Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy serves as the executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, where she oversees the organization’s strategic direction and priorities while empowering a talented and growing staff. In partnership with the board and staff, she has developed the last two comprehensive strategic plans which include an emphasis on partnerships, growth initiatives, and broadening CMN’s impact. Krisanne brings more than 25 years of experience working in national level, faith-based policy advocacy organizations. Prior to CMN, for more than a decade Krisanne served as senior church relations staff at Bread for the World, a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Krisanne is co-author of Advocating for Justice: An Evangelical Vision for Transforming Systems and Structures, published by Baker Academic. From 2003 to 2005, Krisanne served as the executive director of Witness for Peace, a politically independent, faith-based national grassroots organization committed to promoting peace, justice, and non-violence in U.S. foreign policy. In the late ’90s, Krisanne worked at the Latin America Working Group, one of the nation’s longest standing religious coalitions dedicated to a just foreign policy in the region. In 1994, Krisanne served for one year in a faith-based domestic service program working alongside migrant farmworkers in Woodburn, Oregon. She has a Masters in Theology degree from Boston College (formerly Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts).  Krisanne, her husband Jay, and their three children reside in Washington, DC.  

Emmjolee Mendoza Waters serves as the Director of the Death Penalty Abolition Program. Emmjolee is new to the CMN family, joining in August of 2023. Emmjolee brings 20 years of experience in education, advocacy, and ministry with a particular focus on young adults. During Emmjolee’s tenure at The Catholic University of America, she helped build a culture of service and justice, rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. She created faith based programs that engaged young adults in direct service, in local and national advocacy, and in holistic formation. Emmjolee has organized social justice advocacy and education programs around issues of hunger and homelessness, food insecurity, race and diversity. Emmjolee has extensive partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally; all focused on mutual relationship building. She served as a Jesuit Volunteer in Belize for two years as a teacher and school librarian. She holds a Masters in Social Work from The National Catholic School of Social Service with a focus on social justice and social change. Emmjolee, her husband Larry, and their five kids reside in Washington, DC.