Rhyzan Croomes

Director of Capacity Building and Training

Rhyzan Croomes is the Director of Capacity Building and Training at the California Youth Defender Center where she develops and coordinates training programs for youth defenders and juvenile court professionals. Her work aims to strengthen youth defense and reform the juvenile legal system. Prior to joining CYDC, Rhyzan was the Supervising Attorney with Loyola Law School’s Center for Juvenile Law & Policy (CJLP), where she taught law students about juvenile delinquency and provided holistic, client-centered advocacy for youth in Los Angeles County’s juvenile justice system. Additionally, she led the Independent Forensic Gang Expert College (IFGEC), a program that trains individuals with personal gang experience to testify in court, offering insights into the factors that drive youth to join gangs.

Rhyzan holds a J.D. from Loyola Law School, concentrating in Criminal Justice and Public Interest law. While at Loyola, she actively participated in the Juvenile Justice Clinic, served on the board of The Skid-Row Project, was president of the Black Law Student Association, chaired the National Lawyers Guild, and received both the Dean’s Service Award and the Alumni Association Award. Her passion for juvenile justice was sparked during her studies at CJLP, where she gained a deep understanding of childhood development and the importance of rehabilitation over retribution.

Croomes brings extensive practical experience to CYDC. Selected as a 2021–2022 Ambassador for Racial Justice by Georgetown Law, she has also worked as a dependency attorney with Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers, helping adults regain custody of their children from DCFS. In addition to her legal practice, where she has defended both adults and youth, she serves on the board of the Center for the Empowerment of Families, a non-profit organization providing mental health services to indigent youth.

Rhyzan’s career is defined by her deep commitment to youth justice, advocating for youth through education, courtroom defense, and systemic reform.