People - Florida Prison Education Project

FPEP is housed in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.

Meet our Current Leadership

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.

Heather Vazquez, MFA, MA, is the Education Coordinator for FPEP and a faculty member in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at UCF. Her teaching and interests include first-year composition, multilingual writing, language diversity, translingualism, and World Englishes. As the Education Coordinator, she works with current and prospective FPEP teachers in the planning and implementation of courses.

Alexander Alvarez, MFA, is the Statewide Coordinator and Project Development Specialist for FPEP and FCHEP (the Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison), as well as an Instructor at the School of Visual Art and Design at the University of Central Florida. He is a first-generation Puerto Rican immigrant, multidisciplinary visual artist, and educator whose artistic vision and pedagogy are informed by his formative years in Springfield, Massachusetts; a city affected by poverty and systemic injustices. This unique perspective informs his work at FPEP with profound thoughtfulness and insight into the shared struggles of overlooked populations. With a keen focus on exploring themes of inequality, marginalization, and collective memory, he serves to create platforms to amplify voices often disregarded by society. He says, “Our experiences can be transmuted into something purposeful and empowering.”

Tanya Armstrong, Ed.D. is the Director of Partnerships for FPEP and the Regional Director for UCF Connect in the Division of Student Learning and Academic Success at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Armstrong has over 20 years of experience at UCF and more than 30 years in higher education. Her experience with students transitioning to university encompasses all areas of the student experience from prospect to graduate. With experience in admissions, student services, and advising as well as developing key pathways with various education partners in Central Florida, Dr. Armstrong sees FPEP as an opportunity to grow and diversify the region’s economy while keeping the accent on the individual.

Iradly Roche, MSW, is the Research Coordinator for FPEP. An alumnus of UCF, he has fifteen years of work experience within Alternative School settings such as OCPS B.E.T.A. School, Silver Star School, and GATEWAY School. At these schools, he provided case management and mental health services to teen parents and exceptional student education populations. He collaborated with local agencies to promote a healthy learning environment for all students, and he worked with students transitioning out of juvenile detention programs to help them re-establish working relationships with student caregivers, schoolteachers, and administrators.

Rohan Jowallah, Ed.D., is the Coordinator of Online Education for FPEP. Dr. Jowallah has worked in education for over 20 years and has international experience, having taught in the Caribbean, England, and the USA. His teaching experience includes teaching online, face-to-face, and blended modes of course delivery, and he has taught at various levels: elementary school; middle school; high school and university. Dr. Jowallah brings experience and a passion for addressing issues of social justice, inclusion, and diversity to the FPEP team, where he works to ensure quality and consistency in FPEP’s online course offerings.

Steffen Guenzel, Ph.D., is the Advocacy Coordinator for FPEP. Dr. Guenzel is a faculty member in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric in UCF’s College of Arts and Humanities where he researches writing in digital environments, writing in the disciplines and professional writing/project management. As the FPEP Advocacy Coordinator, he collaborates with others to raise awareness and garner support for FPEP. A past Fulbright scholar, Dr. Guenzel has worked previously with graduate students at the University of Alabama who taught for the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project.

Michael Kostis serves as the Co-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.

Aiya Messina is the Student Program Coordinator for FPEP. She is a senior, currently earning her Criminal Justice B.A. and applying for a dual M.P.A. in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management after graduation. She is a passionate advocate for prison reform, working as the Editor in Chief of the FPEP Post to educate the public about mass incarceration in America.

Yaseen El Ghandour is the Designer for the Florida Prison Education Project Post and graphic designer for the College of Arts and Humanities. He is a Sophmore earning his Animation and Visualization – Emerging Media BFA.

Former Leadership Board Members

Ream Al-Ghamdi served as Digital Marketing Coordinator 2020-2023

Jason Fronczek served as Program Coordinator 2020-2023

Nicholas DeArmas served as Director of Partnerships 2018-2022

Meghan Mitchell served as Research Coordinator 2020-2022

Terry Ann Thaxton served as Education Coordinator 2017-2020

Tameca Harris-Jackson served as Research Coordinator 2017-2019

Sean Armstrong served as the Partnership Coordinator 2017-2021

Meet our Advocacy Board

In June 2021, FPEP formed an Advocacy Board to advance FPEP’s advocacy work and mission, Together, the board makes public policy recommendations based on research that centers on the tenets of law and policy,

Sydney Alexander (UCF ’15; Emory Law ’17) is a litigation attorney specializing in complex commercial litigation in Holland & Knight’s Miami office. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Alexander served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Mary S. Scriven in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. (2021-present)

Arielle Bardzell (UCF ’13; Georgetown Law ’16) is a corporate associate at Latham & Watkins, London.(2021-present)

Norynne Caleja (UCF ’22) is an undergraduate student at UCF in the Department of Legal Studies.(2021-2022)

Jean-Pierre Gilbert (UCF ’11; Stetson Law ’14) is Assistant Public Defender for Florida’s Eighteenth Judicial Circuit. Currently assigned to the Felony Trial Court division. (2021-present)

Steffen Guenzel is an associate lecturer at UCF in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric and FPEP’s Advocacy Coordinator. (2021-present)

Victoria Manglardi (UCF ’08; Florida A&M Law ’11) is a personal injury lawyer at Martinez Manglardi and a former public defender in both Orange and Osceola Counties, where she handled juvenile, county, and felony cases. (2021-present)

Angel Sanchez (UCF 2017; Miami Law ’21) is a policy coordinator for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. (2021-2022)

Cortez Whatley (UCF ’13; Washington University Law ’17) is the Chief of Staff and Senior Aide to Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe, District 3. (2021-present)

Meet our student interns and faculty volunteers (past and present)

Elio Alfonso is an associate professor of accounting at the University of Tampa. He specializes in financial accounting research with a focus in accounting disclosures and financial reporting. He has published academic articles in the Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, the Journal of Business, Accounting, and Finance, Accounting Horizons, Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance and the Journal of Applied Business Research. Alfonso has also presented accounting research papers in over 20 local, national and international accounting association conferences.
Ahlam Al-Rawi is an associate lecturer and the outreach coordinator for the Physics Department in UCF's College of Sciences. She received her BS in Physics from Al-Mustansariya University, Baghdad, Iraq, her MS from the University of Aston in Birmingham, UK, and her Ph.D. from Kansas State University, She has been with UCF since 2010.
Dave Austin is a graduate student in the UCF Physics Department. In fall 2019, Dave taught a physics course at CFRC and presented at the American Association of Physics Teachers.
Rick Brunson is a Senior Instructor who teaches digital, print, and broadcast journalism at the Nicholson School of Communication and Media. He also advises the NSCM chapter of the Radio Television Digital News Association. He is an award-winning journalist and journalism educator. In 2022, he and his students were recipients of the national Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Digital Reporting, one of the highest honors in journalism. He is also a multiple winner of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sunshine State Award for his radio reporting.
Jason Burrell is a senior lecturer, assistant director, and graduate coordinator for the School of Visual Arts & Design at UCF.
Jacob Caceres-Wright is an undergraduate student majoring in Anthropology at UCF.
Mason Cash is an associate professor of philosophy and the program director of the Cognitive Sciences graduate certificate at the University of Central Florida.
Michael Chini is an assistant professor of physics in UCF's College of Sciences. Dr. Chini received his B.Sc. in Physics from McGill University in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Central Florida in 2012. He began as Assistant Professor at UCF in 2015 and leads the Laboratory for Ultrafast Metrology and Attoscience in Solids (LUMAS).
Ariel Collier is a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts and Design at the University of Central Florida and former president of Black Man’s Candor, Ariel previously worked as an FPEP intern. Ariel managed the FPEP office, scheduled classes in area prisons, and helped manage enrollment.
Annabelle Conroy is a lecturer in the Department of Politics, Security, and International Affairs at UCF. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Nicholas Cox is a graduate student in the UCF Physics Department.
Kaitlyn Crawford is an assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Nicholas DeArmas is an instructor at Valencia College. He received his Ph.D. in Texts and Technology at the University of Central Florida and his MA in English from the University of North Carolina Charlotte.
Hailey Donahue is an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science on a Pre-Law Track.
Grant Donovan is an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science.
Wendy Dye is a graduate student in the Department of English at the University of Central Florida.
Enrique Escoto is an undergraduate student majoring in Sociology.
Terri Susan Fine is a professor of political science in the School of Politics, Security and International Affairs at the University of Central Florida. She also serves as the content specialist for the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship. In each of these roles, she has enjoyed the opportunity to teach about the United States founding documents to both students and teachers. She is currently teaching U.S. Founding Documents I at Polk CI.
Lisa Franchina is an attorney with Franchina Law.
Brit Gibson is a student in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric.
Liam Gundy is an undergraduate student majoring in Sociology.
Mateo Herrera is an undergraduate student majoring in Sociology and History
Chelsea Hilding is a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts and Design at the University of Central Florida. She researches the benefits of art-based education programs for incarcerated students.
Kathleen Hohenleitner is a senior lecturer in the English Department at UCF.
Ivan Huang is an undergraduate student majoring in Photonics and Engineering.
Sarah Hubert is an MFA student in the University of Central Florida's School of Performing Arts majoring in acting. An experienced teacher and caregiver with a demonstrated history of working in the primary/secondary education industry. Sarah researches the benefits of higher education in prison programs and helps develop curriculum.
Meghan Hummer is a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts and Design at the University of Central Florida. Meghan previously interned at the Mennello Museum of American Art and plans to pursue a career in public education. She manages our social media presence and researches the benefits of art-based education programs for incarcerated students.
Stephanie Jarmak is a graduate student in the UCF Physics Department.
Courtney Jorgensen is an associate instructor of English at UCF.
William Kaden is an assistant professor of physics in UCF's College of Sciences. Dr. Kaden received his B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Oswego and his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Utah before working as an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow in the Chemical-Physics department at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society. He joined UCF in Spring 2015.
Wadad Kantor is a senior at the University of Central Florida, majoring in Psychology, and also is a Teacher Assistant. Wadad is passionate about education and plans to teach with OCPS Public Schools after graduation. Currently, she serves as an FPEP intern and assists in updating our social media pages, managing our book donations, and writing articles for our blog.
Charlie Klenk is a graduate student in the Department of English at the University of Central Florida.
Michael Kostis is an undergraduate student in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida and a senator in the Student Government Association.
Wendy Lamoreaux is an outreach teacher for Central Florida Community Arts. She teaches theatre history and Shakespeare for FPEP.
Nathan Lax is an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science.
Jake Lichtenstein is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology.
Julia Listengarten is a professor of theatre, the coordinator of graduate studies, and the Artistic Director for the UCF School of Performing Arts. Dr. Listengarten earned her Ph.D. in Theatre Studies from the University of Michigan and has worked professionally in New York City with various experimental theatre companies.
Victoria Machado is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at Rollins College, where she teaches Nature Writing and Nature Spirituality. While working on her PhD in Religion and Nature at the University of Florida, she explored the underlying spirituality of Florida’s environmental activists. Her chapter, “Bioregionalism and the Catholic Worker Movement”, was published in Watershed Discipleship: Reinhabiting Bioregional Faith and Practice in 2016.
Jazmine Major is an undergraduate student majoring in Forensic Psychology.
Aiya Messina is an undergraduate majoring in Criminal Justice and pursuing a career in prison reform.
Holly McDonald is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Performing Arts.
Laura Monroe is a Post-doctoral scholar in UCF's College of Community Innovation and Education.
Richard Plate is an associate lecturer in Environmental Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Undergraduate Studies at UCF.
Anne Prucha is a senior instructor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at UCF, where she teaches Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
Constance Owens is a graduate student in the Department of English at the University of Central Florida.
Sherry Rankins-Robertson is the chair of the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Central Florida and the author of Prison Pedagogies: Learning and Teaching with Imprisoned Writers (Syracuse University Press, 2018).
Justin Reyes is a graduate student in the UCF Physics Department.
Jada Reyes is a graduate student in the Department of English at the University of Central Florida.
Carissa Richetti is a graduate student in the Department of English at the University of Central Florida.
Melissa Ringfield is a graduate student in UCF's Texts and Technology Ph.D. program and an instructor in UCF's Department of Writing and Rhetoric.
Erica Rodríguez Kight, Ph.D., is a lecturer in journalism, radio-television and Hispanic media at the University of Central Florida. As part of the UCF Nicholson School of Communication and Media faculty, she co-directs the school’s Hispanic Media Initiative and teaches courses on news reporting, electronic journalism, TV news and diversity in U.S. media.
Mary Samuels is an undergraduate student majoring in Sociology.
Marie Scott is an undergraduate student majoring in Visual Arts and Event Management.
Reana Sinani is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology.
Kristina Tollefson is a professor of costume and make-up design and the undergraduate studies coordinator in the School of Performing Arts at UCF.
Thalia Torres is a graduate student in Educational Leadership at UCF.
Kassandra Cordero Treston is a graduate student in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida.
Laurie Uttich is an associate lecturer in UCF's Department of English. Her essays, poems, and fiction have been published in various literary journals. Laurie teaches poetry and memoir writing to students incarcerated at the Central Florida Reception Center.
Mihai Vaida is an assistant professor of physics in UCF's College of Sciences. Dr. Vaida received his B.Sc. in Physics from West University of Timişoara. He obtained an ERASMUS scholarship to perform research at Free University of Berlin during his master degree program. After receiving the MS. in Physics, Dr. Vaida obtained a DAAD fellowship for doctoral studies at the Institute of Surface Chemistry and Catalysis at Ulm University, where he earned his PhD degree.
Heather Vazquez is a visiting lecturer in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Central Florida. She teaches Professional Writing and English Composition at Polk CI.
Demond Washington is a senior at the University of Central Florida majoring in Human Communication and specializing in Social Activism and Innovation. Demond is passionate about and involved in LGBTQ activism on the UCF campus and in the Orlando Community. He manages our FPEP office, acts as a liaison between our interns and board members, and researches the benefits of higher education in prison programs.
Joshua Watson is a senior majoring in art history. He is the Mental Health Chair for Black Men’s Candor and a past president of Collegiate 100, a subsidiary of 100 Black Men America, which works to provide opportunities for young people of color. He has worked as the Social Media director of Phi Theta Kappa and has mentored young Black men in the Alexandria Public School System. Josh helps with FPEP book sales and special events.
Diamond Williams is a sophomore studying Criminal Justice and Writing and Rhetoric at UCF.
Maggie Wolff is a graduate student in the department of English at the University of Central Florida.
Sharon Woodill is a lecturer in Interdisciplinary Studies in UCF College of Undergraduate Studies. Dr. Woodill is an interdisciplinary scholar with an eclectic academic background. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and an MA in Gender and Women’s Studies and a BA (honors) in Music (jazz piano). Her research interests include religion, gender and sexuality, science and religion, feminist theory, atheism and secularism, and interdisciplinary methodologies.

FPEP Participants Organizational Chart-Shows the Interdisciplinary Involvement with FPEP at UCF

FPEP is a member of the Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison.

The Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (FCHEP) is a statewide network of programs that provides educational opportunities to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Members include the Entrepreneurial Business in Prison Program at the University of South Florida, the Institute for Educational Empowerment at Miami Dade College, the Philosophy in Prison Program at the University of North Florida, and Exchange for Change, a Miami-based non-profit that partners with faculty at the University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, and Florida International University.

FPEP partners with the Reentry Center of Brevard to provide returning citizens access to vital post-release services, and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition to help returning citizens become full members of society.

Are you interested in teaching in an area prison or volunteering for FPEP?

If you would like to teach or volunteer, just email heather.vazquez@ucf.edu or keri.watson@ucf.edu. We are currently looking for faculty interested in teaching a variety of courses and students who would like to facilitate our social media efforts.

In order to teach in the program, you will need to apply with the Florida Department of Corrections, as well.

Are you a currently enrolled UCF student who is system impacted?

FPEP offers a $1,000 scholarship each spring. Click here for details and to apply.