Melissa Rothstein

Legal policy, grants, and strategic planning with a focus on the intersection of public health and the criminal/juvenile legal systems.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

About

Experience

  • Founder and Principal at Shifting Systems LLC
    Aug 2025 - Present · 1 yr

    Provide strategic advice and expertise in project development, grant solicitation and management, communications, oversight and evaluation, and legal analysis with a focus on the intersection of criminal and public health systems. Clients include: Association for the Public Defender of Maryland, Baker Tilly, Out for Justice, Northeastern University.

  • Advisory Board Member at Identity Access Project
    Jan 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 7 mos

  • Senior Legal Fellow at The Action Lab
    Apr 2025 - Mar 2026 · 1 yr

    Serve on the project team for the Advancing Harm Reduction through the Law (AHRLA) project. Create and disseminate information and resource materials for legal advocates and harm reduction providers, participate in strategic legal advocacy to support harm reduction efforts and clients, and develop legal navigation pilot programs.

  • Association for the Public Defender of Maryland (8 yrs 9 mos)
    • Co Executive Director
      Oct 2022 - Sep 2025 · 3 yrs

    • Chief Operating Officer
      Jan 2017 - Sep 2022 · 5 yrs 9 mos

      Lead nonprofit organization with a mission to support the Maryland Public Defender.

  • Office of the Public Defender Maryland (10 yrs 3 mos)
    • Chief of External Affairs
      Sep 2022 - Sep 2025 · 3 yrs 1 mo

      Oversee policy, development, and communications activities at state public defender agency.

    • Director of Policy and Development
      Jul 2015 - Aug 2022 · 7 yrs 2 mos