INSIGHT PRISON PROJECT
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Advisory Board of Directors
    • A Restorative Justice Agency
  • What We Do
    • Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG)
    • Victim/Offender Dialogues
    • Complementary Courses and Sponsored Programs
    • Trainings >
      • Phase 1: Basic Victim Offender Education Group Facilitation Skills Training
      • Phase 2: VOEG Intensive Curriculum and Implementation Training
      • Victim Offender Dialogue Facilitator Training for Severe and Violent Crimes
  • How You Can Help
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  • News and Events
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  • IPP Blog

Meet the IPP Team

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​Leonard Rubio
Executive Director

Leonard spent over 23 years incarcerated within California’s jail and prison system for a 15-year-to-life sentence for second degree murder. 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 participated in numerous IPP programs as a participant and as co-facilitator for: Victim/Offender Education Group (VOEG), Next Step, the Violence Prevention Program, Violence Prevention Program Facilitator Training, and many others. Leonard earned an Associate of Arts Degree in General Education from Patten University and created other opportunities for prisoners to further their education. Since his release, he has married, earned a bachelor’s degree in both Finance and Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of San Francisco (USF), was awarded the USF Archbishop Oscar Romero Leadership Award, and continues to promote restorative justice through public speaking. Leonard and his wife Aouie have been featured in USF Magazine Summer 2013 for their work in restorative justice. 
​
[email protected]
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Smita Dey Coger, MSW
Director of Programs

In her pursuit of supporting work that unveils the power of groups historically oppressed, victimized, &
under-served, Smita was honored to join IPP as the Director of Programs in February 2019.  Smita will be
overseeing all IPP programming in 22 prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities in California and nationwide.
Smita hails all the way from Baltimore, MD, where she worked on program development, restorative
practice (RP) trainings, resource development, strategic planning, and advocacy targeting the use of RP
and eliminating the school to prison pipeline.  Smita has advocated and written testimony for Maryland
State legislature for RP facilitation and has spoken with US Congressional offices to reject bills that
dismantle the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which also reduce the focus on RP.  Smita was a
representative on the MD State Commission on the School-To-Prison Pipeline to help MD use RP in
public schools as well as address the racial disparities in discipline, and prevent children from
incarceration.  Smita has also worked with formally incarcerated adults as a rehabilitation counselor and
crisis counselor, where she actively supported people in reaching their reentry goals, which targeted
mental health, career, education, and life milestones.  Smita displays an ethical approach to her work
and makes a conscious effort to improve her abilities by placing a priority on equality, equity, and
cultural consciousness.  Smita received her B.S. in Biology and B.S. in Psychology from the University of
Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and her Master in Social Work from the University of Maryland
School of Social Work in Baltimore, Maryland.

[email protected]

​

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Dwayne Harmon
Programs Replication Manager

Dwayne has been part of the IPP family for approximately five years now.  Dwayne became an IPP Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG) facilitator in 2014 and began helping Dr. Andrea Travers with the VOEG program at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.  Dwayne moved to the central valley to assist Circles of Support and Accountability-Fresno (COSA Fresno) with implementing restorative practices in that area.  While living in Fresno, he began facilitating VOEG at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla on Saturdays, where he is currently facilitating two cohorts.  At the Beyond the Bars Fall Fundraiser in 2018, in appreciation for his continual efforts to support IPP he was awarded the “Above and Beyond Award.”  Dwayne was an easy choice when the Programs Replication Manager position opened up in early February and he jumped at the opportunity to work full-time with IPP.  Dwayne is committed to the people we serve and to keeping the programs going with integrity and accountability.
​
​[email protected] 
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Dr. Andrea Travers
Replication Program Coordinator

Andrea's life includes a varied and distinguished career across many fields in which management and people/program development were a focus. After 30 years in business, she entered the social service sector first through volunteerism, and later developing and managing programs in addictions/recovery, mental health, and corrections. She has earned degrees in Journalism, Communications, Addiction Counseling and Ministry. Andrea is an ordained Interfaith Minister and completed her doctoral work by translating the principles of A.A. in eight faith traditions, which is being utilized in over 75 countries. In 2007, Andrea opened Stepping Stones, a supportive housing program that promotes early reunification of mothers with their children in foster care. Andrea is based in San Diego and she introduced Victim/Offender Education Groups (VOEG) programs there as a volunteer at RJ Donovan State Prison, George F. Bailey, and Las Colinas Detention & Reentry Centers. 

[email protected]
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Ayoola Mitchell
Community and Survivor Outreach Specialist

Ayoola was born and raised in San Francisco, in a law enforcement family, and found her interest in the Criminal Justice System as a teenager. She pursued her interest by obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from San Jose State and doing graduate work in Correctional Education at Santa Clara University. Ayoola has spent many years working for crime survivors as well as the incarcerated population, advocating for more resources for crime prevention and rehabilitation while noting the misplaced priorities in our approaches to crime and victims' services. She has spent more than three decades working in the fields of criminal and social justice as an educator, facilitator, litigation support professional, investigator, mitigation specialist, and advocate. Ayoola originally began with IPP as a volunteer Survivor Speaker--In 2009, her eldest son was shot 17 times in a case of mistaken identity. He survived, but just a year later, her godson was shot and killed by a stranger following a verbal altercation. Ayoola has dedicated her life to reforming the US justice system, and working alongside the many people on all sides who are trapped within it. Outside of her work with IPP, Ayoola is also the Rehabilitation Program Coordinator with the San Francisco Sheriff's Department. 

[email protected]​​
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James Houston
Youth Program Development Consultant

James Houston started in the Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG) as a participant in one of its first groups. He later became a peer facilitator which kept him connected to the program for several years. After his release from San Quentin State Prison in 2013, James started working as the Program Coordinator for the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) in Richmond where he continues to work with young men who are active firearm offenders. As a Youth Program Development Consultant, James will work in collaboration with Sam Vaughn to bring IPP’s Victim Offender Education Group to the young men he serves. ​
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Sam Vaughn
​Youth Program Development Consultant

Sam is a committed mentor for violence-prone youth in what was once one of the top ten most dangerous cities in the country. He serves as a Program Manager for Richmond, California’s Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS). His experiences being mentored by elders, while incarcerated for a decade, inspired him to become a community leader and help other young men avoid his fate. Believing that violent youth will make better choices for themselves and their communities when able to visualize a healthier path and given life skills, the ONS fellowship program serves as surrogate family for these young men. Over 80% of the ONS fellows have stayed away from gun violence and now live with much more hope and promise.  As a Youth Program Development Consultant, Sam will work in collaboration with James Houston to bring IPP’s Victim Offender Education Group to the young men he serves. ​​
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  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Advisory Board of Directors
    • A Restorative Justice Agency
  • What We Do
    • Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG)
    • Victim/Offender Dialogues
    • Complementary Courses and Sponsored Programs
    • Trainings >
      • Phase 1: Basic Victim Offender Education Group Facilitation Skills Training
      • Phase 2: VOEG Intensive Curriculum and Implementation Training
      • Victim Offender Dialogue Facilitator Training for Severe and Violent Crimes
  • How You Can Help
    • Donate
    • Volunteer Application
  • News and Events
    • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • IPP Blog