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.
Hi, my name is Liv! I recently graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Forensic Psychology. I grew up in Colorado but moved to Arizona for college, where I had the chance to take courses in psychology and forensics, volunteer in a prison ministry, and learn from hands-on experiences. These opportunities opened my eyes to the realities faced by those impacted by the justice system and deepened my heart for a community that is so often denied compassion or support. I’m passionate about helping people find hope and healing. I plan to pursue a master’s degree in counseling in the future so I can continue making a difference in this space. I’m excited for this internship to further my understanding and teach me more about how to best serve and support this community.
Hi! My name is Cashlyn Proffitt, I am a junior at Arizona State University studying Criminology and Criminal Justice. I currently have an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts. Fun fact: I ran track and cross country at a college in Tucson, Arizona last year! Also, I was born and raised here in Gilbert, Arizona! This semester I had Maddi as my professor and was introduced to this internship within the Inside Out Network. I am excited to be a part of this team and to work towards making a positive impact.
Hi there! My name is Evelyn Cabrera, and I am a junior at Arizona State University. I am majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a certificate in Criminal Investigation. I am on track to graduate this Spring 2026. I was born and raised in Arizona, and I am the first one in my family to finish university. A fun fact about me is that I am a farm girl at heart. I love living on the farm and being able to continue getting animals not only for me but also for my siblings. Overall, I am really excited to work with ION and to make a difference.
My name is Catrin Shmaeil. I was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and raised in Arizona. I am currently a second-year master’s student at Arizona State University, pursuing my Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice. I will be graduating this spring and beginning law school in the fall. I am excited to be working with ION again, as I am passionate about supporting individuals in their reentry journey and believe ION is a valuable tool in helping people successfully reintegrate into society.
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.