Akhter has spent her career advancing justice reform through a variety of organizations. Prior to joining the Council, she was chief of staff of criminal justice at Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to promoting evidence-based policy solutions for some of our nation’s most intractable social problems. Earlier in her career, she led reentry and employment policy initiatives at the Council of State Governments Justice Center and provided direct services to people returning home from incarceration. Akhter holds a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University.