Layla Fry

Layla comes to MMHPI from the Behavioral Health division at Texas Health and Human Services Commission supporting the YES Waiver and the Home & Community Based Services Adult Mental Health (HCBS-AMH) programs. Prior to HHSC, she was with the national nonprofit Southwest Key Programs for 13 years as Director of Operations & Youth Justice providing oversight for 40 behavioral health and youth diversion programs in six states. Layla’s love for justice policy and programs can be traced back to growing up in the social safety net of the Boys & Girls Club wraparound services while seeing her family struggle with the impact of incarceration.

Prior to moving to Austin, Layla worked in London providing supportive housing case management to young adults returning home from UK prisons. She also managed policy research projects and wrote publications for the National Crime Prevention Council (McGruff:) in Washington, D.C. in the years prior to graduate school.

Layla has a Masters in Criminal Justice Policy from the London School of Economics and a dual Bachelors in Sociology and Studio Art from Rice University, earning a number of academic and service awards along the way.