Serving with
&
heart
purpose.
Our mission is more than just a program—it is a deeply personal commitment carried out by a team of compassionate, dedicated professionals who believe in the potential of every person who walks through our doors.
New Beginnings Reentry Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN #81-1525549). Our staff and volunteers are more than service providers; we are mentors, advocates, and unwavering sources of support. Many have walked similar paths themselves or have witnessed firsthand the challenges of reentry, and they bring both professional expertise and heartfelt understanding to their work.
We listen without judgment, guide with empathy, and stand beside each individual as they navigate their journey toward healing and stability.
Our mission is
simple but
mighty.
At New Beginnings Reentry Services, our mission is to empower, heal, and uplift individuals impacted by incarceration. Through compassionate support, trauma-informed care, and transformative programs, we provide the tools and resources needed to break cycles of incarceration, foster personal growth, and promote successful reintegration into the community.
We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where individuals of all genders can heal from past trauma, build new skills, and reclaim their futures with confidence and dignity. Through our holistic approach—including mental health and substance use counseling, financial and digital literacy training, creative therapies, and wellness programs—we strive to restore hope, promote self-sufficiency, and strengthen communities, one life at a time.
At New Beginnings, we believe that everyone deserves a second chance—and we are here to walk that journey together.
Our team:
compassion
in action.
Stacey Borden
Founder & Executive Director
Stacey Borden is the founder and executive director of New Beginnings Reentry Services, Inc. (NBRS). Starting in 1982, Stacey was in and out of prison for nearly 30 years. From her personal experiences and understanding of the system, Stacey became an advocate for people suffering from domestic and sexual violence. In 2016, Stacey created NBRS in response to the lack of resources for those suffering from past traumas and injustices within prison.
Team Members
Jennifer Wells
Consultant
As a communication consultant, Jennifer has more than 20 years of experience developing strategies and creating content for mission-driven organizations. She has a strong background in fundraising, marketing, executive, and event communications. Her expertise includes writing and editing grants, stories, digital content, reports, speeches, and more.
Patricia Borden-Wheeler
Human Services Coordinator
Patricia was born and raised in Boston, MA. She has worked at banks, engineering firms, hospitals, and with public defenders. The oldest child of 12, she values her informal education gained by way of survival, caregiving, and curiosity.
Donald Tavares
Integrated Case Manager
Donald is a Case Manager and licensed Substance Use Counselor who is formerly incarcerated with lived experience.
Benjamin Thompson
Program Coordinator
Benjamin is a veteran, entrepreneur, teacher, leader, and political operative. His reentry journey brought him from earning a GED while incarcerated to graduating from Harvard with a Master's Degree—everything is possible! He believes in the power of education and training combined with treatment and mentoring to rebuild and transform lives.
Board Members
K. Melchor Hall
Board Member
K. Melchor Quick Hall met Stacey Borden in 2023 when she joined Wellesley College as the Anti-Carceral Co+Laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow. Today, Hall is both the Associate Director of Wellesley College's Botanic Gardens and the founder of Solidarity Arts & Education Decolonial initiatives Collective, an organization working at the intersection of Black reparations, prison abolition, and food sovereignty.
Irwin Nesoff
Board Member
Irwin Nesoff is a retired associate professor and chair of the Department of Leadership and Policy at Wheelock College. He holds a doctorate in social welfare and has been a leader in the nonprofit world for over forty years. He authored the popular textbook Human Service Program Planning Through a Social Justice Lens, and currently serves as the chair of the Town of Hull Select Board.
Gretchen Shae
Board Member
Gretchen Shae is an associate professor of liberal arts and sciences at Berklee College of Music. In addition to teaching, she enjoys performing, singing, writing original music, and advocating to end mass incarceration for all.
Gatewood West
Board Member
Gatewood West is a clinical social worker in private practice in Cambridge. She is a long term prison visitor and an advocate for formerly incarcerated people. Gatewood is also on the board of the Greater Boston Reentry Task Force.
Kenneth Willis
Board Member
Kenneth Willis is a senior vice president and director of housing and community investment and a member of the Management Committee at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, where he is responsible for implementing the bank’s strategic vision for administering housing and community investment programs, processes, compliance, and reporting.
