The Georgia Public Policy Foundation, Georgia’s only free-market, state-focused public policy research organization, is pleased to announce the addition of Ross Coker as Research and Outreach Director.

Coker earned his B.A. in political science at Auburn University and his law degree at Pepperdine University School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California and practiced in Washington, D.C., before joining the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.

Coker’s primary focus is the Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative.

“The Georgia Public Policy Foundation has a proud history of championing criminal justice reform since our inception 25 years ago,” said Kelly McCutchen, president and CEO of the Foundation. “Tragic recent events around the nation have reinforced the need for us to intensify our focus on criminal justice policies;  the addition of Ross to our staff will enable us to do just that.”

In 2012, Governor Nathan Deal credited the Foundation with launching the initiative for bipartisan criminal justice reform in Georgia. Since then, elected officials have worked to return productive adults and juveniles into their communities, with reforms focused on sentencing, family cohesion and education and work skills for those under correctional supervision.