Shanikka White

Shanikka White seeks to bring change to the criminal legal system and is dedicated to providing women with the resources and support they need before, during, and after systems-involvement. Shanikka brings over twenty-five years of experience in the criminal justice and human services fields to WPA.

Since joining the organization in 2019, Shanikka has brought strong leadership, strategic planning, insightful reporting, and a deep understanding of WPA’s clientele to her work. As a team leader, she has managed multiple programs at once, supporting her team members to ensure all operations run smoothly and efficiently, and has improved program operations through her deft implementation of enhanced services. She has worked with staff and clients to improve trauma-responsive case management, implementing reentry plans that ensure immediate stabilizing support is available for clients upon release.

Shanikka is devoted to providing clientele with a route to stabilization and safety through mental health care, housing, educational services, parenting support, substance misuse treatment, and other resources that target the root causes of incarceration. She has overseen a project on Rikers Island, supervising staff and working directly with women who are detained, and has provided case consultation and training to staff and stakeholders on working with survivors of trauma and other forms of victimization. Shanikka’s leadership and expertise has helped WPA clients progress towards their independent living goals and reach program milestones.

Before joining WPA, Shanikka worked directly with homeless populations for several years as a case manager and residential monitor, addressing the unique needs of her clients with empathy and rapport. She supported her clients with individualized housing plans, building networks of support services that best suited their needs, and assisted her clients in securing gainful employment, establishing and monitoring saving accounts, preparing for housing interviews, and arranging housing appointments. When working in shelters, Shanikka witnessed firsthand how so many women released from jail experience homelessness, and she is driven to provide these women with the dignity and safety they need, reducing their risk of recidivism and improving their quality of life.

Shanikka earned her Associate of Science in Criminal Justice from LaGuardia Community College and is working towards earning her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from John Jay College.