All News Blog | March 8, 2023

2nd CHANCE Podcast -The Community Voice to Change Corrections for Good!

By Arti Finn, Host and Co-Founder APDS

I am thrilled to announce the launch of the APDS 2nd CHANCE Podcast, a community voice dedicated to changing corrections for good, and a new venture that I will personally host. Through this platform, I will speak with some of the most important change agents in corrections and highlight the critical work to educate and help justice-impacted individuals prepare for a living-wage career. Our guests will include policymakers, educators, advocates, change agents and most importantly, those who have been directly impacted by the justice system. Together we’ll discuss innovative programs, share personal stories, and explore strategies for changing the corrections system for good. 

I’m honored to release our trailer episode today on International Women’s Day celebrating the contributions of women in history, and those who have played significant roles in addressing some of the world’s most urgent social justice issues;  poverty, education and corrections reform. Women, in particular, face significant challenges when it comes to re-entry after incarceration. This month’s upcoming episodes will proudly feature female change agents that are paving the way for progress in corrections, and shedding light on the needs and opportunities for justice-impacted women.

Today, 83% of our nation’s incarcerated population have no access to programming. Additionally, approximately 70% of formerly incarcerated individuals remain unemployed one year after their release. Most justice-impacted individuals are released with little resources or skills, leading to alarming recidivism rates nationwide.  The company I co-founded, APDS, focuses on changing this by reskilling the incarcerated justice-impacted through education technology.  By providing the tools to everyone and individualizing our approach, we support everyone in their quest to earn a living wage career and contribute to society.

In 2014, when we started the company, we focused on bringing the best online education to incarcerated learners in order to help prepare them for re-entry better than when they entered the corrections system. Over the last nine years, our evidence-based EdTech curriculum has reached thousands of incarcerated learners at no cost to them or their families. But the opportunity to amplify our impact is what propels us forward.

With the 2nd Chance Podcast, we hope to amplify the voices that need to be heard and inspire change that is long overdue. 

“I want to change corrections from a space of warehousing to a place of true rehabilitation.” 

ARTI-FINN, CO-FOUNDER, ADPS / HOST OF 2ND CHANCE PODCAST

Whether you’re in corrections reform, an advocate for social change, or simply someone who cares about the well-being of our society, I invite you to join APDS and I on this journey of exploration and discovery. Tune in to the 2nd Chance Podcast, available now on all major podcast platforms, and join us in our mission to create a brighter future for justice-impacted individuals. Together, we can break down barriers and become the voice of change to educate and create a pathway to earn a living wage career, changing corrections for good!

Available on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Featured Case Study

We're providing day 1 access to evidence-based education technology programming with the state of Massachusetts

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Romicha Cooper is the Director of Talent for APDS. She is seasoned Human Resources Professional in both public and private sectors for nearly 20 years. Her approach to talent management is with trust and transparency. In 2020, Cooper authored a children’s book titled “Aunty’s House” inspired by her childhood and family.

Kimonti Carter is the former president and current Resource & Equity Director of the Black Prisoners’ Caucus Community Group. At 34, Kimonti founded T.E.A.C.H., a higher-education program that he designed with the Black Prisoners’ Caucus to bring college courses to Washington State prisoners. Kimonti is also featured in the award-winning documentary Since I Been Down and serves as an APDS educational consultant. He is a community advocate, educator, motivational speaker, and curriculum designer of Liberation Education, a course on the ADPS educational platform.

Ralph is the Founder and Managing Director of ETS Strategic Capital; he also serves as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for the unit. With experience in engineering, applied-science, finance, and business management, he has led ten venture investments and serves on six Boards of Directors. Previously, he worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, and in R&D at Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies, and AT&T. Ralph holds twelve patents in various technology fields and is a Kauffman Fellow, Robert Toigo Foundation Fellow, and PriceBabson SEE Fellow. He serves on non-profit boards, including Princeton University Engineering and the Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) of the NNSA, and works with the NSF on SBIR and STTR programs.

LaToya Newson is a trailblazer in the field of adult education, with a wealth of experience in corrections education programming. She spearheaded the creation of the Reentry, Employment, Adult Education Program (Project REAP) – a groundbreaking initiative aimed at curbing recidivism by providing education and training to justice-impacted individuals. This innovative program provides incarcerated individuals with the tools and resources they need to complete their high school equivalency exam, preparing them for success upon their release.

Born and raised in D.C, Chris grew up under extremely difficult circumstances. At the age of 17, he was charged with a crime, convicted, and sentenced to natural life in prison. While incarcerated, he earned his high school diploma, graduated from all of the vocational shops, earned an Associate Degree and started his Master Plan, a roadmap for his future. After serving 16 years in prison, Chris wrote and published The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose to inspire other justice-impacted individuals to achieve their fullest potential.

As CEO of APDS, Harris oversees all aspects of the company’s operations. His expertise, leadership, and vision have made him a respected figure in the education industry, and he continues to drive forward his mission of using EdTech to make a difference in the lives of justice-impacted individuals. Harris has a deep understanding of the unique challenges of EdTech in corrections, and he is passionate about leveraging technology to create innovative solutions that can help transform the lives of students and educators alike.

As Chief Revenue Officer of APDS, Mott ensures the successful delivery of evidence based programing to the states and jurisdictions serviced by APDS. In this role, Mott is instrumental in driving long-term change in recidivism and positive learner outcomes. She is a passionate advocate for free individualized programming for justice-impacted individuals.

A passionate advocate for social justice and education, Arti Finn co-founded APDS in 2013 with the ambitious goal of creating pathways to living-wage employment for individuals affected by the justice system. Under her visionary leadership, APDS has revolutionized the edtech landscape within the correctional environment, providing high-quality programming at no cost to justice-impacted individuals or their families in hundreds of facilities across 18 states.

 

As Chief Strategy Officer, Arti skillfully directs the company’s policy, government relations, marketing, and public relations efforts while also forging strategic partnerships to further advance the organization’s mission. Her keen focus is on helping correctional systems reimagine the potential of technology to deliver scalable, tailored programming that empowers justice-involved individuals to successfully reintegrate into society.

Nate Ober is the Chief Technology and Product Officer at APDS, where he leads teams responsible for developing innovative content and technology products for justice-impacted learners and driving technology efficiency in the company’s business systems. With 18 years of experience in education technology, Nate has a track record of guiding organizations through growth and transformation. He has expertise in product management, agile transformation, IT modernization, software development, and scalable educational technology solutions. Before joining APDS, Nate held various roles in the education industry, including CTO and Head of Product at Straighterline and CTO at Questar Assessment.

Dr. Amy Lopez is a federal appointee and nationally recognized expert who designs and delivers innovative correctional educational programming for incarcerated individuals and training for staff entrusted with their care. She is a pioneer in launching first-of-their-kind programs on positive behavior interventions, leveraging technology to connect incarcerated individuals with educational and legal resources, and implementing innovative trauma-informed staff training to de-escalate crisis situations. 

Carol D’Amico is a seasoned higher education reformer, dedicated to connecting education with the world of work. As a consultant, she contributes to talent growth across education, workforce, and economic development sectors. D’Amico’s background includes serving as Executive Vice President of Strada Education Network, Assistant Secretary for Adult and Vocational Education in the U.S. Department of Education, and co-director of the Center for Workforce Development at the Hudson Institute. While at the Hudson Institute, she co-authored “Workforce 2020,” examining the future U.S. workforce demographics and the challenges of preparing for a global economy.

 

In addition to her policy work, D’Amico has held leadership roles in higher education institutions, serving as executive vice president and chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, and president and CEO of Conexus Indiana, a manufacturing and logistics initiative.

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