HERE – Holistic Exploration of Reentry Experiences – is a community-engaged research program that seeks to advance knowledge of the prison-to-community reintegration experience and to work with reentry providers and justice-impacted adults in facilitating success in living with meaning and joy. The research project is collecting/analyzing data that is both quantitative (measures of wellness, mental health, trauma, faith, work, personality, empathy, the ethnoracial self, and experiences with reentry services) and qualitative (Life Story Interview of one’s reconstructed past, perceived present, and anticipated future). Our team includes justice-impacted members and consists of doctoral/undergraduate students and non-Marquette community leaders.

Interested?

If you are a ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ student interested in joining the HERE project, contact Psychology professor Ed de St. Aubin ed.destaubin@marquette.edu 

Ed has been at Marquette since 1999. Marquette’s Jesuit mission, urban setting, and high expectations for both quality teaching and productive scholarship are all congruent with his own values and goals. Further, the chance to work with both undergraduate and Ph.D. students makes this an ideal context for his career development. Some of his off-campus work focuses on crime prevention and desistance as well as post-prison reintegration. He is currently Board President of Self-Help, the Board Vice President of Project Return, and has given over 80 presentations to inmates in Wisconsin prisons.

Research Team

Esmeralda Lezama-Ruiz 

I am a fifth-year graduate student in the clinical psychology doctoral program. Before coming to ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ, I worked at the Medical College of Wisconsin for the Prevent Anal Cancer Study in community engaged work.  Upon entering graduate school, I became the Cultural Perinatal Mental Health Lab Coordinator where my research focused on perinatal mental health disparities in the Latine community examining prenatal depression among women of Mexican descent and how cultural values and neighborhood dynamics, two factors rarely explored in combination, shape maternal mental health. In my current involvement with the Psychology and Social Justice lab, I am supporting the development of a study aimed at collecting psychosocial data from formerly incarcerated Milwaukee citizens.  

My research interests include the intersection of trauma, cultural factors, the ethnoracial self, and community among formerly incarcerated individuals and minority populations. My goal is to return to the communities I care about with evidence-based tools that can make a tangible difference and offer pathways that will allow people to thrive rather than be defined by systems that failed them.  

Outside of my academic and professional life, I spend time with my three dogs (Roxy, Bruno, and Chula). I also enjoy baking, spending time outdoors, and being involved in my community.

Betsy Miller

I am an advanced Ph.D. student in the clinical psychology program at Marquette. Before grad school, I was a social service assistant at a residential program for justice-impacted teens. My research focuses on how narrative identity, or the process of defining oneself by making meaning from lived experiences, can be applied to issues of social justice and healing. I am also a clinician-in-training and a fellow at a local nonprofit, where I work to integrate my academic training with community-engaged wellness services. Outside of work, I am a new mom and enjoy spending time with her family, reading fiction, and making art. 

Eugene Nelson, M.S. 

I am a second-year graduate student in the Walden University Human Services Doctoral program. I’m also a mentor in Marquette’s PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE Internship program. In addition, I work extensively in the reentry space as the Foodshare, Employment and Training (FSET) Coordinator/Case Manager. 

In my free time, I love spending time with my 2-year-old daughter (Nilahne) fishing, cooking, and traveling. 

Marlee Altenburg

I am from Nashville, Tennessee, and am a senior majoring in psychology at ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ, with minors in both criminology and family studies. After graduating, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, followed by a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Specifically, I would like to focus on juvenile psychology and youth re-entry work in my future career. Currently, I work at Autism Intervention Milwaukee providing ABA therapy, and I am also an intern at the Benedict Center working with women in the Bridge Program. I look forward to gaining more research experience and deepening my understanding of reintegration for justice impacted people. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, attending concerts, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Michael Pagan

I am a writer, filmmaker, educator, and community leader whose work examines how stories and physical environments shape perception, identity, and human agency. I earned a B.A. in Narrative Environments from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where I developed an interdisciplinary concentration combining storytelling, philosophy, sociology, urban studies, and visual art. Through documentary filmmaking, photography, and creative writing, I explore the relationships among memory, narrative, and place. My work pays particular attention to underrepresented experiences and the power dynamics involved in who gets to tell a story, how that story is framed, and how it influences individual and shared realities. As a former fellow of the NYU Urban Democracy Lab and a member of the Gallatin Dean’s Honor Society, I bring together lived experience, academic inquiry, and creative practice. My work is grounded in a commitment to dignity, human possibility, and the use of storytelling as a vehicle for reflection, restoration, and social transformation.

Outside of my work, I enjoy golf and street photography.

Alexis McDermott

I’m a senior at ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ, triple-majoring in Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Social Welfare & Justice on a pre-law track. I’m a member of Psi Chi, the psychology honors society, and participate in the Psych & Social Justice Internship Program as well as the EPP courses held in correctional facilities. I also serve on the Honors Program Advisory Board, co-lead as a Peer Mentor, and am a member of the National Association for Public Defense. 

I’ve long been drawn to reentry work and hold a deep empathy for incarcerated individuals. Growing up in a small town where crime was rarely visible, I became curious about people whose life experiences differed greatly from my own. That curiosity developed into hands-on experience during my sophomore year, when I interned at the Milwaukee Public Defender’s Office. Working alongside a client services specialist, I conducted interviews with clients in local facilities to learn about their lives, passions, and challenges, and helped prepare court briefs aimed at presenting a complete and more humanized picture of each individual.  

Together, these experiences drive my commitment to using my education to support vulnerable populations. I am truly excited for the opportunity to contribute to this research. 

Yoanna Zaharieva

I’m a senior at ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ majoring in Psychology with a minor in Criminology and Law Studies! I plan to pursue a career in forensic psychology and am interested in how social structures, and people’s behaviors can impact each other. I am grateful to be able to be a part of the HERE project and am eager to learn through the community of Milwaukee.  

Tony Cirillo

I’m a senior at ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ majoring in Psychology and Philosophy with a minor in Criminology and Law Studies. I am grateful for the opportunity to gain research experience on a community-based project that has the potential to positively impact lives. I love reading, playing guitar, basketball, chess, and spending time with my loved ones.

Tra’Nia Robinson

I am an undergraduate Psychology major at ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ and a McNair Scholar. As an undergraduate researcher, I am interested in understanding the experiences of formerly justice-impacted individuals, particularly the challenges they face during reentry and the resources that can support successful reintegration. Through my work in the lab, I hope to contribute to research that centers the experiences of justice-impacted individuals and promotes positive change within communities. Outside of academics and research, I enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, and finding time to relax and enjoy life.

Sophie McDonald

I'm a senior at Northern Michigan University majoring in Psychology and Philosophy. Although I am currently attending school in Michigan, I grew up in Milwaukee and my participation in this project helps me give back to my community by using my education for research that is important that will help others. I was drawn to this project because I'm interested in how people make sense of their lives, how systems shape the ways we narrativize our experiences, and how research can support meaningful change. I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to research that centers growth, connection, and the possibilities that reentry can create.

Jizelle Parisot   

I am a senior undergraduate majoring in Psychology with double minors in Social Welfare & Justice and Criminology & Law Studies. I am from Milwaukee, WI. I aspire to become a psychologist. I am excited to gain experience in this lab, particularly in addressing significant gaps in the literature related to justice-impacted individuals. I am passionate about research and committed to community-based work that supports individuals in meaningful ways. 

In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, and taking walks in nature. 

Jeneva Mercado

I am a senior majoring in Biological Sciences. I joined this lab to gain research experience that connects scientific inquiry with real-world impact, and I am also interested in strengthening my understanding of psychology and the social factors that influence people's lives. After graduation, I hope to attend medical school and pursue a career focused on compassionate, community-centered care. 

In my free time, I enjoy reading, exploring Milwaukee with my friends, traveling, and spending time with my family. 

Marcos Ayala

I am a senior majoring in Criminology & Law Studies with a minor in Sociology. Growing up in New York City, I have seen the effects that the justice system can have on individuals, families, and entire communities, which has shaped a lot of my interests throughout college. As I look toward graduation and eventually graduate school, I wanted to become involved in work that goes beyond what I have learned in the classroom and gives me an opportunity to make an impact. Being a part of this project allows me to better understand the experiences of people impacted by the justice system while also contributing my own interests in media and storytelling that I like to do outside of education.

I am especially interested in documenting social issues and experiences that often do not receive enough attention and using media as a form of social advocacy, in the future. I hope to bring the knowledge and experience I gain from this project back to the East Coast and continue finding ways to connect criminology, media, and advocacy.