Community Advisors
Joel Keyser
Advisory Council Chair
Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI)
Joel is a seasoned business leader, with over 40 years of experience as a CPA, CFO, CEO and HR Manager, helping many companies achieve a high level of success. He is presently on the Board of The Hinda Institute, a non-profit organization providing access to education, counseling, housing and food, along with spiritual guidance to current and formerly incarcerated individuals. As a formerly incarcerated individual, Joel understands the need for improving access to affordable financial services and educational resources to community members. He is one of our peer mentors and Fresh Start program instructors.
Jack Faherty
CFO, Homeboy Industries (ret.)
Jack is a career finance professional and retired CFO with Homeboy Industries, the world's largest rehabilitation and reentry program for formerly gang involved and previously incarcerated men and women. It's extensive array of services allows these individuals to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community. He is currently a Board Member with Homeboy Electronics Recycling, a certified and award-winning social enterprise offering nationwide service for the proper disposal and management of IT assets and CareNow Foundation, a non-profit that supports medical clinics in rural Africa.
Barry Diamond
Founder, Reentry Survivors
Barry is the Founder of Re-entry Survivors, an organization providing employment opportunities and other support services to formerly incarcerated people. He is also the Founder of P.R.I.D.E, the first entrepreneurship program for returning citizens, and an approved Alternative Sentencing Program. Barry has received numerous accolades from political leaders, corrections officials and community organizations alike.
Martin Sparkman
CEO, Reentry Survivors
Martin "King" Sparkman is the CEO of Reentry Survivors. has been with the organization since 2017 and has been highly instrumental in establishing partnerships with numerous community organizations for entrepreneurship training. He has received many awards for his work with system-impacted people across Connecticut, including at prisons and halfway houses in Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, Bridgeport, helping hundreds of people create small businesses. This program is currently offered by the University of Bridgeport where more than 30 scholarships have been offered to justice-involved individuals.
Will Rothschild
Director, Robert & Maurine Rothschild Fund
Will is a lifelong New Yorker who is passionate about social justice and addressing inequality in the US and abroad. He has a background in finance in both the for profit and non-profit sectors, having worked in corporate development in the energy sector and managed the investment portfolios of foundations. He has also held roles in international development and education. Since 2016, he has directed a family foundation that has primarily focused on reforming our justice system. Will received his bachelor’s degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University.
Lewis Conway, Jr.
In Memoriam
Lewis was a major force in large-scale advocacy, legislative, electoral, and organizing campaigns, which promoted the abolishment of mass incarceration. He was a passionate storyteller who shared his gifts through teaching and speaking. Lewis was a profound advocate for improving economic mobility and access to financial services for justice-involved individuals. The story of Lewis' life is an inspiration to all.
Shawanna Vaughn
Founder, Silent Cry
Shawanna is the Founder and Director of Silent Cry, Inc., a non-profit organization that takes a holistic approach to aftercare from the collateral consequences of mass incarceration and gun violence. The organization's objectives are to interrupt the cycle of violence and help raise awareness for Post Traumatic Prison Disorder, underscoring the trauma created by incarceration.