Community Ambassadors
Ray Boyd
In November 2021, Ray was released from the Connecticut Department of Corrections. He was incarcerated at the age of 19 and served 30 years. During his incarceration, Ray co-founded 2 programs; one of those innovative programs was the subject of a segment that aired on 60 Minutes. In April 2022, Ray was a presenter of Restorative Justice Practices at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) in Chicago, Illinois. Ray is the author of “The Model Inmate,” which explores his time of incarceration. Writing a book has afforded Ray the opportunity to travel around the country to speak with at-risk youth and others. In March 2025, Ray was invited to Adjumani, Uganda, to teach Restorative Justice Practices to Sudanese refugees at the Uganda Prison, as well as the refugee encampment. Ray's nonprofit, Next Level Empowerment Program, opened a community/restorative justice center in August 2026. In September 2025, Ray was a Presenter at the 2025 Euro-Crim Conference in Athens, Greece. Ray is embarking on his new journey as the Program Manager for New Visions for Public Safety at the Law and Racial Justice Center at Yale University. Ray is married to the love of his life, Jacqueline Boyd. Together, they are the co-founders of the Next Level Empowerment Program in New Haven, Connecticut, where they advocate to create a supportive community for returning citizens and their families through direct engagement and holistic social support. Ray is the father of Ray Jr. and Chloe. On February 4, 2026, Ray was granted a full pardon from the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Lana Mendis
Lana J. Mendis serves as Ohio State Director for the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, where she builds connections between community members and people living behind the wall. She is also Leadership Training Manager at JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA), where she helps design and deliver training for Leaders directly and indirectly impacted by the justice system. Her path began in corporate financial services before turning toward reentry, workforce development, and justice reform—a shift rooted in her own story. Raised in the Chicago foster care system, Lana learned early what it means to be overlooked, and she has spent her career making sure others aren't. She is the author of Unseen Unbroken: The Story of a Resilient Woman, a memoir she now facilitates as curriculum for organizations serving women, girls, and mothers. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, she brings a deep belief in human dignity into every room she enters.
Mark Renick
Marc Renick holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Kansas and has pursued graduate studies in Social Work at Northwest Nazarene University. As Program Manager for St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho Reentry Services, Mark supports individuals leaving Idaho's prisons with transportation, clothing, food assistance, employment support, and peer-led groups. He is a graduate of Just Leadership USA's 2018 Cohort, founder of Systemic Change of Idaho, and a board member of the Idaho Justice Project. Marc considers himself a “consumer of correctional services”. Ten years of his adult life since the age of 30 have been spent in prison systems in two states. He shares, “It just took me time to find a path to understand myself. Incarceration made me finally look at the issues God wanted me to learn. Since then, I have worked to make life better for those leaving incarceration in the state of Idaho.” This effort is centered on work done through St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho, Idaho Justice Project, Just Leadership USA, and now The Douglass Project.
Shannon Sisney
Shannon is a returning citizen who grew up in and out of the foster care system. A proud mother and devoted sister, she has built a life rooted in resilience, creativity, and service to her community. Since 2004, she has worked as a licensed esthetician specializing in multicultural skin types, and she founded Full Circle Creations, a design business creating custom wreaths and personalized gifts. She earned 2nd place in the Georgetown Pivot Program's pitch competition for her work.Shannon is a Community Ambassador with The Douglass Project, where she brings lived experience and deep commitment to centering the humanity and dignity of people impacted by the criminal justice system. Through her work, she builds relationships grounded in empathy, amplifies the voices of returning citizens, and helps create conditions for healing and transformation—showing others that survival is possible, redemption is real, and their past does not define their future.
Lisbeth Delcid
Lisbeth Delcid is a dedicated community advocate who is passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, valued, and given the opportunity to grow. As a Community Ambassador with the Frederick Douglass Project, she works to build meaningful connections between incarcerated individuals and members of the community through honest conversation, empathy, and shared experiences. Her years of experience in nonprofit program management, personal development, and community engagement have strengthened her belief that every person has a story, potential, and the capacity for transformation. Lisbeth brings compassion, authenticity, and a commitment to serving others to everything she does, especially when working with individuals navigating difficult seasons and seeking a path forward. She believes that real change begins when we are willing to listen, understand one another, and recognize the humanity we share. Through her work, Lisbeth hopes to help build bridges, challenge assumptions, and contribute to communities where people have the opportunity to heal, grow, and thrive.
Richard Speck
Richard Speck is a Detroit native, Deputy Director of Nation Outside, and a formerly incarcerated leader with over 18 years of combined state and federal incarceration. During his incarceration, he facilitated programs in critical thinking, conflict resolution, ethical reasoning, and leadership, contributing to peer accountability and safer institutional environments.Since his release, Richard has held leadership and organizing roles across Michigan and nationally, including as a Community Organizer with the ACLU of Michigan’s Smart Justice Campaign, a Community Engagement Specialist with Safe & Just Michigan working on Clean Slate and juvenile lifer policy, and with JustLeadershipUSA, where he trained and supported formerly incarcerated leaders nationwide. He is also a co-founder of L.U.C.K., Inc., which supports youth and people returning from prison through values-based mentoring.Richard is committed to the mission of the Douglass Project because he believes that centering directly impacted leadership is essential to achieving meaningful justice reform. He sees this work as a catalyst for individual transformation and systemic change—advancing dignity, accountability, and opportunity for people impacted by the criminal legal system while helping build a more just and equitable system overall.
Kathie Klarreich
Kathie Klarreich is a former journalist and founder of the Miami-based nonprofit Exchange for Change, which facilitates writing, leadership and communication courses in state correctional facilities. She is the author of Madame Dread: A Tale of Love, Vodou and Civil Strife in Haiti, the recipient of a Knight International Journalism Fellowship, and has been widely published in national publications. She has been partnering with the Frederick Douglass Project for more than five years.