Nina Vinik leads the Joyce Foundation’s grant making in support of evidence-based policies and practices to reduce gun deaths and injuries, improve police legitimacy and build police-community trust, and reduce mass incarceration in the United States. Under Vinik’s direction, Joyce has funded some of the nation’s most significant research into the impact of state prevention strategies. She also has focused on developing broad stakeholder coalitions to advocate for policies to keep our communities safe.

Prior to joining the foundation in 2008, Vinik, an attorney, served as legal director of Legal Community Against Violence (LCAV), a nonprofit organization providing legal and technical assistance in support of gun violence prevention policy efforts nationwide. Her other experience includes serving as director of the Litigation Assistance Partnership Project of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation, Fair Housing Project director of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc., and legal director of the ACLU Foundation of Florida, Inc. She also practiced law at the firm of Jenner & Block in Chicago.

Vinik earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and received her law degree from the University of Chicago.