Conan Harris

Conan Harris is currently the Deputy Director for the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety Initiatives. The Office of Public Safety Initiatives was created by the Walsh administration with the mission and commitment to develop sustainable systems through a lens of access, opportunity and innovation as it relates to violence prevention and intervention. Harris is also the Director of My Brother’s Keeper Boston, a White House Initiative to improve the outcomes for black and brown boys and men.

Prior to The Mayor’s Office, Conan was the StreetWorker Manager for StreetSafe Boston, an initiative of The Boston Foundation.  StreetSafe works with Boston’s young people by deploying Street Workers to engage proven risk youth.  Building on strong and trusting mentoring relationships, Street Workers intervene in and prevent violence, connecting young people to much needed programs and services.

 Conan holds a BA in Sociology from Boston University. He has consulted nationally and internationally on various violence prevention/intervention, and youth development programming. Conan speaks publicly to universities and leading nonprofits on CORI laws, re-entry issues, and the Prison Industrial Complex. 

It is Conan’s personal experience in overcoming many of the challenges that are prevalent in the inner-city that drives his dedication and determination to make a positive difference in urban communities. Being raised by a single mother and a family of strong women helped shape his values. He holds them all near and dear, especially his wife Ayanna and pride and joy, daughter Cora.