Gabriella Celeste

Gabriella Celeste, JD, is the Policy Director at the Schubert Center for Child Studies, Co-Director of the Childhood Studies Program, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Case Western Reserve University. She focuses on fostering partnerships to advance public policies benefiting children and adolescents, including teaching child policy curricula, supervising externship programs, and delivering training on developmentally informed policies. Her work spans legal advocacy, nonprofit administration, and applied research for foundations, nonprofits, and government agencies.

Education: B.S. from Northwestern University; JD from the University of Michigan Law School.

Research & Policy Focus: Gabriella’s expertise includes youth justice reform (e.g., Ohio and Louisiana policy initiatives), child lead poisoning prevention, child welfare reform, and improving police-youth interactions. She co-founded the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights (formerly Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana) and has driven juvenile justice reforms in Ohio.

Committees & Appointments: Governor appointee to the Ohio Juvenile Justice Working Group; Cuyahoga County Advisory Board member for Children and Family Services; leadership roles in the Ohio Lead-Free Kids Coalition, Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, Cleveland Thrive Violence Prevention, and Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative.

Teaching & Mentorship: Teaches undergraduate child policy courses and oversees the Schubert Center’s externship program, providing students hands-on policy experience.