our TEAM

Kyndra Simmons
Senior Director, Frontline Support and CVI Integration

Kyndra Simmons, a nationally recognized expert in urban violence prevention, brings over 25 years of experience working with at-risk youth and families to the HAVI, where she serves as the senior director of frontline support and CVI integration. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of the HAVI’s Violence Prevention Professional (VPP) Training and Certification Program and the staffing of the HAVI’s Empowering the Front Line (EFL) member working group. She also provides ongoing TTA to frontline staff of existing and emerging HVIPs. Previously, Kyndra served as the director of programs for Youth ALIVE!, a community-based organization in Oakland, CA that works to empower violently injured people to heal themselves and their communities. Prior to joining the HAVI full-time, Kyndra served as a member of the HAVI faculty, providing expertise and technical support to HAVI member programs. Throughout her career, Kyndra’s interest in mental health has driven her to focus on the effects of trauma on families and communities with an emphasis on the role of environment in the spread of violence. She earned a PhD in community psychology, focusing her doctoral research on the impact of community violence on individual behavior, and holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in psychology.