Matt Braden (he/him), Director of Operations
With a collection of six Associates Degrees, which he earned while serving more than 23 years in prison, Matthew is epitomized by three simple words: efficient, tireless, and productive. Serving as a co-founder of the Inside Solutions think-tank and as a lead intern for the CROP Organization’s Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) state certification program, Matt helped to create a TAP-21 core competency training program. This course was an industry-standard curriculum that enabled 30 men to become certified as Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors.
Moreover, Matt served on a multitude of executive bodies while incarcerated and was viewed by many as the most effective and organized manager within the entire institution. His incredible work ethic merited the development of a special assignment, wherein he organized the overall system for 112 self-help and rehabilitative programs between three different facilities.
In addition to completing six vocational trades, Matt is an internationally certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor who received Senatorial recognition for his work. In 2019, Matthew’s sentence was overturned and he was provided with an immediate release from restorative institutions by way of the Sacramento County District Attorney’s recommendation for resentencing under PC 1170(d) due to his exemplary conduct while incarcerated. Matt has since earned an Interdisciplinary BA degree in Criminology/Business (summa cum laude) and completed a certification program from Cornell University in Financial Success for Nonprofits.