Today I am visiting with Melissa O’Dell, the Executive Director of Defy Ventures Illinois. Melissa has been on the Defy Ventures team for the past six years, most recently in the role of Vice President of Programs nationally. Although currently residing in Chicago, she originally grew up in New York. Melissa is a person driven by fulfilling her sense of purpose in this world and to that end was led her to pursue her BA from Franklin and Marshall College in Government and Women’s Studies as well as a Master’s from NYU in Social Work and Public Policy. During our conversation you'll hear all about her years spent working at the Center for Court Innovation to provide new opportunities to individuals involved in the criminal justice system and increase the efficacy of the judiciary and how that directly impacted her current role with Defy Ventures. That is just the tip of the iceberg of Melissa's resume which is decidedly impressive. But even more impressive to me is Melissa's authenticity, her quest to do and be the good in this world, and her relentless drive to help change a broken justice system. She speaks with authority, knowledge, experience, and compassion. This is the soul behind Defy Ventures.