research - policy - advocacy - healing -
research - policy - advocacy - healing -
Dr. Jordan Costa’s journey in community violence intervention began at the age of 18, shaped by profound personal loss and a deep understanding of the barriers to healing in her community. After losing a parent to gun violence and growing up in a Latino culture where mental health conversations were rarely embraced, she channeled her grief into a lifelong commitment to fostering resilience and advancing solutions for communities impacted by violence.
Her early work in the field predates the formal designation of "community violence intervention." She began in hospital-based violence intervention programs in the DC metropolitan area, where she worked directly with young men recovering from violent injuries, connecting them to crucial social services and advocating for their needs. Simultaneously, she tutored incarcerated individuals pursuing their GEDs in local pre-trial detention centers, jails, and prisons—an experience that exposed her to the intricate connections between violence, education, and the criminal justice system.
This direct service work led her to co-produce the documentary Life After the Gunshot alongside her mentors, Dr. Joseph Richardson and Che Bullock. The film explores the intersection of healthcare and criminal justice in addressing the needs of violently injured Black men, bringing attention to systemic failures and opportunities for change.
Determined to deepen her impact, Jordan pursued academic research focused on community violence. She earned a dual B.A. in Psychology and Criminology/Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2018 and a Master’s from Rutgers University, Newark in 2020. That same year, she was appointed as a Doctoral Fellow at New Jersey’s Center on Gun Violence Research, where she conducted studies on the challenges faced by violence intervention specialists and the broad impacts of community violence. In 2025, she completed her PhD, with her dissertation titled “Pathways to Peace: A Case Study on Risk, Resilience, and Professional Evolution in Community Violence Intervention Work.” Her research centers on structural violence, community trauma, and the working conditions of frontline professionals in violence intervention.
Beyond academia, Jordan is an active member of the Black and Brown Collective for Community Solutions to Gun Violence and the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, contributing culturally responsive insights to advance the field. Her work has earned her the Equity and Justice Award at the National Research Conference on Firearm-Related Harms and multiple grants, including Rutgers University’s prestigious Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship. In 2024, she was named to the "30 Under 30" alumni class by the University of Maryland in recognition of her impact on the community.
Uniquely, Jordan’s experience extends into the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors, where she has shaped violence reduction and re-entry strategies at both local and national levels. She has worked with organizations such as the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and Arnold Ventures, focusing on equitable and effective approaches to community violence intervention and funding impactful research.
Building on this comprehensive background,
Jordan now serves as the Senior Project Manager for the GIFFORDS Center for Violence Intervention. In this role, she leverages her diverse experiences to amplify the voices of communities most impacted by violence while advocating for sustainable funding at local, state, and federal levels. Her work focuses on three key areas: identifying best practices in community violence intervention, professionalizing and supporting the CVI workforce, and driving policy change.
Her consulting portfolio spans grassroots organizations to major institutions, blending practical expertise with academic rigor. She specializes in guiding organizations through the implementation of trauma-informed, racially equitable internal practices and provides capacity-building expertise to help CVI organizations support staff wellness and strategically scale their impact using evidence-informed methodologies. Additionally, she has served on review committees for grant-making agencies and offers subject matter expertise on a range of topics within community violence intervention.