Shawn Rowland, LCSW
Founder/Director
Shawn is honored to be working with people who have returned to the community after serving decades in prison. She is dedicated to supporting their success in building a meaningful career, finding housing in our challenging housing market, and enjoying caring and loving relationships with friends and family. Shawn is often moved by the desire of her clients to give back to the community.
Shawn is a visionary and strategic leader with over 15 years of clinical social work, program management, and community organizing experience. She has worked extensively with people involved in the criminal justice system, including life inmates in custody and those transitioning back to the community.
As a committed, strength-based clinician, Shawn is dedicated to empowering underserved youth, families, and adults of diverse backgrounds. Her experience spans child welfare, mental health, substance abuse, affordable housing, labor, criminal justice, and community-based organizations. She has empowered people to change their lives and their communities through: individual support and coaching; teaching skill-building in public speaking, goal-setting, relapse prevention, and re-entry planning; and providing individualized strategies for clients to gain insight into the impact of trauma in their lives.
She has also provided strategic leadership in director-level roles, where she has used her passion for social justice and her skills in program and project management to lead staff, educate advocates, and build successful programs that have had a significant impact on individuals, communities, and public policies. A dynamic trainer, community organizer, and coalition builder, she has brought a strong commitment to social change and extensive experience working with diverse stakeholders to effect positive change in the areas of jail services, affordable housing, and statewide mental health services.
Shawn’s professional experience includes Santa Rita Jail, California Medical Facility (CDCR), Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall, Child Protective Services, Outpatient Psychiatric Services, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
VANDRICK TOWNS, CADC II, NCAC-I
Project Manager
Vandrick is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Specialist and ex-lifer.
Vandrick became a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor through the Offender Mentor Program at Solano State Prison. While serving 25 years of his life sentence, Vandrick also finished high school, completed two college degrees, and became a state and nationally certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor.
Vandrick has dedicated his professional life to providing other ex-lifers with the tools they need to be successful in their new lives. He is a Certified Denial Management & Relapse Prevention Specialist, an active member of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and sits on the Board of Directors of We’re Here Nonprofit.