Alissa Marque Heydari

Biography

Alissa Marque Heydari is an expert on criminal law, prosecution, and criminal justice policy. Prior to joining Vanderbilt Law School, she served as acting director of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution (IIP) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While at the IIP, Alissa launched its Beyond Big Cities program, which successfully engaged prosecutors from around the country in smaller, rural, and conservative jurisdictions.

Before running the IIP, Alissa was an Assistant District Attorney in New York County (DANY), where she handled hundreds of cases, including violent felonies and homicides. While at DANY she served as Acting Criminal Court Supervisor and was a member of the Sex Crimes Unit and Elder Abuse Unit.

Alissa is a graduate of the George Washington University Law School and received her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley. She also clerked in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court in New Jersey. She has been widely quoted in the popular press including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post.