About Us
Until he relocated to Tucson, AZ at the end of 2019 to focus on prison and reentry ministry, Fred was the lead pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, a multisite congregation located in Park Ridge and Chicago, Illinois. He is also the founder and Executive Director of the Lutheran Church Planters Network, created to help train and network church planters across the country. A former missionary in Bangladesh and an expert in Christian-Muslim relations, Fred has been involved in prison ministry since 2005 as a volunteer chaplain at Stateville Prison in Joliet, Illinois, including founding the Under the Door Prison Ministry, writing the Spiritual Survival Guide for Prison and Beyond, and crafting RED Chicago, a reentry directory for the Chicago area.
He is the founder and executive director of the Inside Out Network, dedicated to crafting innovative solutions to connect returning citizens with service providers, churches, and ministries, as well as to connect those serving on the inside in prison ministry with those outside who are working on reentry challenges. Because of Christ's call and claim on his life, Fred sees himself fundamentally as a change-agent – an agent of Christ's life-changing hope and joy – to everyone he meets, but especially to those who are feeling hopeless or disconnected. He has a passion for networking, coaching, hiking in the desert, and Indian food. Fred and his wife Carol have four grown sons between them.
Maddi was born and raised in Fountain Hills, Arizona. She attended Arizona State University (ASU) where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Maddi has been with the Inside Out Network since 2020- she loves working to improve the reentry process in various states. In addition to her role at ION, she is a Faculty Associate for the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at ASU where she teaches various courses such as Introduction to Corrections and Crime Control Policies. Overall, she is passionate about creating positive change in the criminal justice system and hopes to use her education and experiences to do so.
Madison was born in a small town in Northern California, but relocated to Arizona with her family, where she attended Arizona State University, and received a Bachelor's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Madison first started with the Inside Out Network as an Intern in 2023 and developed a passion for reentry. The Inside Out Network is a brilliant resource that all returning citizens can benefit from and utilize as a stepping stone to create a successful life outside of prison. Madison hopes to take the education she has learned and the tools she has gained to make positive changes in the criminal justice system.
I am a junior at Arizona State University, set to graduate in 2026 with a major in Criminal Justice and Criminology. I love watching sports, especially football and basketball, and I hope to get involved in sports law. This past fall semester, I was introduced to the InsideOut Network through a class with Maddi, and I'm excited to get started contributing and learning more about the impactful work being done. I look forward to being part of this community and making a positive difference!
My name is Mariana Chilaco and I am an undergraduate student at ASU downtown majoring in criminology and criminal justice with a minor in psychology. I am currently a junior and expected to graduate in 2026. I was born in Tucson, but was raised in Mexico until the age of twelve which I believe gives me a rather unique experience. I am the first to go to college in my family and the first to look for a career in the criminal justice system. When I first moved to the U.S., I was hit with injustices from day one. I learned about the criminal justice system while in high school and discovered that the American dream was not what I expected. From mass incarceration to wrongful convictions, the criminal justice system is not doing a good job at rehabilitation and re-entry. Therefore, organizations like the ION Network continue to work towards a better outcome for formally incarcerated people. I look forward to being a part of such an important movement and keep the momentum going for future generations.
Hi there! My name is Kayla Moehling, and I am currently a junior at Arizona State University studying Criminology and Criminal Justice. Fun fact, I am also earning my Master's degree in CCJ and a minor in Spanish. I am from San Diego, California, but have loved living in the valley throughout college. I love spending time doing anything outside, mainly going hiking and going to the beach. I got involved with the Inside Out Network through Maddi and the classes she teaches at ASU. My goal is to make a small difference in my work here before making a greater impact after college!
Hello! My name is Meagan Magimel- Lopez, and I recently moved to Texas, but have spent most of my life living in California. Currently, I am a Junior at Arizona State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Criminology/Criminal Justice. I have two associate's degrees and a certificate surrounding different aspects of the criminal justice system. During my free time, when I am not focusing on my academic career, I am passionate about photography and being able to spend time with those closest to me. I’m so excited to be working with ION this fall, helping to break the cycle of the criminal justice system, even in small ways, by supporting people as they work toward a new beginning.
My name is Faith, and I am from Alabama! I am a quadriplegic from a Spinal Cord Injury, but I don't let that stop me. I hold a bachelor's degree in psychology with double minors in forensic psychology and Spanish from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I'm currently pursuing a master's in forensic psychology online at Arizona State University. I'm passionate about criminal justice reform and want to make the system more equitable for everyone.
My name is Melani Platero, and I am currently a senior at Arizona State University, where I am pursuing a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the downtown campus. I am on track to graduate with my Bachelor of Science in the Fall of 2025. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, I will be the first in my family to earn a university degree. As I wrap up my final semester before graduation, I am looking forward to stepping into the field to become an Advocate for those who need a voice. My strong determination drives me to support individuals and work towards improving our system for everyone. I am truly excited to begin my journey with ION and contribute to the meaningful work this organization undertakes. I look forward to contributing to this community and making a difference.
John McLees is a retired partner of law firm of Baker & McKenzie LLP and an activist in connecting citizens with organizations and initiatives dedicated to reforming the criminal justice system and to improving the lives of those who are incarcerated or who have been released from jail or from prison.
He maintains a website, at http://incarcerationreform.com/, with information about resources for learning about the criminal justice system and opportunities for citizens to get involved in confronting the moral crisis of mass incarceration. John is also active in several organizations that work to pressure the United States and Israel to honor the human rights of the Palestinian people.
Justin has had an unconventional education when it comes to the corrections industry. His experience began as a youth as a justice-involved individual at the age of 17. He successfully paid his debt to society over a period of 10 years. He then formed alliances with his community supervision office and began working to help those incarcerated. He started his work in the behavioral health sector in 2007 in northern Arizona. He has worked in private substance abuse clinics, Regional Behavioral Health public clinics, and hospitals helping those with substance use disorders and forensic backgrounds. Today Justin strives to be a role model and demonstrates that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to those who are previously justice-involved. His uncanny ability to build connections with anyone he meets is the native Texan shining through. When he is not making connections in the world of re-entry he is making them on the football field where he has played and coached or on the mats in some of the top MMA gyms across Arizona. Saying Justin has a large family is an understatement. He is father to four daughters, one son and has a new granddaughter. Justin knows what it takes to grow strong communities and does just that here in Arizona, sharing with those who will listen to what he believes. He works hard to live his motto: “Know it, Do it, and Believe it.”
Tory has been working with the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry Team since 2020 to align with the department's transition to support inmates through rehabilitation and reentry. She has a passion to serve God and to inspire, support, and bring positive change to all of those around her. Tory has worked with underserved populations for over 15 years including persons diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness, Substance Dependence, and Reentry Programming. Tory completed her Graduate Degree in Counseling through University of Phoenix in 2016, with a desire to better understand people first, to then create change. Tory is a Navy Veteran and it is her life's work to serve God and others "always believing in the good of humanity!"
Sarah has been working in prison ministry for over twenty years. Starting with a pivotal experience of working with inmates at the Lansing Correctional Facility in Lansing, Kansas, while in college, she went on to attend seminary with a focus on Social Justice and Prison Ministry. She served as a volunteer in several Missouri prisons and was then hired to run a program dedicated to healing and nurturing the bonds of incarcerated mothers and their young children. Sarah is currently serving as the executive director of Prison Congregations of America, a non-profit dedicated to the dream of planting a church inside every prison in the U.S., with 22 congregations currently active across the country.
Larry joined the Air Force during the Vietnam Conflict and, while serving, completed a degree in Criminal Justice from Park University, trained and served as an auditor in the Air Force accounting and finance office, and got a real estate license.
After the Air Force, Larry went to law school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and opened Pace & Wilson, a private law practice. He practiced law in the private sector for 13 years and was a contract public defender for both Missouri and Kansas as well as handling conflict cases in the U.S. Courts. He was recruited to work for the Federal Government in 1996, working as an Assistant Federal Public Defender for 19 years. He was subsequently hired to handle the defense in Death Penalty Litigation and also worked on Organized Crime and Multi- State Litigation.
Throughout these years, Larry engaged in numerous charitable activities. He and his wife created ECAP Enterprises, which worked with various golf organizations and tournaments to aid veterans and children's charities. He worked with Gideons International, making presentations and distributing Bibles. He also obtained Federal Firearms License and sold guns and helped to train "conceal carry" individuals.
Upon his first wife's death, he endowed a scholarship at the University of Arizona College of Nursing. He continued to pursue other charitable work, including board memberships, and, met his wife, Bonnie, through work with the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona. Together, they continue extensive charitable and church work.