Kirby Gaherty is the Program Director for Justice Initiatives at the National League of Cities.
Kirby is responsible for managing grant-funded projects focused on city-led efforts and partnership strategies related to jail reduction, young adult justice and reimagining public safety. A large part of Kirby’s work aligns with NLC’s role as a Strategic Ally with the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge. Previously, she worked in both Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ on various projects surrounding the reentry of returning citizens, workforce development and the engagement of young adults. Most notably, Kirby served as the inaugural Program Director for PowerCorps Camden, an AmeriCorps program with a focus on justice-involved young adult workforce development through green infrastructure maintenance. In addition, her work with Mayor Michael Nutter’s Office of Reintegration Services led to her passion for justice transformation and alternatives to incarceration, with a specific interest in youth and young adult populations. Kirby holds a master’s degree in Criminology from Saint Joseph’s University and an undergraduate degree from Temple University.
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