Prior to becoming the lead program coordinator of the URO in December of 2016, Taili studied Ethnic Studies and Psychology in Undergrad at UC San Diego. Following this he attended the San Diego State Community Based Block Program, which prioritizes community healing and wellness. He then completed a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Global Education at National University in Sacramento California.
The lead URO program coordinator position was recommended to him by the late Audrey Cooper (one of the mothers of the initiative) who saw him as a great fit for this work. He was intrigued by the opportunity as he had recently come from working for the University of California at Davis Educational Talent Search Program, in numerous high school settings.
During his time as a college prep counselor for first generation income challenged students, Taili witnessed the school to incarceration pipeline in action. Taili foresaw an opportunity to impact or interrupt this pipeline, applied for the job, and won the hiring committee over to accept the position. He recalls it as a monumental day because it was one of only a handful of jobs that he applied for with passion in his heart.
Taili has been instrumental in many key initiatives during his time at URO, addressing issues of housing, employment, and justice impact. In 2018, URO was the first organization in Upstate New York to facilitate a reentry job fair. The Gino Bush Reentry Job Fair initiated conversations in which employers started to seriously think about employing individuals with criminal convictions. This led to an Employment Summit in 2022 and the first Beyond the Box Employer Certification pilot project at Moosewood restaurant in 2024.
​
In 2018 Taili initiated the formation of a data development working group around the study of reentry in Tompkins County. This group began to conduct qualitative research in 2019, producing qualitative reports in 2021 and 2022. A Housing Summit was held in February 2021, and a Health and Wellness Summit was held in May of 2022. This research paved the way for the Sunflower House Initiative which started in November of 2021. Sunflower House was established by a partnership between OAR, INHS, and URO.
%20DSC_0035_edite.jpg)
Following the police-involved death of George Floyd in the fall of 2020 and in response to NYS executive order 203, URO’s data development team helped lead the charge in assembling researchers and community stakeholders. Focus groups were facilitated for people disproportionately impacted by the justice system, with the results being delivered as recommendations to Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca.
In 2020 Taili was instrumental in bringing together the (then Mayor) Svante Myrick and (the then County Administrator) Jason Molina to work collaboratively in designing the Reimagining Public Safety Initiative in Tompkins County, leading to a city & county adopted Public Safety Plan.
​
In April 2023, Taili initiated a monthly Community Book Read of Resmaa Menakem’s My Grandmother’s Hands to engage policymakers, school administrators, justice system enforcers, and community leaders in an on-going dialogue about trauma, its effects on our community, and the power of healing.
In addition to this work, Taili has served critical roles in the community including as a member on the advisory committee to the BIPOC Farmer Training and Education Collaborative, EILC (Equity, Inclusion, Leadership Council), Your Voice Your Vote Coalition, Green New Deal Community Advisory Board, and as a board member of the Criminal Justice Alternatives to Incarceration (CJATI). This Board identifies public safety issues and recommends solutions for Tompkins County's criminal justice system, as well as prepares and supervises the County's Alternatives to Incarceration Plan.
Director of URO
Taili Mugambee
Highlights from Taili's Tenure at URO
Taili was an Advisor to the development of the Farmer Training Education initiative with Groundswell, which will increase access to agricultural employment opportunities for people of color.
Taili sits on the Criminal Justice Alternatives to Incarceration Board. This Board identifies public safety issues and recommends solutions for Tompkins County's criminal justice system. This Board also prepares and supervises the County's Alternatives to Incarceration Plan
In 2018, URO was the first organization in Upstate New York to facilitate a reentry job fair. This job fair initiated conversations in which employers started to seriously think about employing individuals with criminal convictions.
