Nina Catalano is a policy and systems advisor dedicated to advancing innovation and best practices across the justice, long-term care, and homelessness response sectors. She holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and has worked across Sub-Saharan Africa and North and South America to design and implement initiatives that strengthen health and social systems. Nina serves as Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives at Velocity, a Nairobi-based social enterprise advancing ethical healthcare labor mobility by preparing African nurses for careers in Europe. Her work helps shape policy and partnerships that expand access to employment while addressing critical shortages in elder and long-term care.

Previously, as Senior Program Officer at Tipping Point Community, she led a $100M public-private partnership to reduce chronic homelessness in San Francisco through investments in behavioral health, workforce development, and systems change—promoting coordinated care that aligns healthcare and housing interventions. Earlier in her career, Nina served with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office, where she helped pioneer state and local reforms to shift criminal justice systems toward public health and prevention, rather than punishment. She has also led research projects at the intersection of justice reform, health, and human rights across multiple countries including England, Mexico, and Brazil.

Her career reflects a consistent focus on dignity, inclusion, and the design of systems that support health and justice globally. Nina is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and lives in Nairobi, Kenya.