Chico Tillmon

Chico Tillmon, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Leadership Academy. The CVI Leadership Academy is the first CVI training program designed to elevate the leadership capacity of leaders who oversee community-based organizations, offices of violence prevention, hospital violence intervention, and other components of the CVI ecosystem working tirelessly to quell violence in vulnerable communities. Chico joined the Crime Lab after working at Heartland Alliance as the Executive Director of READI National Center for Safer Communities, a national technical assistance provider that provides capacity building and training for cities and communities throughout the United States. The READI model utilizes employment combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, skill-building, and other support to those at the highest risk of becoming involved in gun violence. Tillmon is also a violence-prevention expert who serves on the leadership team of the Black and Brown Peace Consortium, the collaborative that led the Fund Peace initiative. The former executive director of the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s Youth Safety and Violence Prevention programs, he is a leading national consultant and training and technical assistance provider on violence prevention, reentry, and non-profits.