Each of Olivia McLarnan’s varied steps toward a career in criminal justice policy has illuminated how policy shape people’s lives — and confirmed for her that public service offers the meaningful work she seeks.
After graduating from the University of Oregon, she held a range of roles that taught her how organizations function and what it means to work in fast-paced, mission-driven environments. She eventually transitioned into state-level campaign work and ultimately into advocacy #cut50 (now Dream.org), where she supported work on the First Step Act (2018), a bipartisan U.S. federal law focused on criminal justice reform aimed at reducing recidivism. Through that experience, Olivia met people who were able to return home because of the First Step Act — individuals who had been serving long, often disproportionate sentences. Those connections cemented her understanding of policy’s real-world impact. “Policy isn’t abstract,” Olivia said. “In this case, it was giving someone a second chance.”
Today, as a Policy Specialist at the Council on Criminal Justice, Olivia works at the intersection of research, policy, and public education. The Council’s nonpartisan approach challenges her thinking and exposes her to a broad range of perspectives. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at American University, with a focus on quantitative analysis, helping her marry data with human stories.
Olivia was drawn to the Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellowship for its emphasis on principled advocacy and has enjoyed getting to know her fellow cohort members, whom she describes as bright, generous, and deeply curious. She also greatly values the mentoring component. Her mentor, Emily Dickens, has already helped her reframe challenges and view her career questions through a wider, more strategic lens.
