Jennifer Toon

Jennifer Toon is a passionate prison abolitionist. As a formerly incarcerated woman, her experience with the criminal legal system began at age 15 when she was adjudicated under Texas determinate sentencing laws. Her conviction started a long journey through 27 years of criminal justice involvement. Jennifer has been published in The Texas Observer, The Marshall Project, The Guardian and is also the co-host of On the Rec Yard: Women’s Prison Podcast. She is also a JustLeadershipUSA Leading with Conviction™ (LwC) graduate. 

As the Executive Director for Lioness, Jennifer aspires to use her lived experience to bring attention to the voices of other system-impacted individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+, youth, and people with disabilities. She lives in Austin, Texas with her cat Taylor, who embodies the mischievous energy of Taylor Swift.