95% of individuals that are currently incarcerated in the US will eventually return to society. In fact, 600,000 citizens reenter society each year. Unfortunately, the odds of success for these individuals are low if they don’t have a shot at earning a living wage career.
The APDS 2nd Chances @ Work Initiative is a pledge campaign rallying employers and the public to support second-chance hiring and break down employment barriers for justice-impacted individuals. Join the movement! Unite with us to build a more equitable workforce for 2nd chance employees.
We’re on a mission to connect justice-impacted individuals with living wage employment and build a more inclusive workforce. We proudly partner with workforce development boards to create, sustain, and retain a viable workforce of justice-impacted individuals that can support local and regional business, ensuring everyone thrives.
Get to know the change agents committed to the APDS mission and second chance hiring success by clicking on their profiles below!
Explore the interconnected Workforce Ecosystem, showcasing the key segments vital for second chance employment success.
Workforce Labor Boards play an essential role in the ecosystem
by connecting justice-impacted individuals with training and
employment opportunities while supporting local employers.
Economic Developers drive local economic growth, actively
promoting policies and initiatives that create a supportive
environment for 2nd chance employment opportunities.
Educators have a vital role in providing education
and training that equips justice-impacted individuals
with the skills they need to enter and thrive in the workforce.
Local Businesses provide opportunities for growth and advancement,
while contributing to a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Elected Officials play an essential role in shaping policies and
legislation that remove barriers to employment for justice-impacted
individuals, helping them secure meaningful employment.
Community Leaders advocate for 2nd chance employment, fostering
awareness, understanding, and collaboration within the community to
support successful reintegration.
Justice-Impacted individuals are a crucial part of the ecosystem,
as they bring their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives to
the workforce and actively work towards attaining and sustaining
a living wage job.
2nd Chance hiring is taking place around the country, with positive outcomes. 85% of human resources leaders and 81% of business leaders say that second chance hires perform the same or better than other employees.
Communities at large are safer if the justice-impacted secure living wage jobs. Earning a living wage employment decreases the recidivism rate by 43%.
Let’s create a more inclusive and productive workforce, support our local communities, and give justice-impacted individuals the opportunities they deserve.
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.
UNITE WITH US to build a more equitable work force for 2nd Chance Employees.
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Massachusetts is currently the only state in the country that has committed to personalized education, workforce, and rehabilitation plans for each individual incarcerated in the state’s prisons.
Download the case study to read about how APDS helped MADOC administer the digital and infrastructure implementation required to bring this complex and monumental project to life.