Susan F. Bayles is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown Law’s Center for Innovations in Community Safety, where she advises on legal and policy issues related to alternative response programs and active bystandership for law enforcement. Her work supports the development of equitable, community-based public safety strategies grounded in evidence and collaboration.

Susan has over a decade of experience across the federal government and nonprofit sectors, dedicating her career to protecting public safety and supporting law enforcement in ways that promote justice. Previously, she served as Associate Legal Advisor in the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where she led legal support for undercover operations and trained hundreds of attorneys and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents on criminal law, constitutional protections, and use of force policy. 

Susan began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow at ICE HSI International Operations, where she led international biometric data-sharing programs, developed interagency processes for protecting sensitive records, and trained law enforcement and intelligence personnel.

Susan holds a J.D. and M.A. in International Relations from Boston University and a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar.