Victims of Human Trafficking, and the School to Prison Pipeline Commission. She has also developed trainings and policies for the Office's juvenile defense practice. Ms. Shapiro most recently served on FACJJ from 2016 to 2018. She received a bachelor's degree in government with a minor in religious studies from Franklin & Marshall College and a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.