Board Members
IPP has built a dedicated and active Board that participates in strategic planning, fundraising and every aspect of their governance responsibilities.
Leonard Rubio, (Co-Chair), spent over 23 years incarcerated within California’s jail and prison system. Throughout his incarceration he spent his time preparing for his future academically, vocationally, and spiritually. While incarcerated at San Quentin, Leonard created the Responsibility, Rehabilitation, & Restoration Interfaith Roundtable to promote restorative justice by including prisoners and volunteers from many faith and ethnic backgrounds to work together. Leonard actively participated in numerous self-help programs including IPP as a both a participant and co-facilitator. Since his release, he has married, is in his last semester studying for a bachelor’s degree in both Finance and Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of San Francisco, and continues to promote restorative justice through public speaking engagements.
Karen Jandorf, (Co-Chair), was trained as a facilitator of the Victim/Offender Education Group (VOEG) in 2009 and has been facilitating these groups ever since. For twenty years she held leadership positions in the private sector and now works as a coach and consultant to both for-profit and non-profit organizations. She holds certifications as a mediator, Integral Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, and writing group facilitator. Karen was named the 2010 Heart of Marin Volunteer of the Year for her work with IPP.
Billie Mizell is a legal analyst, investigator, litigation specialist, and writer. She is passionate about improving access to justice for historically disenfranchised people. Billie has worked with prisoners across the country on legal issues, as well as restorative justice initiatives. Billie accepts cases on a large variety of civil and criminal issues, which range from death penalty matters to employment discrimination to complex class-actions. She also teaches investigation to students at Santa Clara Law School through her work with the Northern California Innocence Project. She has written for a variety of online and print publications and assists numerous nonprofits with messaging and written materials.
Givelle Lamano is a criminal defense attorney and maintains her offices in Oakland, California. She is a founding partner of Three Strikes Justice Center, an organization focused on alleviating the overcrowding of prisons through Proposition 36 (Three Strikes Reform Act). Preceding her criminal defense work, Givelle advocated for the rights of low-wage and immigrant workers in employment law matters and worked with several non-profit organizations towards prison reform.
Jenny Overman is a long time supporter of The Insight Prison Project. She is an enthusiastic new mother, writer & all around arts person. Jenny is passionate about restorative justice.
Jerry Elster is a formerly incarcerated man from South Central Los Angeles who likes to say that some people go to Penn State; he went to the state pen. There, Jerry transformed himself from being a societal problem to becoming part of the solution. He works for Legal Services for Prisoners With Children under a project called All Of Us Or None. He participated in IPP programs as a prisoner inside SQ and is now a skilled facilitator on the outside helping IPP replicate their programs beyond the walls of San Quentin. His goal is for the full restoration of human rights for everyone including the formerly incarcerated.
Kathryn Taylor, is a lawyer and a banker with experience as a board member with KQED and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. She and her husband Tom Steyer; (Farallon Capital Investments) are active supporters of a wide range of innovative projects that further a social agenda. Kat lives in San Francisco.
Michael Berger - Judge Michael J. Berger (Ret.) is a founding member of the Board for Delancey St Foundation and a former trial lawyer and administrative law judge.
Reggie Daniels is currently Manalive Facilitator and case manager at the San Bruno county jail and a Community Works employee. Reggie was born in San Francisco, graduated from Riordan High School and San Francisco City College. Reggie began DJing high school parties in the early eighties playing electro funk and house music with his uncle, and then slowly took over the sound system as DJ R-dizzle. While struggling with the criminal justice system for fifteen years, Reggie eventually found Roads to Recovery, an in custody substance abuse program which gave him the tools to begin a process of change. He then went through a year-long peer advocacy program called Manalive, a violence prevention program for men to organize against violence in their homes and their communities. Reggie is now a counselor, Manalive facilitator and case manager for Community Works. He also performed a play called Manalive that premiered six times, each performance completely sold out, and lead Reggie to Dresden Germany to perform a workshop. Reggie will graduate from USF School of Management in May 2013, with a business degree. Reggie is an honor roll student, received a Honorary Scholarship from the Dean of the School of Management. Reggie has been featured on the USF Website, KQED Perspectives, and been a guest speaker on CNN In Session. He hopes his story of transformation from violent survivor to community advocate will empower others to find peace through artistic expression.
Advisory Board
Jack Kornfield
Thich Nhat Hanh
Annie Lamott
Bishop William Swing
Alice Walker
Jon Kabat-Zinn
"IPP is doing amazing and beautiful work for prisoners, their families and our whole society. Its hard-won and creative success is at the forefront of the urgently needed changes in the American prison system" - Jack Kornfield, Author/Teacher
Leonard Rubio, (Co-Chair), spent over 23 years incarcerated within California’s jail and prison system. Throughout his incarceration he spent his time preparing for his future academically, vocationally, and spiritually. While incarcerated at San Quentin, Leonard created the Responsibility, Rehabilitation, & Restoration Interfaith Roundtable to promote restorative justice by including prisoners and volunteers from many faith and ethnic backgrounds to work together. Leonard actively participated in numerous self-help programs including IPP as a both a participant and co-facilitator. Since his release, he has married, is in his last semester studying for a bachelor’s degree in both Finance and Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of San Francisco, and continues to promote restorative justice through public speaking engagements.
Karen Jandorf, (Co-Chair), was trained as a facilitator of the Victim/Offender Education Group (VOEG) in 2009 and has been facilitating these groups ever since. For twenty years she held leadership positions in the private sector and now works as a coach and consultant to both for-profit and non-profit organizations. She holds certifications as a mediator, Integral Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, and writing group facilitator. Karen was named the 2010 Heart of Marin Volunteer of the Year for her work with IPP.
Billie Mizell is a legal analyst, investigator, litigation specialist, and writer. She is passionate about improving access to justice for historically disenfranchised people. Billie has worked with prisoners across the country on legal issues, as well as restorative justice initiatives. Billie accepts cases on a large variety of civil and criminal issues, which range from death penalty matters to employment discrimination to complex class-actions. She also teaches investigation to students at Santa Clara Law School through her work with the Northern California Innocence Project. She has written for a variety of online and print publications and assists numerous nonprofits with messaging and written materials.
Givelle Lamano is a criminal defense attorney and maintains her offices in Oakland, California. She is a founding partner of Three Strikes Justice Center, an organization focused on alleviating the overcrowding of prisons through Proposition 36 (Three Strikes Reform Act). Preceding her criminal defense work, Givelle advocated for the rights of low-wage and immigrant workers in employment law matters and worked with several non-profit organizations towards prison reform.
Jenny Overman is a long time supporter of The Insight Prison Project. She is an enthusiastic new mother, writer & all around arts person. Jenny is passionate about restorative justice.
Jerry Elster is a formerly incarcerated man from South Central Los Angeles who likes to say that some people go to Penn State; he went to the state pen. There, Jerry transformed himself from being a societal problem to becoming part of the solution. He works for Legal Services for Prisoners With Children under a project called All Of Us Or None. He participated in IPP programs as a prisoner inside SQ and is now a skilled facilitator on the outside helping IPP replicate their programs beyond the walls of San Quentin. His goal is for the full restoration of human rights for everyone including the formerly incarcerated.
Kathryn Taylor, is a lawyer and a banker with experience as a board member with KQED and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. She and her husband Tom Steyer; (Farallon Capital Investments) are active supporters of a wide range of innovative projects that further a social agenda. Kat lives in San Francisco.
Michael Berger - Judge Michael J. Berger (Ret.) is a founding member of the Board for Delancey St Foundation and a former trial lawyer and administrative law judge.
Reggie Daniels is currently Manalive Facilitator and case manager at the San Bruno county jail and a Community Works employee. Reggie was born in San Francisco, graduated from Riordan High School and San Francisco City College. Reggie began DJing high school parties in the early eighties playing electro funk and house music with his uncle, and then slowly took over the sound system as DJ R-dizzle. While struggling with the criminal justice system for fifteen years, Reggie eventually found Roads to Recovery, an in custody substance abuse program which gave him the tools to begin a process of change. He then went through a year-long peer advocacy program called Manalive, a violence prevention program for men to organize against violence in their homes and their communities. Reggie is now a counselor, Manalive facilitator and case manager for Community Works. He also performed a play called Manalive that premiered six times, each performance completely sold out, and lead Reggie to Dresden Germany to perform a workshop. Reggie will graduate from USF School of Management in May 2013, with a business degree. Reggie is an honor roll student, received a Honorary Scholarship from the Dean of the School of Management. Reggie has been featured on the USF Website, KQED Perspectives, and been a guest speaker on CNN In Session. He hopes his story of transformation from violent survivor to community advocate will empower others to find peace through artistic expression.
Advisory Board
Jack Kornfield
Thich Nhat Hanh
Annie Lamott
Bishop William Swing
Alice Walker
Jon Kabat-Zinn
"IPP is doing amazing and beautiful work for prisoners, their families and our whole society. Its hard-won and creative success is at the forefront of the urgently needed changes in the American prison system" - Jack Kornfield, Author/Teacher
