2016 National Conference

Matt’s responsibilities at LISC’s Community Safety Initiative (CSI) include oversight of the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Program training and technical assistance effort.  Prior to joining LISC, Matt oversaw training and technical assistance projects in support of the federal Weed and Seed crime prevention effort, as well as providing support to HUD and local housing agencies for crime reduction efforts in public housing environments.  Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Towson University and a Master’s degree in Criminology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

Dr. Kimberly Spring is a Senior Research Associate at the Annie E Casey Foundation, where she manages evaluation and research studies for the Foundation’s investments related to child development, family economic success, community and neighborhood change, policy reform, and leadership development. Prior to joining the Casey Foundation, Kimberly worked as a research and policy analyst at the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees the country’s national service programs, as well as the Social Innovation Fund. She received her PhD in Sociology from the New School for Social Research in New York City. 

Seema D. Iyer PhD is associate director and research assistant professor for the Jacob France Institute in the University of Baltimore's Merrick School of Business. Dr. Iyer oversees the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA), which has been dedicated to providing reliable, community-based indicators for Baltimore’s neighborhoods since 2000. BNIA is part of the Urban Institute's national partnership of sites that provide longitudinal data on demographics, housing, crime, education and sustainability. Dr. Iyer is a recognized expert on strategic planning in community development; recent projects include the McElderry Park Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Plan, Regional Housing Plan for the Opportunity Collaborative, and community needs assessments for Baltimore City Head Start and the Family League of Baltimore.

Dr. Iyer is also director of UB’s B.S. in Real Estate and Economic Development, Maryland’s only public undergraduate program in this field. Prior to joining UB, Iyer served as Chief of Research & Strategic Planning for Baltimore City’s Planning Department and was responsible for data and policy analysis, geographic information systems services and population forecasting. She spearheaded the city's 2010 Census Complete Count Campaign as well as other planning processes such as the 2009 Food Policy Task Force and the 2008 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. Her Ph.D. in urban and regional planning is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she gained international research experience through her study of comprehensive planning strategies in post-socialist countries. She earned her MA in regional science and BA in mathematics and Russian studies, both from the University of Pennsylvania.