Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy
Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy
The IMRP aspires to be a respected and visible presence throughout the State of Connecticut, known for its ability to promote, develop and implement just, effective public policy.
Andrew Clark
Director | IMRP at UConn
Mr. Clark works to facilitate efficient and effective solutions to critical issues facing Connecticut policymakers. The IMRP brings together a dedicated team of UConn faculty, staff, and students with state, national and international experts to provide immediate and long-range policy solutions.
Brittany LaMarr
Research and Policy Specialist | IMRP at UConn
Brittany is a tireless advocate for human rights, youth justice, and legal policy reforms across state, national, and international levels. With a B.A. in Political Science from UConn, where she is also an MPP & J.D. Candidate. Brittany personifies the power of education as an alum of Yale Law School’s Access to Law Fellowship and a Frederic Bastiat Fellow of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She brings her unique blend of lived experience and scholarship to her many leadership roles, serving as: Assistant Director of the National Prison Debate League, Project Manager of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee with the Tow Youth Justice Institute, Smart Justice Leader with the ACLU of Connecticut, Justice Advisor with Connecticut Justice Alliance, and a member of the New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education in Prison.
Destiny Smith
Educational Outreach Assistant | IMRP at UConn
Destiny Smith recently graduated from Quinnipiac University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. As the Educational Outreach Assistant, she coordinates activities and supports the planning, implementation, creation, and promotion of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP)’s educational campaigns and the events of the International Justice Exchange (IJE) project.
Ms. Smith is a social justice defender, passionate about driving policy changes to reduce recidivism rates and promote incarceration alternatives, such as restorative justice practices, by collaborating with community organizations, policymakers, and grassroots movements, and strives to dismantle barriers and advocate for more humane approaches to administering justice. With her academic background in psychology, she has gained a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of human behavior and the profound effects of social inequality on mental health. Ms. Smith is proficient in applying evidence-based approaches to advocate for change, addressing the root causes of societal issues, and creating a more just and equitable environment for all.
Ms. Smith is on track to further her legal career by becoming a civil rights attorney, concentrating on prison reform, wrongful convictions, rehabilitation, and more.
John Lucas
Director of Visual Content | Institute of Municipal and Regional Policy
Mr. Lucas has worked as a documentary photographer, visual artist and filmmaker for more than 25 years. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries both nationally and internationally including the Brooklyn Art Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Redcat (Los Angeles), OK Harris Works of Art (NYC), The Smithsonian Museum (DC), Pulitzer Arts Foundation (MO), La Panaderia (Mexico City), Aeroplastics Contemporary, (Brussels) and Fieldgate Gallery (London). His work has appeared in print including the Atlantic Monthly, Art in America, Artforum, The New York Times and Vogue magazine.
Affiliated Faculty
Jacob Werblow
Professor, Curriculum & Instruction | Central Connecticut State University
Dr. Werblow has served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar (Kyoto, Japan), Harber Fellow in Education at Wesleyan University. He is a certified school administrator, and was a public-school teacher in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA. His research interests include: school equity, parent engagement, and prison reform. Jacob co-authored several research projects with the IMRP, including Life on Parole (LOP) Case Study: Measuring the Impact of The New York Times and Frontline’s Collaboration in Connecticut and Beyond (2019) and a Program Evaluability Study of Culinary Arts Programs in the Connecticut Department of Correction (2015).