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Executive Director

Tara Kunkel is the Executive Director of Rulo Strategies, where she provides strategic leadership to advance the organization’s mission of delivering practical, transformative solutions for rural justice and behavioral health systems. A skilled collaborator and visionary leader, Tara is committed to fostering partnerships and implementing actionable policies that empower rural justice leaders to build safer, healthier communities.

Before founding Rulo Strategies, Tara served as a Senior Drug Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, where she led the implementation of the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program, expanding it from a $27 million initiative in 2017 to $187 million by 2019.

Tara has directed over 40 projects across local, state, national, and international criminal justice systems, influencing policy and practice improvements nationwide. Her expertise spans criminal justice policy, rural justice systems, and drug policy, with a strong focus on supporting community corrections agencies, jails, and courts in enhancing outcomes for individuals with behavioral health needs.

Tara holds a master’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Expertise
• Facilitating cross-sector convenings
• Program evaluation
• Leveraging opioid settlement funding
• Program planning and development

Senior Director

Kristina Bryant is a Senior Director at Rulo Strategies, where she leads initiatives that support cross-sector collaboration among public safety, behavioral health, and community stakeholders. With three decades of justice-related experience, Kristina has served as a national court management consultant and held leadership roles in community corrections, including positions as a Juvenile Court Probation Officer, Criminal Justice Planner, and Assistant Director/Interim Director of an adult pretrial and probation agency. She has worked extensively with the judiciary, elected officials, and policymakers to improve justice policies and practices and to expand collaborative court diversion and intervention efforts.

Kristina has a personal and professional interest in rural justice systems and has co-led multiple initiatives to improve outcomes for small and rural communities. Her expertise also extends to education and workforce development, with seven years as an adjunct faculty member at the university level and a deep understanding of education and learning styles. She is a frequent national presenter on community supervision, substance use and mental health, rural justice, and organizational and workforce health and wellness.

Kristina holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, with minors in psychology, sociology, and business administration. She resides in a beautiful rural community outside Richmond, Virginia.

Expertise
• Planning and implementation of cross-sector efforts
• Training and data analysis in the criminal justice system
• Screening, assessment, and the risk/need/responsivity model
• Funding and sustainability

Senior Director

Becky is a Senior Director at Rulo Strategies, leading initiatives that foster cross-sector collaboration among public safety, public health, and community stakeholders. At Rulo Strategies, Becky is a trusted advisor to rural communities. She assists in identifying critical justice partners, securing funding, and addressing service gaps through tailored collaboration strategies. She has partnered closely with county and state leaders to advance pre-arrest diversion programs, reentry initiatives, and long-term strategic planning.

With over two decades of experience in criminal justice, behavioral health, and substance use policy, Becky brings a distinguished 15-year tenure at the U.S. Department of Justice. While there, she shaped national strategies, managed multimillion-dollar grant programs, and directed training and technical assistance efforts that reached more than 150 jurisdictions annually.

Becky holds a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University. She resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two sons, fully embracing the Texas lifestyle, including a love for BBQ and the San Antonio Spurs, after spending two decades in Washington, DC.

Expertise
• Law enforcement diversion programs
• Strategic planning and implementation
• Identifying and securing grant funding
• Developing solutions for rural communities