Keri Watson, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Florida Prison Education Project (FPEP) and Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Watson’s research on art and activism has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the Terra-Fulbright Foundation. Inspired by her experiences teaching for the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project, she started FPEP to bring educational opportunities to incarcerated people in her home state.
Michael Kostis serves as the Coordinator for the Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (FCHEP). A recent graduate from the University of Central Florida with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Sociology, Michael brings a rich background in advocacy. Previously, he was the Program and Volunteer Coordinator for the Florida Prison Education Project (FPEP), Co-Editor-In-Chief of the FPEP Post Magazine, and a Student Body Senator in the UCF Student Government. As an organizer, poet, and activist, Michael is dedicated to addressing class struggle and economic inequality, striving to mobilize working-class individuals toward a more equitable society. At FCHEP, he is committed to expanding and strengthening the network of organizations that provide higher education in prisons, aiming to enhance access and opportunity for incarcerated individuals.
Jack Blanton is an Undergraduate Research Assistant for the Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison. He has volunteered with the Students for Education in Prison since Spring 2024 and strongly believes in FCHEP’s mission to reduce recidivism by providing better education programs in prisons. He has had a passion for books and book donations since he was a kid, and has developed connections with incarcerated people. At FCHEP, he hopes to make a positive impact on our local community and provide more educational resources to those who need it.