Dr. Tanisha Cannon brings not only her educational background but also her lived experience to the fight for justice. Having witnessed the impact of incarceration on her mother, brothers, and grandfather—and having been directly impacted herself as a youth—she approaches this work with both heart and firsthand understanding.

In her role, Dr. Cannon combines personal experience with expertise in education, sociology, criminal justice, and public administration. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on social justice from Cal State East Bay in 2023.

Before joining LSPC, she worked with the Oakland Housing Authority and as a Cultural Strategist for the City of Oakland, collaborating with communities and leaders to advance equity and inclusion.

Guided by the principles of Ubuntu—caring, compassion, love, and humanity—Dr. Cannon’s mission is to educate and mobilize our communities toward systemic change. She believes real transformation happens when we center people, honor lived experience, and organize from a place of shared humanity.