Prior to joining the Council, Bayless worked in marketing, communications, and community engagement for a variety of organizations. Her background includes extensive work with currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, including with a Seattle-area prison education and reentry nonprofit, Wesleyan University's Center for Prison Education, and NYU's Prison Education Program. Bayless holds her Master's in Public Administration with a focus on Public Policy Analysis from NYU Wagner and her Bachelor's in English and government from Wesleyan University.