Mariela Ruiz-Angel is a leading expert in community-centered safety strategies and alternative crisis response. She joins Georgetown Law’s Center for Innovation in Community Safety (CICS) after serving as the founding director of the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Department—one of the first and largest municipal-led alternative response programs in the country. Under her leadership, ACS redefined crisis response by deploying behavioral health responders, social workers, and community advocates instead of law enforcement for nonviolent 911 calls related to mental health, homelessness, and substance use. Her work set a national precedent for city-led alternative response models, demonstrating how municipalities can successfully invest in care-based safety solutions while reducing reliance on police intervention.

In addition to ACS, Mariela has led multiple Violence Intervention Programs (VIPs), including School-Based VIPs for youth, Trauma Recovery Centers for survivors, and Hospital-Based VIPs connecting patients recovering from violent injuries to long-term support. Her trauma-informed approach to violence intervention has been instrumental in shifting public safety toward community-driven solutions.

Before Mariela left the city after 10 years service, she served as Associate Chief Administrative Officer for Mayor Tim Keller, overseeing Public Safety, Homelessness, Emergency Response, and Diversity and Equity Departments. In this capacity, she played a key role in shaping citywide policies that addressed systemic inequities, improved emergency response coordination, and expanded resources for vulnerable populations.

At CICS, Mariela’s expertise in program development, policy advocacy, and coalition-building strengthens CICS ability to support cities in implementing effective, compassionate first response systems. By leveraging her deep experience, CICS is expanding its capacity to help communities nationwide design scalable and sustainable alternative response models that prioritize care over criminalization.

Contact via email at mariela.ruizangel@georgetown.edu