2023 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Connect. Collaborate. Elevate.
About the Conference
The National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC) is proud to announce our 2nd Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By bringing together leading voices from the reentry workforce field, business leaders, practitioners, government representatives, advocates, and other stakeholders, we seek to connect, collaborate, and elevate the reentry workforce field as we work together to improve outcomes for people impacted by the justice system. The conference continues to be a launch pad for collaborations that will advance equity, elevate best practices, and promote fair chance hiring. Regardless of your role within the reentry workforce ecosystem, this convening is for you!
REGISTRATION IS CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY.
If you added your name to the waitlist, you will be notified if additional spaces become available.
October 24-27 – Philadelphia, PA
Conference Offerings
Effective Strategies to Address Barriers in the Field
Strategic Ways to Collaborative & Move the Needle
Making the Case of Equity & Inclusion for People with Lived Experience
Effectively Combining Policy & Practice
Economic Mobility for People Impacted by the Justice System
Fair Chance Hiring & Effective Employer Engagement Strategies
The Value of a Trauma Informed Approach
Strengthening Implementation of Reentry Workforce Programming
Securing Funding for the Work from Private and Governmental Sources
Speakers
Meet the 2023 NRWC Annual Conference Speakers. Additional information will be added over the coming weeks.
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Adam Haley Director of Policy and Strategy, Goodwill Industries of KY
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Alexis Devine Program Manager, Lifespan
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Amanda L. Nowak, PhD Senior Program Associate, Vera Institute of Justice
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Amy Lopez Executive Director, Hand2Heart DC
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Ana Hageage Chief of Staff, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor
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Andre Bethea Senior Policy Advisor, Corrections, Reentry, and Justice Reform, U.S. Department of Justice
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Armando Torreblanca Reentry Program Director, Project Hope CA
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Ashley Furst Director of Marketing, Breakthrough
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Beth Hannon-Penny Director, Grant Operations & Administration, Goodwill Industries International
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Borden Barrows Director of Programs, Hand2HeartDC Inc
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Brandi Mandato Senior Director, Center for Justice and Economic Advancement, Jobs for the Future (JFF)
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Brent Parton Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor
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Brent J. Cohen Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
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Brian Fabes Managing Director, Corporate Coalition | Sr. Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago | Sr. Advisor, Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago
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Brianna Rogers Associate Initiative Officer, San Francisco Foundation
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Caitlin Dawkins Co-Director, National Reentry Resource Center | Principal Technical Assistance Consultant, American Institutes for Research
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Candice Sporhase-White Deputy Executive Director, Second Chance Center
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Carson Whitelemons Director of Criminal Justice, Arnold Ventures
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Cherri Harris Chief Executive Officer, Swint Logistics Group Incorporated (SLGI)
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Christopher Watler Executive Vice President, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)
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David Gianfrancesco Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Safer Foundation
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Dennis Ritchie Senior Director of Reentry and Young Adult Services, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky
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Derrick Watson, MBA Director, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity, Denver Construction Career Program
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Ellen Sauter Workforce & Workplace Solutions Specialist, Cara Collective
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Guy Ross Business Development Manager, Fontenot Services, LLC
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Harris Rollinger Sr. Program Manager, Opportunity Talent, KeHE Distributors
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Helen “Skip” Skipper Executive Director, NYC Justice Peer Initiative
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Hope Cross Founder, Cultivating Hope Training and Consulting
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Jason Wardrip Business Manager, Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council
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Jason Whyte Founder, President & CEO, National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC)
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Jay Benitez Program Coordinator, Lifespan
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Jeffrey Abramowitz CEO, Petey Greene Program
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Jeffrey D. Korzenik Chief Investment Strategist, Fifth Third Bank, and Author, Untapped Talent
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Jennifer Kemp Director, Division of Youth Services, Employment & Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor
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Joe McDonald CEO, New Freedom
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Joey Nuñez Estrada Jr., Ph.D
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John A. Fraundorfer Program Coordinator, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity, Denver Construction Careers Program
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John Buckley Outreach Strategies Manager, Koch Industries
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John Jenks Economic Initiatives Director, Wyoming Business Council
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John Sawyer Senior Consultant, Health and Reentry Project
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John Wetzel Chief Executive Officer, Phronema Justice Strategies, LLC
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Josh Davies CEO, The Center for Work Ethic Development
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Judge Stephanie M Sawyer Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas
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Justin Proulx Vocational Director, New Freedom
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Kelly Evans Executive Deputy Secretary for Community Corrections, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
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Ken Oliver Executive Director, Checkr.org
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Kenyatta Leal Executive Director, Next Chapter
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Khalil Halim Executive Director, Second Chance Center
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Kyle Harless Founder | Business Development Officer, New Freedom
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Leo Alirez Founder & Executive Director, Life-Line
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Liz Jones Corporate Partnerships Lead, Cara Collective
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Madeline Bunce Opportunity Employment Program Manager, MOD Pizza
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Mahlia Lindquist Executive Director, Ladies Empowerment & Action Program
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Malia K. Salaam Reentry Program Manager, SER Metro-Detroit & SERCO
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Manny Lamarre Senior Advisor for Workforce, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor
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Matt Joyce Partner, Envoy
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Melissa Dickerson Chief of Staff, Honest Jobs
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Miguel Angel Cambray Vice President, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase
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Molly Bashay Policy Advisor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor
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Monique Williams Sr. Planning /Program/Portfolio Manager of Social Justice, American Family Insurance
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Nan Gibson Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter
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Nancy DeNike Director of the Reentry Hub for Women, Ladies Empowerment & Action Program (LEAP)
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Nyra Jordan Community and Social Impact Investment Director, American Family Insurance
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Patricia Gill Director, Workforce Development, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
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Patrick O. Peters Principal and Office Litigation Manager, Jackson Lewis P.C.- Cleveland Office
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Paul Taylor Executive Director of Community Relations, Hand2HeartDC Inc
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Rashawn Ray Vice President & Executive Director, American Institutes for Research (AIR) Equity Initiative
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Raulvin Coke Co Founder & CEO, Future Wise Group
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Remy DeMarco Executive Director, The Accountability Project
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Richard Paul Morales Deputy Executive Director, Latino Coalition for Community Leadership
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Richard Ramos Founder & Author, Parents on a Mission
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Rob Reed Director, Reentry, Trauma, and Reform Initiatives, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
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Ronald F. Day, Ph.D., MPA Vice President of Programs and Research, The Fortune Society
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Roohallah Mobarez Founder/CEO, Mobarez Solutions
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Ryan Bowman Program Manager, Workforce Recovery Program, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
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Salomao Monteiro, Jr. Training Coordinator, Lifespan
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Sara Wasserteil Managing Director, Cara Plus
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Sean Addie Director, Office of Correctional Education in the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education
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Shamia Lodge Director of Community Engagement, Aventiv Technologies
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Shawn Burch Director of Reintegration Services, Health Management Systems of America (HMSA)
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Shawn D. Bushway Ph.D. Senior Policy Researcher, Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department, RAND Corporation
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Shea Richburg Co Founder & CEO, Future Wise Group
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Shea Zwerver Workforce Development Manager, Flagger Force
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Tanaine Jenkins Recidivism Strategist and Reentry Expert, Everything I Am LLC
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Terah Lawyer-Harper Executive Director, CROP Organization
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William E. Arnold, Jr., Ed.D. Director, TN Office of Reentry, TN Department of Labor & Workplace

Adam Haley
Director of Policy and Strategy, Goodwill Industries of KY

Alexis Devine
Program Manager, Lifespan

Amanda L. Nowak, PhD
Senior Program Associate, Vera Institute of Justice

Amy Lopez
Executive Director, Hand2Heart DC

Ana Hageage
Chief of Staff, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor

Andre Bethea
Senior Policy Advisor, Corrections, Reentry, and Justice Reform, U.S. Department of Justice

Armando Torreblanca
Reentry Program Director, Project Hope CA
Armando Torreblanca is a nonprofit professional with more than 9 years of experience in the field of community violence intervention (CVI). He is a founding member of Project Hope CA, a Los Angeles County-based nonprofit, where he currently serves as the Reentry Program Director.
Born and raised in Pacoima, a city about 20 miles from Los Angeles, Armando grew up in an environment where gangs, drugs, violence, and incarceration were prevalent. This background ignited his passion for CVI work, leading him to embark on this journey in 2014.
Throughout his career, Armando has dedicated himself to supporting individuals impacted by gangs, violence, and the criminal legal system. He has served in various capacities, including as case manager, program manager, and program director, in a range of programs such as school-based, hospital-based intervention, and reentry initiatives.
He also co-established and serves as the coordinator of the Pomona Community Action for Peace (Pomona CAP) in partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention. The Pomona CAP is a coalition committed to implementing evidence-based violence prevention strategies and championing community healing within the City of Pomona.
Armando holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Counseling with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Outside of work, he enjoys nature walks, keeping up with the Lakers, and spending time with his loved ones.

Ashley Furst
Director of Marketing, Breakthrough

Beth Hannon-Penny
Director, Grant Operations & Administration, Goodwill Industries International

Borden Barrows
Director of Programs, Hand2HeartDC Inc

Brandi Mandato
Senior Director, Center for Justice and Economic Advancement, Jobs for the Future (JFF)
Brandi Mandato is a senior director in the Center for Justice & Economic Advancement at JFF. She leads the center’s policy and systems change work, championing efforts to normalize opportunity for people with records at both the state and federal levels.
Her skills and areas of expertise include:- Economic and workforce justice
- Workforce development
- Career training
- Policy and advocacy activation
- Collaboration and communities of practice
- Coursework in criminal justice and psychology, University of New Haven
- Certificate in organizational leadership and management, Golden Gate University, San Francisco

Brent Parton
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor

Brent J. Cohen
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice

Brian Fabes
Managing Director, Corporate Coalition | Sr. Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago | Sr. Advisor, Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago

Brianna Rogers
Associate Initiative Officer, San Francisco Foundation

Caitlin Dawkins
Co-Director, National Reentry Resource Center | Principal Technical Assistance Consultant, American Institutes for Research

Candice Sporhase-White
Deputy Executive Director, Second Chance Center

Carson Whitelemons
Director of Criminal Justice, Arnold Ventures

Cherri Harris
Chief Executive Officer, Swint Logistics Group Incorporated (SLGI)

Christopher Watler
Executive Vice President, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)

David Gianfrancesco
Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Safer Foundation

Dennis Ritchie
Senior Director of Reentry and Young Adult Services, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky

Derrick Watson, MBA
Director, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity, Denver Construction Career Program

Ellen Sauter
Workforce & Workplace Solutions Specialist, Cara Collective

Guy Ross
Business Development Manager, Fontenot Services, LLC

Harris Rollinger
Sr. Program Manager, Opportunity Talent, KeHE Distributors

Helen “Skip” Skipper
Executive Director, NYC Justice Peer Initiative

Hope Cross
Founder, Cultivating Hope Training and Consulting

Jason Wardrip
Business Manager, Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council

Jason Whyte
Founder, President & CEO, National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC)

Jay Benitez
Program Coordinator, Lifespan

Jeffrey Abramowitz
CEO, Petey Greene Program

Jeffrey D. Korzenik
Chief Investment Strategist, Fifth Third Bank, and Author, Untapped Talent

Jennifer Kemp
Director, Division of Youth Services, Employment & Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor

Joe McDonald
CEO, New Freedom

Joey Nuñez Estrada Jr., Ph.D

John A. Fraundorfer
Program Coordinator, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity, Denver Construction Careers Program

John Buckley
Outreach Strategies Manager, Koch Industries

John Jenks
Economic Initiatives Director, Wyoming Business Council

John Sawyer
Senior Consultant, Health and Reentry Project

John Wetzel
Chief Executive Officer, Phronema Justice Strategies, LLC

Josh Davies
CEO, The Center for Work Ethic Development

Judge Stephanie M Sawyer
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas

Justin Proulx
Vocational Director, New Freedom

Kelly Evans
Executive Deputy Secretary for Community Corrections, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Ken Oliver
Executive Director, Checkr.org

Kenyatta Leal
Executive Director, Next Chapter

Khalil Halim
Executive Director, Second Chance Center

Kyle Harless
Founder | Business Development Officer, New Freedom

Leo Alirez
Founder & Executive Director, Life-Line

Liz Jones
Corporate Partnerships Lead, Cara Collective

Madeline Bunce
Opportunity Employment Program Manager, MOD Pizza

Mahlia Lindquist
Executive Director, Ladies Empowerment & Action Program

Malia K. Salaam
Reentry Program Manager, SER Metro-Detroit & SERCO

Manny Lamarre
Senior Advisor for Workforce, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor

Matt Joyce
Partner, Envoy

Melissa Dickerson
Chief of Staff, Honest Jobs

Miguel Angel Cambray
Vice President, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase

Molly Bashay
Policy Advisor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor

Monique Williams
Sr. Planning /Program/Portfolio Manager of Social Justice, American Family Insurance
Monique Williams is the Sr. Planning /Program/Portfolio Manager of Social Justice at American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact Monique utilizes evidence-based practices to provide opportunities to underserved populations. With 15+ years in federal regulations, policies, and procedures that are necessary for managing programs and funding that serve several special population groups including veterans, the historically unemployed or underemployed, justice impacted individuals (including those reentering communities from incarceration), incumbent workers, and low-skilled or low-wage workers. A Texas native, Monique holds a Masters in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University. Monique is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Texas.

Nan Gibson
Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter
Nan Gibson is Executive Director at the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter. In this role, she leads the Second Chance, Careers & Skills, and Economic Security Net issue portfolios and works to develop and advance evidence-based policy solutions to drive inclusive economic growth by bringing together global expertise, data, research, and philanthropic investments.
Nan works with policy, community, and business leaders to drive effective public policy solutions at all levels of government. She provides policy expertise across a broad range of economic issues and conducts outreach to key stakeholders to build unique partnerships for initiatives related to economic security and workforce development. She works closely with criminal justice reform leaders to advance policies that lower barriers to employment and create greater economic opportunity for individuals involved in the justice system. Nan developed the strategic framework and co-leads the corporate recruitment and programmatic work of the Second Chance Business Coalition, a group of nearly 50 large companies committed to implementing second chance employment practices and advancement strategies. She also develops best practices for serving the financial services needs of older consumers and combating elder financial exploitation.
She previously served as Chief of Staff and Executive Director for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers during the Obama Administration and as Executive Director of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress. Prior to public service, Nan was a senior leader and communications strategist at the Economic Policy Institute, a leading think tank that conducts research on American living standards. She began her career covering Congress, politics, and presidential elections for The New Yorker magazine’s Washington columnist and for C-SPAN.

Nancy DeNike
Director of the Reentry Hub for Women, Ladies Empowerment & Action Program (LEAP)

Nyra Jordan
Community and Social Impact Investment Director, American Family Insurance

Patricia Gill
Director, Workforce Development, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Patrick O. Peters
Principal and Office Litigation Manager, Jackson Lewis P.C.- Cleveland Office

Paul Taylor
Executive Director of Community Relations, Hand2HeartDC Inc

Rashawn Ray
Vice President & Executive Director, American Institutes for Research (AIR) Equity Initiative

Raulvin Coke
Co Founder & CEO, Future Wise Group

Remy DeMarco
Executive Director, The Accountability Project

Richard Paul Morales
Deputy Executive Director, Latino Coalition for Community Leadership

Richard Ramos
Founder & Author, Parents on a Mission

Rob Reed
Director, Reentry, Trauma, and Reform Initiatives, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General

Ronald F. Day, Ph.D., MPA
Vice President of Programs and Research, The Fortune Society

Roohallah Mobarez
Founder/CEO, Mobarez Solutions

Ryan Bowman
Program Manager, Workforce Recovery Program, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Salomao Monteiro, Jr.
Training Coordinator, Lifespan

Sara Wasserteil
Managing Director, Cara Plus

Sean Addie
Director, Office of Correctional Education in the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education

Shamia Lodge
Director of Community Engagement, Aventiv Technologies

Shawn Burch
Director of Reintegration Services, Health Management Systems of America (HMSA)
Shawn is an experienced leader in helping returning citizens thrive in their communities. She oversees HMSA’s reintegration services and directs a multifaceted team of Healthcare Navigators, Workforce Development professionals and Residential Housing coordinators that creates a full continuum of reintegration services. Shawn has electrified a robust network of community partnerships to cohesively serve as a lifeline to HMSA’s formerly incarcerated members in need. The programs for which she is responsible benefit over 1,000 people annually through the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Success Program and community partnerships. This mission is accomplished by targeting service provisions to meet the needs of justice-involved persons, thereby reducing their risk of recidivism, and enhancing their opportunities.
Prior to joining HMSA in 2019, Shawn worked over 10 years in workforce development and served as a divisional manager leading a team of 300 employees for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Shawn holds a Masters of Human Resources Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

Shawn D. Bushway Ph.D.
Senior Policy Researcher, Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department, RAND Corporation

Shea Richburg
Co Founder & CEO, Future Wise Group

Shea Zwerver
Workforce Development Manager, Flagger Force

Tanaine Jenkins
Recidivism Strategist and Reentry Expert, Everything I Am LLC

Terah Lawyer-Harper
Executive Director, CROP Organization

William E. Arnold, Jr., Ed.D.
Director, TN Office of Reentry, TN Department of Labor & Workplace
Conference Schedule
Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 5:30p – 6:30p – Welcome Reception
DAY ONE: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
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Continental Breakfast
7:30a – 8:30a -
NRWC Welcome
8:45a – 9:15a -
General Session
9:15a – 10:15a -
Break
10:15a – 10:30a -
Concurrent Sessions
10:30a – 11:30a -
Break
11:30a – 11:45a -
General Session
11:45a – 12:30p -
Lunch
12:30p – 1:30p -
Concurrent Sessions
1:30p – 2:30p -
Networking Break
2:30p – 3:00p -
General Session
3:00p – 4:00p -
Break
4:00p – 4:15p -
Concurrent Sessions
4:15p – 5:15p
DAY TWO: Thursday, October 26, 2023
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Continental Breakfast
7:30a – 8:30a -
General Session
9:00a – 10:00a -
General Session
10:00a – 10:30a -
Networking Break
10:30a – 11:00a -
Concurrent Sessions
11:00a – 12:00p -
Lunch
12:00p – 1:00p -
General Session
1:00p – 2:00p -
Break
2:00p – 2:15p -
General Session
2:15p – 3:15p -
NRWC Proposition
3:15p – 3:30p -
Networking Break
3:30p – 4:00p -
Concurrent Sessions
4:00p – 5:15p
DAY THREE: Friday, October 27, 2023
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Networking Breakfast
7:30a – 8:45a -
General Session
8:45a – 10:00a -
Break
10:00a – 10:15a -
Concurrent Sessions
10:15a – 11:15a -
Break
11:15a – 11:30a -
General Session
11:30a – 12:45p -
NRWC Closing
12:45p – 1:00p
Updated 07-31-2023