What is the Impact Team?

The Impact Team is the heart and soul of San Quentin SkunkWorks; they are SkunkWorks incarcerated volunteers. They invent and dream the programs of San Quentin SkunkWorks. With the help of the Operations Team, these dreams are realized. All of the members of the Impact Team are unpaid.

Impact Team

Kai Bannon

Visionary, Program Coordinator

People say time changes things, but in reality, you have to change yourself. I founded SkunkWorks to create positive change, agency, and opportunity for incarcerated people, to spend my time in furtherance of goodness and compassion, and to change the world or at least a little corner of it.

As the Visionary, my job is to restore lost potential, redefine what it means to be confined and build and scale programs that fundamentally reform and improve the justice system. Tasks that would be impossible were it not for the incredible capacity of my incarcerated Impact Team members and the world-class talent of Our Operations Team.

Together, we’re not just changing the face of criminal justice reform; we’re remaking lives. Our success is a testament to the power of empowerment, proving that innovation and leadership can emerge from the most unlikely places.

At SkunkWorks, we’re rewriting stories, fostering hope, and building a future where potential knows no bounds. Join us.

Steven M. Warren

Program Coordinator

Why I helped start San Quentin SkunkWorks:

I believe in giving a voice to the voiceless, and there is no better representation than the currently incarcerated.

What I think stinks:

Disenfranchisement, systemic oppression, chitlins.

What I think smells good: 

Equality, humanity, tacos, family cookouts.

More about me:

I am an Oakland native who enjoys writing spoken word poetry and music. Before my incarceration, I worked in residential construction and was a union electrician in IBEW Local 340. I have always been drawn to advocacy and civil rights work. I am the grandchild of a Black Panther Party member, so it must be in my DNA. I’ve worked hard to make amends during my incarceration, serving two years on the residents Advisory Council, most recently as vice president. In addition to SkunkWorks, I am a student at Mount Tamalpais College, a facilitator for the Awareness Into Domestic Abuse (AIDA) group, and a senior organizer for Initiate Justice. With San Quentin’s 1,000-Mile Running Club, I ran a half-marathon for the first time, and now I’m hooked on running.

Ask me about:

Advocacy, social and criminal justice reform, running, poetry, and music.

Freddie “Fernando” Wortham

Program Fellow

I grew up in a single-parent household with ten siblings. My mother, Earlean, a warm woman with a bubbly laugh, raised me. But I often felt my emotional needs were not being met. So, I began seeking attention outside of our family, missing school to hang out with kids on the corner.

I was just seven years old the first time I was locked up. The judge removed me from my biological family for truancy. Perhaps he thought he was doing the right thing, but it robbed me of the opportunity to grow up with a family.

Adrift, I floated through juvenile hall, foster homes, boy schools, and prison– a path too common and filled with adversity. But all this history led me to San Quentin SkunkWorks, where my experiences fuel our programs. Here, I contribute to research, assist in the Impact Team’s administration, and help lead PathLight, turning my once-painful story into guidance for others. Through PathLight, I leverage my life’s lessons to inform and support those navigating their way back into society. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced I believe we can light the way to a brighter future.

Bostyon Johnson

Program Fellow

Why I helped start San Quentin SkunkWorks:

Because I want to change the current prison culture, policies, and the stigma placed on incarcerated people. I also wanted to build something of meaning, plus our games campaign is pretty cool. 

What I think stinks:

The inequity in our legal system, prison politics, and old milk.

What I think smells good:

Rehabilitation, ambition, and low recidivism rates.

More about me:

Some things cannot be taken back, no matter how much we wish. I spent a long time hating myself for the many things I’ve done, but I’ve come to believe that remorse is less meaningful than atonement. Now, I work to help other people in whatever small way I can. I want to be a motivation to other incarcerated men and women and a voice for change because I believe people can change even from behind these walls.

I’m also a writer for the San Quentin News, where I strive to write articles that illuminate rehabilitation, public safety, and advance social justice.

Ask me about:

Finding light in the darkness, journalism, and sharing a small space with a stranger.

Joshua Strange

Program Fellow

Why I helped start San Quentin SkunkWorks:

Having rescued two adorable orphaned skunk pups in the past, I knew SkunkWorks was for me. I’ve always considered myself a knowledgeable person, but until my incarceration, I had no idea how dysfunctional and counterproductive much of our justice system has become. We desperately need innovative solutions to reform the system, reduce recidivism, and provide effective alternatives to punitive incarceration.

What I think stinks:

Excuses, counterproductive policies, discrimination, and car fresheners.

What I think smells good:

Innovative solutions, restorative justice, redemption, and skunks.

More about me:

Being the son of itinerant academics, I love learning and am earning degrees in Business Administration and Sociology through correspondence. I currently work as a staff journalist at San Quentin News.

As a believer in restorative justice, after my release, I hope to help make amends for my mistakes by working on crime prevention and harm reduction. In addition to facilitating rehabilitative groups, I enjoy playing basketball and find freedom through long-distance running.

Ask me about:

Restorative/transformative justice, reentry/recidivism, solution-based journalism, education, entrepreneurship, sports/wellness, and co-parenting from prison.

Stanley “Stan” Ricks

Program Fellow

Why I helped start San Quentin SkunkWorks:

I believe in our vision—true change must start from the inside out. By working with my peers, I believe we can help change and create new policies. One’s that will have a lasting benefit for incarcerated people and our communities.

What I think stinks:

Wet socks, hate speech, anger.

What I think smells good:

People, cake, steaks, and all that’s great.

More about me:

I was born in Pomona, California but grew up in Belleville, Illinois. I am a big believer that we, as human beings, can achieve greatness through improvement- each error is a tool that must be mastered so we can move forward as a collective force for the betterment of all humankind. Since incarceration, I have taken college courses and self-help groups like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. I have a passion for computers and technology and hope to learn more.

Ask me about:

Empowering disadvantaged people, why people are more good than bad, the future, and learning from your mistakes.

Paul Hinojosa

Program Fellow

My name is Paul Hinojosa. My life, once filled with the joys of an upcoming marriage, took a dark turn following addiction and arrest for domestic violence. As my addiction spiraled, to my shame instead of asking for help I hurt people and committed robberies.

Although I wish I didn’t have this life experience, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by those struggling with similar issues. This insight allows me to bring empathy and a unique perspective to my work at Skunkworks. I’m not just working on projects; I’m also advocating for and implementing strategies that are sensitive to the needs of those who, like me, have faced significant personal challenges. My journey has taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of support networks, qualities that I now apply in my role with our PathLight Initiative. I believe these experiences uniquely position me to contribute meaningfully and effectively to our community.

Michael “Rusty” Hartley

Program Fellow

My name is Michael “Rusty” Hartley.  Life has taken me down some rough roads, ones I deeply regret. But here at SkunkWorks, I’ve a chance to try to make amends. It won’t make up for what I’ve done; some scales can never be balanced. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

I work to build and scale our prototypes into programs that benefit from my ten years in the Navy and a knack for project management.  I now use these skills to help my teammates turn good intentions into impactful programs. Together, we’re using our experience in the system to change it for the better, and in the process, most of us are also finding a way to change ourselves. 

For me, that’s the most important thing: finding a way to live with myself. Every well-managed meeting, every program that resonates with our mission, is a small act of atonement. In the resilient spirit of our community, I see the potential for growth and change, even in the darkest reaches. It’s a reminder that hope always has a place.

George Yacoub

Program Fellow

I was born in Lebanon, but as a child my family and I were forced to flee the civil war settling in Los Angeles. I once dreamed of becoming a doctor and helping people, but beset by domestic challenges and untreated PTSD, I turned to substance abuse, leading to two burglary convictions by 18. In 1998, I received a third strike for a non-violent drug offense and was given a life sentence. I’ve been incarcerated for more than 26 years. 

I spent a long time being angry at the length of my sentence but I’ve come to realize that I alone am responsible for my incarceration. 

My involvement with San Quentin SkunkWorks has been transformative. This organization, driven by system-impacted people like me, resonates with my journey. It offers a platform for change and self-improvement. Here, I contribute to initiatives that align with my lifelong dream of helping others. SkunkWorks has provided me with a sense of purpose and a community where I can make a meaningful impact, fostering growth and understanding in both myself and the broader criminal justice system.

George Edward Coles-El

Program Fellow

My name is George Edward Coles-El, but I am better known as Mesro Dhu Rafa’a, or Mesro the Human Sun. I am an integral part of the San Quentin SkunkWorks Art Team and am deeply involved in the Transformative Gaming Initiative. My life is a tapestry of roles – as an emcee, poet, educator, graffiti artist, co-imaginer, and passionate gamer. My journey has taken me from the hardships of homelessness and criminal activities to a path of profound transformation within the confines of incarceration.

In San Quentin SkunkWorks, my artistic skills come to life, especially in promoting cooperative experiences through gaming and art. My commitment to using gaming as a tool for activism and social change is a cornerstone of my contributions here. I bring my talents in writing, visual arts, and oration to challenge the segregated culture of prisons and foster inclusivity through gaming.

My goal is to emerge as a transformative educator driven by a desire to impact the world positively. My grandfather’s wise words, to observe and listen more than I speak, guide me in this journey. In SkunkWorks, I am not just part of reform; I am part of a movement redefining possibilities, inspiring personal growth, and contributing to a stronger, more connected community.

Edward Moss

Program Fellow

Twenty years ago, consumed by fear and living in a violent neighborhood, I made a devastating choice: I took another man’s life, shattering his family and leaving a gaping wound in my community. Their suffering and knowing what I did can’t be undone or made up for marks my soul.

I joined SkunkWorks because I saw other people who had harmed their community working to heal it, and I wanted an opportunity to help change the system. Being part of this team has given me a unique perspective on rehabilitation and the power of restorative justice. I work on our research team and do program evaluation where I’m constantly thinking about how I could reach my former self. Now, the thinking that once caused so much harm to others is repurposed to build better programs. In this way, I hope to honor the memory of those people I’ve hurt and contribute to building a better future.

Clayton R. Addleman

Program Fellow

I’m Clayton R. Addleman, and my life’s journey from Glendora, California, to here has been anything but straightforward. Growing up in a home where addiction was prevalent, I faced significant challenges early on. The loss of my father to addiction deeply affected me, steering me towards a path of difficulty and confusion.

During my time in prison, I began to turn my life around. I progressed from being a high school dropout to achieving a college degree. Beyond academics, I found a voice and a purpose as a mentor and a writer, sharing my experiences through the Prison Journalism Project.

Now, as a member of the San Quentin SkunkWorks research team, I’m deeply involved in shaping the programs that resonate with experiences like mine. My work here is about using data and personal insights to improve and innovate within the justice system. My story, woven into the fabric of SkunkWorks, illustrates our mission: it highlights the potential for personal transformation and underscores the impact of informed, empathetic support in driving meaningful change.