A New Vision for Reentry

press release: Nehemiah's year-round Reentry Conference returns for a new year of sessions with a new vision for how reentry looks. Join our own Reentry team of passionate staff members who bring the lived experience of being impacted by the criminal justice system themselves. The team are powerful advocates and activists around the issues faced by those coming out of the criminal justice system. From serving on the Governor's pardon board, partnering in innovative research with the University of Wisconsin, building violence intervention programs, and cultivating strategic partnerships for change, our team is tackling issues from a holistic community approach.

Nehemiah provides a wide array of culturally competent and relevant programs to meet the needs of men who are leaving jail or prison. These services increase the likelihood that our participants will transition successfully and become contributing members of our community. Our reentry staff include formerly incarcerated African American men who have effectively navigated the challenges of reentry.

Guest Panelists:

- Anthony Cooper, vice president of strategic partnerships and reentry services

- Aaron Hicks, reentry coordinator

- Frank Davis, reentry doordinator

- Rebecca Barber, reentry housing program coordinator

- Hosted by Eli Steenlage, cirector of communications

Register for Zoom Webinar or watch the live stream on the Justified Anger YouTube Channel.

Anthony Cooper, Sr. (“Coop”) uses his life experiences to help men in the Madison community. A devoted husband and father of two sons, he dedicates his time to ensure that men leaving prison are re-acclimated to society. Anthony brings 10 years of job development and mentoring experience to this role. He has served as a placement specialist, corporate recruiter, Fatherhood Program facilitator at the Urban League of Greater Madison and as owner/director of Opportunity Tree Inc.

As the director of reentry services, Anthony is responsible for networking with employers, partnering with community organizations and the Dept. of Corrections, mentoring and establishing mentor relationships, and operating the Nehemiah House and Dignity House. Anthony has a strong passion for changing the view of incarcerated individuals in society so they no longer feel imprisoned when released.

Aaron Hicks started working with Jerome Dillard and Voices Beyond Bars on return from incarceration back into the community, which brought the very work that he was doing while incarcerated now into the community. This was also his introduction to Nehemiah and meeting Pastor Alex Gee, who had started his own men’s group, called Man Up. Aaron then moved into a Reentry Specialist role at Nehemiah, where he now facilitates the Man Up Group with his amazing ability to connect with people and help them work through their hurts and pains.  

Frank Davis is an activist, community leader, and a self-described “Inspirationist”. He helps facilitate the Man Up group. For years he has fought for policy reform in the criminal justice system around solitary confinement, old law, and crimeless revocation. He has a passion to give back to the community and wants to be a catalyst of change within the criminal justice system and beyond.

Rebecca Barber is our reentry services housing coordinator for the Nehemiah Dignity Housing Program. Outside of Nehemiah, she has a strong background in connecting people through music. She has been the host of the Universal Soul Explosion on WORT-FM (89.9), Madison, for over 10 years and continues to use that platform to connect those incarcerated with loved ones outside the walls. An advocate of social justice and community support, she is a board member of the Urban Community Arts Network, the Midwest member of Wazzup Radio Group NYC, and board member of WORT. Rebecca is the mother of two, holds degrees in marketing and business administration / human resources, brings experience in early childhood education / teaching, corporate training, and handy-(wo)man skills.