Unlock Higher Education Speakers series

What does it look like when lived experience becomes leadership—and when a movement built around educational access begins preparing for its next chapter? In this installment of Unlock Higher Education’s Speaker Series, we sit down with Cameron Gregory Walton, a member of the RISEUP Steering Committee, for a conversation about higher education, reentry, lived experience, leadership, and the future...

Can technology education transform lives and expand opportunity? In this episode of the Unlock Higher Education Speaker Series, we sit down with Seth Iorg, COO and Co-Founder of SIM Ventures, to explore how career-focused technology education is creating new pathways into high-demand careers for learners across the country. As the founder of Simply Coding, Seth has helped more than 100,000 student...

How can institutions ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability as artificial intelligence becomes part of decision-making? In this episode of the Unlock Higher Education Speaker Series, Dr. Stephanie Fleming explores Justice Decision Observability™ (JDO™) and the critical intersection of human judgment, governance, behavioral health, and AI.Drawing on decades of experience in higher educat...

What does it take to create meaningful pathways from reentry to economic mobility? In this installment of Unlock Higher Education’s Speaker Series, we sit down with Tamara Cotman Springs, Manager of Participant Development at the Center for Employment Opportunities, for a conversation about the intersection of higher education, workforce development, leadership, reentry, and economic mobility. Wit...

In this powerful conversation, Darlene George and Ashley Mackie share how coding, digital literacy, and policy innovation are creating new pathways for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals inside Maine’s Justice Policy Coding Lab. Joined by Erica King, the discussion explores what happens when technical education, lived experience, and systems-level advocacy come together to challenge a...

In this powerful April session of Unlock Higher Education’s Speaker Series, Desiree “Dezi Speaks” Riley takes us inside the work of transformation—where lived experience becomes leadership, and leadership creates real pathways forward. As the founder of The MasterMind Cooperative, Dezi shares how her team is building opportunity through innovative programs like their Green Jobs Workforce Developme...

In this month’s Unlock Higher Education Speaker Series, we welcomed Josephine Horace-Jackson, a leader with more than 30 years of experience serving marginalized and justice-impacted communities. She shared her journey across healthcare, policy, grassroots organizing, and nonprofit leadership—and what it really takes to create change that lasts. Josephine broke advocacy down to its core: it’s not...

In this month’s Unlock Higher Education Coalition Meeting, we welcomed Dr. Basia Skudrick, PhD, who shared her journey from incarceration to academic success and leadership. She discussed the systemic barriers justice-impacted individuals face in accessing education and sustainable employment, and emphasized the power of mentorship, support networks, and self-acceptance. Dr. Basia also highlighted...

🎙️ Noah Bein – Director of Justice Policy & Advocacy at Jobs for the Future (JFF), working at the intersection of justice, workforce mobility, and policy reform. Noah leads state and federal efforts to remove barriers facing people with criminal records, with a portfolio spanning youth justice, reentry, and large-scale legislative change—grounded in both data and lived realities. In this sessi...

This month, we’re breaking from our regular Speaker Series to spotlight our incredible Committee Chairs. Led by our Director, Judith Negron, they will present their plans for the upcoming year, setting the stage for UHE’s vision and initiatives in 2025. It’s a perfect opportunity to catch up, share your insights, and help shape the future of Unlock Higher Education. Learn more about our work at ht...

November’s Unlock Higher Education Speaker Series brings a conversation that cuts straight to the bone of what real transformation looks like. Paul Rothschild bridges two worlds most people never see together: years of high-level corporate leadership and the lived experience of serving a ten-year federal sentence. That dual vantage point gives him a rare ability to diagnose what’s broken—and build...

Join us for an insightful session with Kathryn Trapp, whose research bridges the gap between theory and real-world impact. Kathryn’s work with Unlocked Labs is transforming policy, earned-time reform, and reentry support — the kind of scholarship that changes systems from the inside out.📌 Watch the full session: http://bit.ly/47Rxjxp 🔗 Learn more: https://conta.cc/47l7llg 🔁 Rewatch & explor...

In this powerful session, we’re joined by Dr. Casey LaFrance. Dr. LaFrance shares powerful insights on systems thinking, reentry, and accessible education—and how innovation can drive real change in justice-impacted communities. The Agenda: http://bit.ly/4ntsoce 📊 View or download Dr. Casey LaFrance's full presentation here: http://bit.ly/47aIj8L 📬 Contact the Speaker: http://bit.ly/4mFryrJ...

Back by popular demand, we’re joined by two national leaders in disability advocacy and prison education:🎙️ Ben Wright – Director of Disability Access in Prison Education at The Community, leading a multi-state initiative centered on training, trauma-informed practices, and systemic reform.🎙️ Dr. Jenifer Montag – Associate Director at The National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCC...

🎯 Education shouldn’t end at the prison gate. What happens behind the walls doesn’t stay there—it shapes futures. This is your front-row seat to the fight for equity in education and employment for justice-impacted communities. In this powerful session, leaders like Trip Finity Taylor and L. Elizabeth Shatswell break down how the State Education and Workforce Collaborative is building real pipeli...