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.
For Women & Non-Binary Seeking Reentry Services
We provide enhanced, community-based support for women. including trans women and nonbinary individuals who are preparing for release, returning home from incarceration, or currently under community supervision. Our services address reentry challenges and substance use disorders (SUD), offering trauma-informed resources, guidance, and pathways to healing, stability, and successful reintegration into the community.
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
Ella Scott-Walker
Case Manager
Ella is a Criminology and Criminal Justice student at Northeastern University, serving as Case Manager for all clients at New Beginnings Reentry Services through Northeastern’s Co-op Program. She oversees client intake and follow-up, coordinates supportive services, and manages program enrollment to ensure participants are connected with the resources and opportunities needed to support their reentry journey.
Rachel George
Social Media Manager | Program & Environmental Educator/Trainer
Rachel is a Criminology & Criminal Justice major at Northeastern University through the Co-op experiential learning program. They serve as NBRS’s Social Media Manager, helping share program updates, community resources, and stories that highlight the impact of reentry support. Rachel also works as a Program & Environmental Educator/Trainer, teaching composting, environmental education, and pathways to green jobs. They enjoy using creativity as a tool for empowerment and advocacy, and value learning, growth, and connection alongside students and participants.
Nezi Crandall
Event and Fundraising Coordinator
Inez Crandall is a Criminal Justice and Psychology student at Northeastern University, currently serving as Event Coordinator and Fundraiser at New Beginnings Reentry Services through Northeastern's Co-op Program.
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
Irwin Nesoff
Chair
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.
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.
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.
Cynthia Kussy-Goldberg
Board Member
Cynthia Kussy-Goldberg, a formerly incarcerated woman, is the Founding Director of The F8 Foundation, a program that works with men who endured long term incarceration.
Cynthia is the Massachusetts Community Organizer for the Campaign to End life without Parole (CELWOP), Board of Director of We are Joint
Venture, Inc. and The Ronald A. Burgess, Jr. Foundation.
Vincent Ware
Board Member
Vincent Ware Sr. is a community organizer, advocate, and Deputy Director at the Council on
American-Islamic Relations Massachusetts. With over 25 years of experience in community
organizing, youth development, workforce programs, and advocacy, he has led initiatives across South Florida and Greater Boston in partnership with government agencies and nonprofit organizations. His career spans leadership roles in juvenile justice, crime prevention, and educational programming focused on supporting at-risk and justice-involved youth.
He currently leads community outreach and media engagement at CAIR-MA and remains active in interfaith, civil rights, and reentry-focused coalitions throughout Massachusetts.
Cassie Ramos
Board Member
Cassie Ramos is an experienced HR Compliance Legal Advisor, Board Governance Leader, and Organizational Change Management professional based in Greater Boston. She is known for
developing practical compliance solutions, leading organizational strategy, and navigating
complex employment and governance matters with diplomacy and integrity. Fluent in Haitian
Creole and French, she brings extensive experience working across diverse communities and
dynamic environments and is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar.
Sean Ellis
Board Member
Sean Ellis is a Boston-based criminal justice reform advocate and public speaker who was
wrongfully imprisoned for over 21 years before his convictions were overturned in 2015 due to
police corruption and prosecutorial misconduct. Featured in the Netflix docuseries Trial 4, he
now works with the New England Innocence Project in partnership with the Exoneree Network
to support wrongfully convicted individuals and advance criminal justice reform.
