2024 Horizons CJEA Fellows

David R. Carrillo earned an MBA at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, where he now serves as an adjunct faculty member for the prison education program. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Red Rocks Community College and is the director of operations at Transcendence Recovery. Carrillo’s journey is remarkable: He earned his MBA while incarcerated and became the first incarcerated individual in the nation to be employed by a university, teaching college courses to fellow learners who are incarcerated. His passion for education and personal growth drives him to extend similar opportunities to others.

Chandler Dugal is a paralegal at a boutique New York law firm and the director of operations for the National Prison Debate League. He graduated from the James Madison University Honors College in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in history and earned a master’s degree in public administration from Penn State in 2023. He also holds a certificate in paralegal studies from the University of Maine at Augusta and a certificate in homeland security studies from Penn State. Dugal volunteers as an educator for the Maine Department of Corrections, is a research fellow with the Colby College Justice Think Tank, and is a published creative writer. As a person who is formerly incarcerated, he passionately supports increased educational and employment opportunities for people who are navigating the justice system.

Courtney Everett is the program coordinator at Saint Louis University’s prison education program. In this role, he manages the program’s finances, fundraising campaigns, and community engagement initiatives. His life experience has taught him that education—not incarceration—solves many of society’s problems. As a child, Everett dreamed of becoming a commercial artist and anthropologist; however, his dream was derailed, which led to 18 years in prison. While incarcerated, Everett earned an associate’s degree from Saint Louis University. It was then that Everett began to understand that education is the deepest form of freedom. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is currently working on a master’s degree in business administration at Saint Louis University. His goal is to continue to partner with community members and help make higher education accessible to every population—especially those impacted by the criminal justice system.

Patrice Fails is a Michigan native and a Licensed Master’s level Social Worker. A proud Warrior alumna, she earned her Master’s in Social Work from Wayne State University. She recently served as the Director of Case Management for Nation Outside’s TIPLR Program (Trauma Informed Peer-Led Reentry). Patrice’s expertise was instrumental in the implementation stages, monitoring, and data collection for the program’s evaluation. As a healthcare policy advocate and criminal justice reformer, she is passionate about social justice and housing equity. Patrice gained professional experience as a clinical social worker in both the nonprofit and private sectors of the behavioral health system and rehabilitation reentry sector. Additionally, she is a member of the NASW National Association of Social Workers’ PACE committee and is honored to serve as a 2024 Horizons Fellow.

Jay Giles is a dedicated nonprofit professional with a deep commitment to supporting people seeking alternative pathways in life. A career characterized by various roles centered on caring for others led Giles to a fulfilling calling in the nonprofit sector. Their journey is defined by an unwavering goal of revolutionizing the landscape surrounding the process of rejoining one’s community following incarceration. Beyond their professional endeavors, Giles finds solace and joy in nurturing their feline companions, exploring the immersive worlds of video games, and delving into the profound narratives found within literature.

Kelly Gilliss is a records associate in the Office of Records and Registration at the University of Baltimore. He played an instrumental role in implementing the University of Baltimore’s Second Chance Pell Grant Program (UBSCCP). As an “inside facilitator,” Gilliss helped fellow students, faculty, and staff navigate the intricate world of prison education. He has remained dedicated to the UBSCCP mission since his release from incarceration by volunteering as a technology consultant and as a team member. Gilliss holds a bachelor’s degree in human services administration and is working toward a master’s in data analytics at the University of Baltimore. He expresses profound gratitude for the life-changing opportunities UBSCCP provides and looks forward to an ongoing journey of learning and personal growth.

Louis Ihrig was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business with a minor in law, society, and justice. Ihrig currently works as a business services specialist for Washington State’s Employment Security Department. Being system-impacted has given Ihrig passion for his community. He is doing advocacy work to help change laws to remove barriers that people with records face to increase community safety and success in reentry into society. In his free time, he is a volunteer puppy raiser for Brigadoon Service Dogs—a program he worked on while incarcerated.

Born in Inglewood, California, Michaela “Mehaa” Martin is a former foster youth, a formerly incarcerated individual, and a mother of one. She is a passionate advocate who draws on her personal and professional experiences and uses a person-centered approach to serve diverse populations that are underserved by their communities. She serves in multiple roles, including as a career services specialist with Goodwill Southern California; a facilitator with the Prison Education Project; an ambassador with the Underground Scholars program of the University of California, Riverside; and a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI). Martin attends California Polytechnic State University as a sociology major with a social work minor. In 2015, she was a part of California Youth Connection and collaborated with California policymakers to pass Bill AB 260 (Lopez), which supports parenting foster youth. In 2023, she participated as a student panelist in LACOE’s Foster Youth and Homeless Education Symposium Student Panel. In 2024, she shared the stage with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a one-to-one fireside chat to discuss the foster youth community, including the issues of homelessness, parenting, and juvenile justice. She is also a member of the 2024 Congressional Leadership Academy and participated in NFYI’s Shadow Day in Washington, DC, where she advocated for federal policy change alongside members of Congress.

Janie Ocejo is the administrative coordinator at Madison Area Technical College’s Center for Reentry Education, which provides higher education programming in Wisconsin correctional facilities and on campus. She previously served as a program coordinator for the Peer Support Initiative at Just Dane, leveraging her expertise as a certified peer specialist and her lived expertise as a former participant. Her other professional roles include serving as a bilingual resource specialist and relief counselor at a residential treatment center. Ocejo is a board member for Chrysalis and Uptown Sanctuary and is involved with several other local, state, and national groups that operate at the intersection of mental health, substance use, trauma, and other barriers individuals entering or exiting the carceral system face. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social welfare and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has graduate credits in social work.

Ben Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in special education and has a decade of experience in the K-12 sector. He will graduate with a master’s degree in English literature from Southern New Hampshire University in July and will complete a master’s degree in creative writing in 2025. As an individual who has been incarcerated, he is deeply passionate about Project AIM, an initiative at SNHU with the mission to provide an educational pathway for learners who are incarcerated. He was most recently the lead coordinator of the Stop the Stigma conference, hosted by SNHU students, which spreads awareness about the challenges faced by individuals who have been incarcerated and provides a space to discuss issues related to transportation, employment, housing, and educational opportunities. He also serves on the board of directors of the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network.  Wright is currently the communications and research manager at The Community. In this role, he is dedicated to fostering the full potential of people with records through pre-entry initiatives and showcasing their successes, humanity, and agency through the Correcting the Narrative program. He is proud to continue his advocacy and research for people with disabilities who have records, as well as other overlooked marginalized populations.