Leonard Jahad

Leonard Jahad is a lifelong resident of the Greater New Haven area. A veteran of more than 24 years of law enforcement, including stints in Connecticut Department of Corrections and Community Corrections, before retiring as Chief Probation Officer for the New Haven Adult Probation Office.  During his tenure at New Haven Adult Probation, he specialized in supervising Youthful Offenders as well as Violent Offenders.

Jahad is currently employed as The Executive Director of the Connecticut Violence Intervention Program (CTVIP), where his team oversees and mentor youth engaged in risky activity as well as the violent re-entry population in the New Haven and Hamden communities.  He also works within the New Haven Public School System as an Intervention Specialist, utilizing restorative practices and mediation techniques to restore relationships among students, staff, and parents. Jahad is a strong advocate for mentoring as he served as President of the New Haven My Brother’s Keeper Mentoring Program, and is currently the Vice President of the New Haven Steelers of the Pop Warner Football Association.

Besides being the proud dad of two biological daughters, Naima and Nandi, Jahad has also been a foster parent to 12 young men and women.  When not working, Jahad enjoys volunteering with the Prince Hall Shriners and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. He also serves on many non-profit boards including past officer for the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade, New Haven Boys and Girls Club, and Connecticut Voices for Children. He also serves on the statewide Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health and the Commission on Community Violence Intervention and Prevention. Personally, he enjoys working on his antique muscle car collection, spending time with family, and Bikram Yoga.