Hernán Carvente-Martinez

Hernán Carvente-Martinez is the executive director of the Alianza for Youth Justice, the founder of Healing Ninjas, Inc., a Youth Leadership Coach, and a social entrepreneur. Carvente-Martinez has worked for a myriad of causes including juvenile justice, child welfare, mental health, corrections, and philanthropy. He is passionate about developing sustainable, community-driven solutions in partnership with youth and families.

Recently, Carvente-Martinez supported state campaigns that focused on closing youth prisons and reinvesting money into community alternatives at the Youth First Initiative. He worked with directly impacted young people in these campaigns by offering professional development support, coaching, and other resources. Previously, he worked as a program analyst at the Vera Institute of Justice, where he ensured that youth and families were included in statewide policy reform efforts around the country.

He was awarded the Spirit of Youth Award by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the Next Generation Champion for Change award by the MacArthur Foundation, and is also a 2021 Reebok Human Rights Award winner. Carvente-Martinez is a member of several philanthropic funds that support the leadership of directly impacted communities and serves on the boards of Community Connections for Youth and the Alliance for Youth Organizing.