Community Ambassadors
Ray Boyd
In November 2021, Ray was released from the Connecticut Department of Correction. He was incarcerated at the age of 17 and served 30 years. During his incarceration, in 2015, Ray cofounded the Skills of Socialization (S.O.S.) program at the Osborn Correctional Institute, and in 2018 he cofounded the T.R.U.E. Reentry program at the Cheshire Correctional Institute. The innovative program was the subject of segment aired on 60 Minutes. In April of 2022, Ray was a presenter of Restorative Justice Practices at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) in Chicago, Illinois.
Since his release, Ray has worked at Lewis Real Estate Services and Yale New Haven Health. He currently volunteers his time as a Board Member of CT Stop Solitary Confinement and advocates for second chances for offenders. Ray also volunteers his time with the United States Department of Justice as a speaker with FED Up, Project Safe Neighborhood, and Project Longevity. Ray also lends his lived experience to Odyssey Impact as an Expert Contributor to the Documentary “Second Shot” by Andrew Michael Ellis. The film is part of a National Campaign to bring awareness to social injustices here in America and abroad.
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 2022, Ray was invited by the city of Miami to take part in an Authors, Arts & Jazz Festival in the Historic Coconut Grove section of Miami Florida. In February of 2023, he was invited down to the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., to speak with youth at H.D. Woodson High School during Black History Month.
Ray is embarking on his new journey as the Program Manager at the Law & Racial Justice Center. Ray looks to share his lived experience with all so that it may benefit the lives of others.
Ray is married to the love of his life Jacqueline James-Boyd. Together, they are the co-founders of Next Level Empowerment Program in New Haven, CT. 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 & daughter, Chloe.
Lana Mendis
Lana Mendis is a transformational leader and justice reform advocate whose work is grounded in lived experience and driven by a profound commitment to systemic change. As the Leadership Admin Coordinator at JustLeadershipUSA, she facilitates high-impact initiatives, bridges communication across leadership and alumni networks, and supports national advocacy efforts that amplify the voices of system-impacted individuals.
She is a 2022 Leading with Conviction™ alumna and a community ambassador for The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, where she fosters meaningful dialogue between incarcerated individuals and members of the public to shift perspectives and promote dignity. Lana also supported reentry and healing through her previous work with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s Chopping for a Change program, which provides culinary training and trauma recovery for incarcerated individuals. She served as a mentor and ambassador for the Prison-to-Professional PhD initiative and is a member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. With nearly two decades of prior leadership experience in finance—including roles at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, and CBOT—Lana brings strategic insight and operational excellence to every endeavor.
She holds a B.A. in Leadership & Ministry, an MBA in Organizational Management, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Organizational Leadership at the University of Dayton.Lana’s journey, from surviving incarceration, abuse, and homelessness to becoming a voice for justice, is a testament to her resilience, purpose, and unwavering belief in redemption and human potential.