Yrik Sherfield Jr. was born and raised in Columbus Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Ohio Dominican University in 2008. Upon graduation, he began his 15-year career in the social service and criminal justice fields. Whether working as a caseworker providing resources to families and assisting in reunification or as a probation officer reducing recidivism and guiding reentry efforts, Yrik has focused his career on protecting communities and helping those who are vulnerable or at risk of being involved with the criminal justice system. In addition to his work in the criminal justice and social service field, Yrik worked part-time with the APPS program at Linden Recreation Center and Douglas Recreation Center.

In 2023, Yrik joined the City of Columbus’ Office of Violence Prevention as a Community Relations Coordinator. In this current role, he continues to bring community awareness to programs that reduce recidivism and interrupt violence through the use of cognitive based interventions and community engagement. Yrik’s passion for community safety is evidenced by his professional career and is also demonstrated by his membership in the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), where he has served as affiliate parliamentarian, and in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he currently serves as the Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee of the Columbus, Ohio Chapter.