25 Years of WRI Impact as Told by the Leaders Who Helped Build It
Author: Natalie Passov
As communications and public engagement lead at the Walter Rand Institute (WRI) and as part of WRI’s continued 25th anniversary celebrations, I recently had the privilege of interviewing leaders who helped shape its mission, expand its reach, and navigate the complexities of public service and institutional growth over the years. I sat down with Gwendolyn (Gwendy) Harris and Sarah Allred, two former WRI directors who spent countless hours leading and shaping the Institute we know today. Their reflections offered a powerful lens into what it means to lead an institute like WRI, not just administratively, but with vision, heart, and purpose.
From Bare Bones to Institutional Backbone. When Gwendy took the reins as director, WRI was operating with two full-time staff, and there was a need for administrative support to take WRI’s already-great work to the next level. “There was no one to answer the phones,” she recalled, “no one to track fiscal reports or manage grants.” Her priority was to increase the Institute’s infrastructural support—an effort that culminated in a transformative $4 million grant. That funding allowed WRI to build its administrative infrastructure, hire specialized staff, and work toward long-term sustainability after a decade of successfully establishing itself within Rutgers and Camden City.
Gwendy’s leadership focused on creating systems that could support long-term growth, including expanding office space and establishing internal processes for hiring, budgeting, and reporting. This kind of leadership often goes unseen, but it’s essential. Without infrastructure, even the best ideas can falter. Her story is a reminder that visionary leadership is about bold initiatives, and alongside the operational support that allows these bold ideas to flourish.
Expanding the Footprint Beyond Camden City. Another major theme was the intentional expansion of WRI’s geographic and thematic reach. Early on, WRI had built a strong reputation as a Camden City-focused entity. Gwendy and Sarah both emphasized the importance of expanding WRI’s reach across South Jersey. Gwendy described a pivotal moment at a regional reception where someone told her, “We don’t really see Rutgers–Camden as part of South Jersey.” That comment sparked a strategic shift: WRI needed to be visible not just in Camden City, but in Cumberland, Burlington, Gloucester, and beyond. Through growing the Advisory Board and diversifying research projects, their leadership brought WRI closer to where it is today – an Institute that reaches all eight Southern New Jersey counties and has anywhere from 15-20 projects across various content areas.
This expansion wasn’t just geographic; it was thematic. Gwendy and her team began listening to local leaders across counties, identifying issues like juvenile justice and food insecurity in Cumberland County, and responding with targeted research and programming. One example: WRI’s data revealed a spike in juvenile-police interactions at a convenience store near a high school. The solution? Stationing a police officer there proactively, which significantly reduced negative encounters.
Gwendy spoke about the pressure to expand quickly and the challenge of balancing growth with quality. Her leadership took a measured approach to expansion, ensuring that WRI’s work remained impactful and community-centered.
Data as a Tool for Change. Sarah’s tenure brought a renewed focus on data-driven decision-making. One of the most striking examples came during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was on a plane back to New Jersey wondering how this would affect South Jersey,” they said. Within a week, they had assembled a team, including WRI staff, faculty, postdocs and students from the Center for Computational & Integrative Biology as well as math, computer science, public affairs, and psychology departments to model hospital bed capacity. The resulting brief was published just as the shutdowns began and led to expanded COVID-19 tracking across South Jersey.
This wasn’t an isolated case. WRI’s work in community health needs assessments under Sarah’s leadership revealed another critical insight: despite dozens of outreach programs offered by hospitals, most residents could only name one or two. The disconnect wasn’t about availability; it was about communication. This kind of research helped health systems like Inspira rethink how they engage with the communities they serve.
The Power of Listening. Perhaps the most profound takeaway was the emphasis on listening. WRI’s success has never been about imposing solutions – it’s always been about hearing what communities need and responding thoughtfully. Gwendy described this as a “coupling process:” listening first, then determining whether the Institute had the expertise to help. Sarah noted that this approach fostered trust, relevance, and impact.
From juvenile justice reform to food insecurity and public safety, WRI’s projects have been rooted in responsiveness. The Institute wasn’t selfish when picking and choosing research areas; it followed the voices of South Jersey residents, adapting its work to address real, timely challenges.
A Legacy of Leadership. What emerged from these conversations was a portrait of WRI as a living, evolving entity, one that has grown into a regional hub for community-engaged research whose goal is to shape public policy and practice in Southern New Jersey through research. That growth wasn’t accidental. It was the result of deliberate and effective choices, strategic pivots, and a deep commitment to listening to the needs of South Jersey. Gwendy and Sarah’s stories are a testament to what it takes to lead: vision, resilience, humility, and a willingness to fight for what matters, even when the path isn’t clear.
WRI’s next chapter will be shaped by new challenges, new voices, and new opportunities. Its foundation is strong, built by leaders who understood that real impact in communities begins with listening, and that meaningful change takes patience, time, and trust.
Here’s to the next 25 years—and to the leaders, past and present, who make it all possible.
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