Mary Hayford is a policy assistant in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute, where she works on research and policy projects focused on living conditions in jails and prisons, reducing juvenile involvement in the criminal legal system, and strengthening reentry supports.

Before joining Urban, Hayford worked in consulting as an associate in the antitrust and competition practice at Charles River Associates. In addition, Hayford previously contributed to research initiatives at the University of Chicago focused on linguistic patterns associated with policing and the impact of COVID-19 on low-income communities. She also evaluated nonpolice mobile crisis response programs as methods to reduce police violence for her honors public policy thesis.

Hayford holds a BA in economics and public policy from the University of Chicago.