SUMMIT DETAILS
WHEN:
June 4-6, 2025
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WHERE:
HILTON PALM BEACH PBI
150 Australian Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
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COST:
$350.00​
The Reentry Summit is unable to issue refunds after October 1
Officially rescheduled: June 4 - June 6, 2025
Schedule
Wednesday:
4:00 p.m. – Registration opens
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Welcome Reception
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Thursday:
7:30 a.m. – Registration Opens
8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Breakfast and Keynote Address
10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Breakout Session 1
12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – Lunch and Keynote Address
2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. – Breakout Session 2
4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. – Breakout Session 3
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Friday:
7:30 a.m. – Registration Opens
7:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. – Breakfast and Keynote Address
9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. – Breakout session 4
11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – Breakout Session 5
12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – Lunch and Keynote Address
Revised program in progress
We will use an online platform called Whova for our event. You can Download the Whova app to access the event.
Download the Whova app
Co-Chairs
Cassandra Atkin-Plunk, Ph.D.
Associate Director and Associate Professor | FAU School of Criminology & Criminal Justice
Dr. Cassandra Atkin-Plunk is an Associate Professor and the Associate Director in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University. Her research interests span both institutional and community corrections with an emphasis on contemporary issues in corrections, including the reentry and reintegration of individuals returning to the community from incarceration. Dr. Atkin-Plunk examines evidence-based practices and conducts program and policy evaluations to identify what works in corrections. She is the recipient of over $1,000,000 in external funding and has been the principal investigator (PI) or co-PI in the evaluation of programs and policies for a variety of agencies, including the Florida Department of Corrections, Palm Beach County (FL) Criminal Justice Commission, Palm Beach County Public Safety Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and The Lord’s Place. As evidenced, Dr. Atkin-Plunk’s research is largely community-based, and she won the 2018 FAU Presidential Award for Outstanding Community-Engaged Research. Her research has been published in Justice Quarterly, Criminal Justice and Behavior, Journal of Criminal Justice, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Criminal Justice Policy Review, and Journal of Offender Rehabilitation. Dr. Atkin-Plunk teaches courses in Corrections, Capital Punishment, Ethics in the Justice System, and International Criminal Justice Systems.
Jennifer Loyless
Program Coordinator | Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office
Jennifer Loyless works as Program Coordinator for The Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office. In her 20+ years with the agency she has assisted in the implementation of many programs to assist incarcerated and recently released individuals in hopes of reducing recidivism. Jennifer began her work in reentry by assisting in the implementation of a pilot county-jail program in 2002. Over two decades that work has grown to assisting in the implementation of programming for jail and prison populations in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation, Florida Department of Corrections, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and numerous community-based service providers. Additionally, Jennifer assists Palm Beach County’s elected Public Defender in community outreach work advocating for criminal justice policy change locally and statewide.
Summit Emcee
Amlak-I Foley
The Village Starts With Us
Amlak-I Foley is a committed advocate for prison reform and family reunification, serving as a core member of The Village Starts With Us. This organization, composed of men and women with lived experience, works tirelessly to reconnect returning citizens with their families. They use their personal journeys to provide real, impactful support, bridging the gap between the incarcerated and their communities.
A sought-after speaker on prison reform, Amlak-I has delivered lectures at prestigious institutions like Florida Atlantic University, Lynn University, Broward College, and the University of South Florida. His influence extends to policy advisement, working closely with the Palm Beach Reentry Task Force and engaging state senators and governors to push for meaningful reforms in criminal justice across the country. His work is rooted in a deep commitment to improving the reentry process for formerly incarcerated individuals, helping them reclaim their roles in society.
Amlak-I’s personal journey is both inspiring and groundbreaking. After serving 19 years in prison, starting at the age of 17, he became the first individual with a felonious background to be employed at the GEO Group World Headquarters. His goal was never just personal success; he aimed to challenge societal perceptions and open doors for others. In his role as a Post Release Case Manager, he proved the worth of formerly incarcerated individuals in corporate spaces. When he started, only 8.3% of the call center staff had lived experience. By the time he left, that number had risen to 83.3%, thanks to his efforts to promote the inclusion of people with similar backgrounds.
Amlak-I is deeply grateful to the GEO Group for embracing his vision and supporting him in creating opportunities for others. Above all, he is a devoted husband and father, always striving to learn from life while inspiring others through his actions.
Breakout
Topics
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Building reentry programming in your community
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Employment/vocational programming
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Entrepreneurship
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Faith-based reentry
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Family in the reentry process
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Financial empowerment
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Gender-specific reentry
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Housing and reentry
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Jail reentry
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Leadership
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Literacy/creative expression
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Mental health
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Multidisciplinary teams to holistically address needs
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Peer support
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Pre-release programming
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Public opinion and policy
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Social enterprises
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Reentry for people convicted of sexual offenses
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Reentry in rural communities
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Researcher-practitioner partnerships
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Restorative justice
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Trauma-informed approaches
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Using data and technology to support reentry
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Youth reentry
Thursday Breakout Session - 1
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Transforming Lives: Tools and Strategies for Cognitive Change
- 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Mark Sellers | Founding Director | Men’s Reentry Initiative
Antavius Brown | Peer Coach Coordinator | Men’s Reentry Initiative
David A. Gethers | CEO | DAG Speaks LLC
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Improving Reentry Practices through Data and Technology
- 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Andre Peart | Founder and CEO | Untapped Solutions
Megan Nyce | Justice Research Analyst | RTI International
Timothy Kuhlman | Judge | Toledo Municipal Court
Holly Matthews | Executive Director | Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
Tom Luettke | Reentry Coordinator | Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
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Building Governing Capacity for Emerging Organizations Serving System Impacted Individuals
- 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Trudy Crowetz | CEO | Nonprofits First
Maribel Roman |Co-founder & Development Consultant | Xcel
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Using Program and Policy Solutions to Help People with Sexual Offense Convictions
- 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Sarah Neidinger | Health Care for Reentry Veterans Specialist | US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Meredith Powers-Lupo | Healthcare for Reentry Veterans Specialist | US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Meghan Mitchell | Assistant Professor | University of North Dakota
Jaclyn Truman | President | TruAlchemy Production Inc.
Matthew Neary | Owner | Food Group 137
Madeline Lewis | Student | University of North Dakota
Avoiding Re-traumatization though Person-Centered Approaches and Language
- 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Hope Cross | Founder | Cultivating Hope Training and Consulting
Brian Kurz | Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist | Orlando VA Healthcare System
Stefanie Mohl | Homeless Program Supervisor | Orlando VA Healthcare System
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Thursday Breakout Session - 2
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Innovative Pre-Release Programming in State Prisons
- 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Crystal Speer | Programs Director | Kansas Department of Corrections
Michael Carrington | Statewide Veterans Coordinator | Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Maggie Agerton | Chief of Substance Use Treatment and Transition Services | Florida Department of Corrections
Greg Franzese | Correctional Programs Administrator | Florida Department of Corrections
Julie Meyers | Regional Program Manager | Florida Department of Corrections
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Unique Solutions to Enhancing Financial Empowerment and Employment Success
- 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Tish Boyd | Owner/Principal | Beyond $avvy Consumers
Mahlia Lindquist | Executive Director | Ladies Empowerment & Action Program
Cailey Shanahan | Manager, Dragonfly Thrift | Ladies Empowerment & Action Program
Diverse Approaches to Reentry: Multidisciplinary Teams and Rural Communities
- 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Jonathan Bleiweiss | Director of Programs | Florida Justice Center
Derek Lowry | Senior Justice Technical Assistance Specialist | WestEd
Raph Fretz | Senior Justice Technical Assistance Specialist | WestEd
Jimmie Wilson | Director of Recovery/Reentry Services | Eastern KY Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP)
The Intersection of Homelessness and Reentry
- 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Chae Jaynes | Associate Professor | University of South Florida
Ella Taylor | Graduate Student | Pennsylvania State University
Cristina Lucier | Vice President of Community Programs | The Lord’s Place
Vanessa Klein | Director of Reentry Services | The Lord’s Place
Jessica Fairbanks | Client Advocate | The Lord’s Place
Bryan Joffe | Reentry Intern | The Lord’s Place
The Benefits of Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships for Improving Practice
- 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Matt Shepherd | CEO | Midwest Evaluation & Research, LLC
Daniel Williams | Project Director | The RIDGE Project
Ryan Spohn | Director | Nebraska Center for Justice Research, University of Nebraska-Omaha
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Thursday Breakout Session - 3
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Using Literacy, Libraries, and Creative Expression in the Reentry Process
- 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Jennifer Brinkley | Assistant Professor | University of West Florida
Anthony McDuffie, Jr. | CEO | Grit Grind and Glory LLC
Doris Mendez-DeMaio | Acreage Branch Manager | Palm Beach County Library System
Innovative Pathways to Employment: Bridging the Inside to the Outside
- 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Janee Pannkuk | Assistant Deputy Director – Reentry | Nebraska Department of Corrections
Mitch Evans | Director of Recruiting and Driver Development | Hill Brothers Transportation, Hill Brothers Logistics, & Pro-Fleet CDL Driving
Kasey Parker | Executive Director | Mental Health Association of Nebraska
Mike Woolman | Captain | Lincoln (NE) Police Department
Clay Anders | TBA
Robert Melgaard | Career & Technical Education Programs Administrator | Florida Department of Corrections
Candice Sporhase-White | Deputy Executive Director | Second Chance Center
Khalil Halim | Executive Director | Second Chance Center
Derrick Watson | Director | Denver Economic Development & Opportunity
John Frauendorfer | Program Coordinator | Denver Economic Development & Opportunity
Credible Messengers: Employing People with Lived Experience as Peers, Navigators, & Case Managers
- 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
William Freeman | Founder & CEO | People of Purpose
Beverly Sharp | Founder & Executive Director | The REACH Initiative
Amber Blankenship | Peer Reentry Program Manager | The REACH Initiative
Heather Gregory | REACHback Reentry Navigator | The REACH Initiative
Wendy Dressler | Research Manager, Continuum of Care | The GEO Group, Inc.
Tim Goddard | Associate Professor | Florida International University
Rashod Wiggins | Post Release Case Manager | The GEO Group, Inc.
Raul Lopez | Post Release Case Manager | The GEO Group, Inc.
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(Re)Establishing Parental Rights and Relationships after Incarceration
- 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Mike Ryan | Case Manager | Jack Brewer Foundation
Allison Schild | Board Chair, Parent Knowledge Partner | Parent Advocates for Transformation & Healing (PATH); Mining for Gold
Tiffany Csonka | Parent Leader | Family Engagement Advocacy Council (FEAC); Parent Advocates for Transformation & Healing (PATH);
Mining for Gold
Christina Romero | Parent Leader | Family Engagement Advocacy Council (FEAC); Parent Advocates for Transformation & Healing (PATH);
Mining for Gold
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Collaborative Addiction Recovery Methods in a Jail Setting
- 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
April Hutchison | Reentry Coordinator | Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office
Chris Waugh | Director of Operations | True Recovery RVA
David Rook | President | Next Frontier Recovery
Latifa Williams | Assistant Director of Programming | Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office
Laura Stanley | National Certified Peer Support Specialist | Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office