Alissa Marque Heydari

Alissa Marque Heydari served as Acting Director of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution (IIP) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice for two years. The IIP provides a collaborative national platform to bring together local prosecutors, policy experts, and the communities they serve to foster data-driven strategies, cutting-edge scholarship, and innovative thinking. 

Prior to joining the IIP, Alissa was an Assistant District Attorney in New York County (DANY), where she handled hundreds of cases, including violent felonies and homicides. While at DANY she served as Acting Criminal Court Supervisor and was a member of the Sex Crimes Unit and Elder Abuse Unit.

Alissa is a graduate of the George Washington University Law School and received her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley. She clerked for the Honorable Mitchel E. Ostrer in the New Jersey Appellate Division. She has been quoted in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NBC News, Bloomberg Law, CBS, The Washington Post, and many other media outlets.