Leadership Philosophy
After Incarceration believes leadership is developed through service, accountability, learning, and relationships. We recognize that communities possess tremendous wisdom and expertise, particularly among people who have lived through adversity and emerged committed to building something better. Our leadership model seeks to cultivate that wisdom while creating opportunities for others to learn, lead, and contribute to the Beloved Community.
Jose Pineda
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Jose Pineda is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of After Incarceration. Following more than twenty-one years of incarceration, he returned home in 2020 committed to building pathways for healing, leadership, and community transformation. A graduate of the Bard Prison Initiative, he previously served as Assistant Director of the SUNY Office of Higher Education in Prison, supporting college-in-prison programs across New York State. His work focuses on Kingian Nonviolence, restorative practices, violence prevention, community leadership development, and expanding opportunities for directly impacted people to shape the future of their communities.
Powerful Starkim Allah
Creative Communications Coordinator
Powerful Starkim Allah is an artist, advocate, and Kingian Nonviolence facilitator whose work explores healing, transformation, and the power of creative expression. As Creative Communications Coordinator for After Incarceration, he helps develop and communicate the stories, ideas, and experiences that shape the organization’s work and vision.
Starkim is a passionate advocate for victims of violence and for addressing the often-unspoken trauma caused by state violence. Through visual art, storytelling, dialogue, and other creative mediums, he creates opportunities for individuals and communities to process harm, reclaim their voices, and imagine new possibilities for healing and growth.
Grounded in the principles of Kingian Nonviolence, his work emphasizes empathy, accountability, and the transformative potential of human relationships. He believes that creativity can help bridge divides, communicate difficult truths, and support communities in their efforts to build the Beloved Community.
At After Incarceration, Starkim helps ensure that art, culture, and creative expression remain central tools for education, healing, leadership development, and community transformation.
Lisette B. Hughes
Director of Strategic Development
Lisette B. Hughes is an educator, scholar, advocate, and organizational strategist whose work has focused on expanding educational opportunity and advancing equity for people impacted by incarceration. Her professional experience spans higher education, program development, research, student support, and systems change initiatives designed to strengthen pathways for directly impacted individuals and their families.
Throughout her career, Lisette has worked with organizations including Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, College and Community Fellowship, Columbia University’s Justice Lab and Racial Justice and Abolition Democracy Project, and SUNY Columbia-Greene Community College. She currently serves as an OHEP Faculty Scholar with the SUNY Office of Higher Education in Prison and is pursuing a doctorate in education at Hofstra University.
Her scholarship and advocacy explore the intersections of education, incarceration, family, gender, and social mobility, with particular attention to the experiences of women and families impacted by the criminal legal system. She brings a deep commitment to educational justice, community empowerment, and creating opportunities for people to realize their full potential.
As Director of Strategic Development, Lisette helps guide the long-term growth of After Incarceration by cultivating partnerships, supporting program development, strengthening organizational infrastructure, and helping translate vision into sustainable impact. Her leadership helps ensure that the organization remains responsive to community needs while building the capacity necessary to advance healing, leadership development, and transformative social change.
Kenyatta Emmanuel Hughes
People and Culture Partner
Kenyatta Emmanuel Hughes is an artist, educator, advocate, and practitioner of Kingian Nonviolence whose work centers healing, leadership development, and community transformation. Following more than two decades of incarceration, he emerged as a respected voice for the power of education, creative expression, and nonviolent social change.
A singer, songwriter, and facilitator, Kenyatta has used music, storytelling, and dialogue to create opportunities for healing and connection across diverse communities. His work reflects a deep commitment to helping individuals transform adversity into purpose and lived experience into leadership. Through his advocacy, artistic practice, and community engagement, he has championed the belief that people are capable of growth, accountability, and meaningful contribution.
As After Incarceration’s People and Culture Partner, Kenyatta helps cultivate the relationships, values, and supportive conditions that allow individuals and communities to thrive. Through Kingian Nonviolence training, mentorship, artistic expression, and community engagement, he supports the development of leaders committed to dignity, accountability, healing, and the pursuit of the Beloved Community.
His work bridges personal transformation and collective action, helping people strengthen their capacity to navigate conflict, build healthy relationships, and contribute to safer, more connected communities.