Talking Second Chances

In this inspiring episode of Talking Second Chances, hosts Mandy Philyaw and Jeremy B. White sit down with LEAP (Linking Employment Activities Pre-Release) success story Andrian Bullock to discuss her remarkable journey from incarceration to leadership. After serving seven years in prison, Andrian has been home for just seven months. Within a month of starting her new job, she was promoted to Gene...

In this inspiring episode of Talking Second Chances, hosts Mandy Philyaw and Jeremy B. White highlight the life-changing work of Thistle Farms, a nationally recognized social enterprise dedicated to helping women survivors of trafficking, addiction, and exploitation rebuild their lives. Through trauma-informed care, residential support, workforce development, and hands-on job training, Thistle Far...

In this powerful and engaging episode of Talking Second Chances, hosts Mandy Philyaw and Jeremy B. White sit down with second chance employer Focus Freight to explore how opportunity and purpose can transform lives. CEO Quania Johnson shares how launching her woman-owned trucking company was inspired by a deeply personal mission to help her nephew secure employment after returning home from prison...

In this episode of Talking Second Chances, Mandy Philyaw shares her personal and professional journey into the world of reentry work. Starting her career as a Probation Officer, Mandy offers insight into how her early experiences shaped her passion for helping justice-impacted individuals rebuild their lives. Now serving as a Grants and Programs Manager with the Tennessee Office of Reentry, Mandy...

The Talking Second Chances podcast is back with new hosts and a renewed vision. Grants and Programs Managers Jeremy B. White and Mandy Philyaw introduce the future of the Tennessee Office of Reentry and how it’s working to create meaningful opportunities for justice-impacted individuals across the state. In this episode, Jeremy and Mandy break down key initiatives driving this mission forward, inc...

In this episode of Talking Second Chances, host Trevor White sits down with one of the Tennessee Office of Reentry's Reintigration Specialists, Filipe Goncalves, who covers the Southeast and Upper Cumberland areas of the state. Join in a conversation about how this work is done including lessons learned, best practices, and stories from the field.

Talking Second Chances Podcast: Season 3 PremiereIn this first episode of 2025, Talking Second Chances kicks off its third season with an inspiring conversation with Grace Goins, a Reintegration Specialist serving the East Tennessee region. Grace shares her journey from graduate school to her current role, highlighting how her master’s thesis, Correctional Career Pathway: A Journey to Hope, laid t...

In the latest episode of Talking Second Chances, host Trevor White sits down with Charles Johnson, a new Reintegration Specialist from West Tennessee. Charles shares his unique journey from being an Adult Education teacher who worked with justice-involved individuals within prison walls to now supporting their reintegration into society. Together, they explore the challenges and successes of worki...

In the latest episode of Talking Second Chances, host Trevor White sits down with Angela Lax, the newly hired Reintegration Specialist for the Office of Reentry. Angela, who previously worked in Adult Education, Angela serves the Middle Tennessee area, focusing on implementing state-issued tablets in jails and prisons. These tablets are a vital tool for helping justice-impacted individuals "behind...

In a reversal of roles, this week host Trevor White becomes the one answering questions as he is interviewed by fellow Tennessee Office of Reentry member Jeremy White (no relation!) about his professional history, new role as data analyst, and more! 

In this episode, I have a conversation with Rebecca French, General Manager and Culinary Apprenticeship Instructor for the Manchester and Coffee County Conference Center . In 2023, they were a recipient of the Tennessee Employment First Inclusive Employer Award for their exemplary implementation of policies, strategies and initiatives that resulted in a measurable impact in the areas of disability...

This episode brings you two guests for the price of one! Today we have both Ms. Kleopatra Gaiter, Admissions Manager for Dismas House in Nashville, TN. And Ms. Grayce Gadson, Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Manager who also works with Dismas House in Nashville, TN. To learn more about Dismas House of Nashville you can visit their website here: https://dismas.org/ . And to learn more about t...

Host Trevor White in this episode as he talks with Rosetta Taylor, Executive Director of the National Association of Reentry Professionals (NARP) which recently held its annual conference earlier this year in Franklin, TN! NARP is a robust national network of reentry advocates, with a focus on collaborating the expertise and resources needed for culturally responsive, trauma-informed, equitable, h...

This special episode celebrating Second Chance Month welcomes Dr. Laura Ferguson-Mimms, Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Initiative (THEI), a non-profit that provides holistic support to incarcerated scholars as they pursue college programs in Tennessee prisons leading to associate and bachelor degrees, and as they prepare for reentry. You can find out more about THEI by visiti...

This episode welcomes Jeffrey D. Korzenik, a chief investment strategist for one of the nation's largest banks, to talk about his specialty: the intersection of labor markets and the criminal justice system. This comes together in his book "Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works For Your Business And The Community" which defines and outlines the business and economic case for Second Chanc...

Host Trevor White sits down with Founder, President, and CEO Jason Whyte of the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC) to talk about the overlap between reentry and workforce development. NRWC is the only national organization founded by workforce practitioners committed to advancing socio-economic mobility for people impacted by the justice system. You can find out more about them by vis...

Host Trevor White talks with Joe Stead, a Government Partnerships Advisor from Coursera, an open online course provider that brings flexible, affordable, job-relevant online learning to individuals and organizations worldwide. This episode discusses the partnership and collaborative efforts between Coursera both the Tennessee Office of Reentry and the wider Tennessee Department of Labor and Workfo...

Host Trevor White sits down with Senior Policy Specialist Abigail Strait from the Crime and Justice Institute, a division of the non-profit Community Resources for Justice, which helps bridge the gap between research and practice with data-driven solutions and improvements related to adult and youth justice systems. This episode’s discussion goes over how CJI does its work, its partnership and wor...

This episode, host Trevor White talks with Caitlin Dawkins, Principal TA Consultant with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research. This month’s conversation centers around the National Reentry Resource Center, a website created through a partnership between AIR and the U.S. Department of Justice whic...

Host Trevor White talks with William Robert "RK" Kane who is the Operations Manager with the Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI). RK and Trevor discuss TCI and its founding, their unique approach to working with Tennessee’s jails, and their new accreditation program which seeks to provide a foundational roadmap and standards for increased rehabilitation and reentry services at the county jail le...

Host Trevor White talks with Jeremy White about his journey as a returning citizen after serving more than two decades in prison. Jeremy now works for the Tennessee Office of Reentry. The story and experiences he brings to the office provide valuable insight into what it is like to reenter society after completing your sentence. They also talk about how second chances work and why the Tennessee De...

During this episode, host Trevor White talks with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Deniece Thomas. They discuss the mission behind the Tennessee Office of Reentry, the difference it can make across the state, and the importance of employers who are willing to offer second chances.

Host Trevor White talks with Adam Henderson from ADPS. He represents the company the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development partnered with to provide specialized tablets in each county jail across the state. Inmates can use the tablets to work towards earning their high school equivalency diploma, take training courses, and do other workforce development activities while incarcera...

Host Trevor White talks with Sammy Perez from Prison Fellowship, the organization that started Second Chance Month. They discuss the mission of Prison Fellowship and the origins of National Second Chance Month.

Host Trevor White talks with LaToya Newson from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Adult Education Division. They discuss the role adult education plays in the state's county jails, including details about the Department's innovative new tablet initiative, Project REAP.