The people

Stand with the people closest to the problem.

They are always closest to the solution. Engage36 is built by organizers, returning citizens, and advocates who have lived this work — and who are going all in.

Our founder

Chelsea Nelson

I’m a former union organizer and a lifelong advocate for people whose power and potential are too often dismissed. I’ve worked across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors — most recently at Amazon — bringing communities together, shifting systems, and building pathways to opportunity where none existed.

I’m also a mom to an 8-year-old daughter. She is my deepest “why.” I grew up in Salt Lake City as a good, closeted gay Mormon kid who couldn’t come out at home — it was too scary. I moved to Seattle because I needed a place where I could finally breathe. Not long after, I found myself knocking on doors for Washington State’s marriage-equality campaign.

It was exhilarating, nerve-wracking, and — let’s be honest — it felt a little rebellious. I volunteered 63 days straight. One day, I was paired with Big Mike. Mike was not who you’d expect at a marriage-equality campaign. 6'4". Covered in tattoos. A grill bright enough to blind you.

Naturally, I asked, “So… Mike, are you gay?”

He laughed. “Nah. I don’t even know anyone who’s gay. But I’m here because I hope someday, people will knock on doors for my people.”

His people? People with criminal records. That conversation changed my life.

Since then, I’ve built my entire career around fixing our broken criminal-justice and reentry systems. I’ve worked with unions, government leaders, corporations, and community organizers — but my commitment has always been the same: stand with the people closest to the problem, because they’re always closest to the solution.

Now, I’m going all in with Engage36. This is the work of my life. And I’m inviting you to join me.

Ardell Shaw

Organizer · Seattle

I’m a grassroots community leader and organizer with deep roots in Seattle’s historic Central District — the place that raised me and shaped how I see the world. I’m a mentor, brother, son, uncle, and husband, and I try to live my life in service to others. Everything I do is rooted in connection, truth, and the belief that we all share a responsibility to seek humanity and justice.

Today, I serve as a Care Coordinator and Job Developer with The Freedom Project, supporting people impacted by systems of oppression as they navigate reentry and rebuild their lives. My commitment to this work comes from my own lived experience. I spent more than 30 years inside the criminal justice system, and it was during my time at Monroe Reformatory Complex — especially as a member of the Black Prisoners Caucus — that I found my voice, my purpose, and my passion for organizing.

Since coming home in 2013, I’ve made it my mission to uplift and empower other formerly incarcerated people. I help folks share their stories, build leadership, and reconnect to their own power. I’ve had the honor of partnering with organizations like Career Bridge at the Urban League, Statewide Poverty Action Network, Civil Survival, East African Community Services, and the NAACP Seattle/King County Branch.

I’ve thrown my energy behind campaigns like No New Youth Jail, Seattle Jobs Initiative, Ban the Box, voter outreach and registration, clemency hearings, and efforts to reform Washington State’s Legal Financial Obligations system.

What brings me joy? Building real relationships. Strengthening community. Creating spaces where people feel seen, safe, and valued — from the annual Big Yard BBQ to the Young Men’s Weekly Healing Circle. Healing happens in community, and none of us are meant to walk this journey alone.

Kara Janssen

Organizer · Arizona

I didn’t come into this work through policy textbooks or boardrooms — I came through lived experience, through the cracks in a system that wasn’t built for healing or dignity. After serving five years in an Arizona prison, I’ve seen firsthand how incarceration can strip people of their voice, their agency, and their hope. But I also know what happens when those same people are given the tools to tell their stories, to organize, and to lead.

From testifying at the Capitol for prison oversight to mentoring women in prison, my journey has been about turning pain into power. I’ve led organizing efforts at the ACLU of Arizona, served on the Governor’s Prison Oversight Commission, and built coalitions that center humanity over punishment. My story isn’t just mine — it’s part of a larger movement to transform how we see justice, leadership, and community. And I’m here to make sure that movement lasts.

Alex Mayo

Strategy & advocacy · Seattle

I’m a returning citizen who knows firsthand the power of education — and the harm caused when our systems fail to support people. Before incarceration, I worked as a classroom teacher and saw up close how the school-to-prison pipeline is built, reinforced, and ignored. While inside, I saw the other side of that pipeline, the “hidden curriculum” of our public schools, and the scale of the problem became undeniable.

My formal education and my lived education have taught me the same truth: we need to organize with and advocate for our growing justice-impacted community. Together, we can dismantle systems of oppression, build real healing, and change hearts and minds toward a more equitable world.

Today, I use my skills in grant writing, strategy, and advocacy to support several Seattle-based nonprofits led by formerly incarcerated people, including What’s Next Washington, Freedom Project, and Civil Survival. I also serve as a community organizer for Prison Voices Count and sit on the board of Washington Voices.

One of the things I’m proudest of is being a founding member of the Inside Out Toastmasters Club in Federal Way — believed to be the first of its kind in the world. Inside Out is a leadership and communication club designed specifically for formerly incarcerated people, helping our community build confidence, power, and voice.

My mission is simple: uplift my community, expand opportunity, and help create a world where justice-impacted people lead the way in shaping the systems meant to serve us.

Matthew Ellis

Web & brand · Arizona

Matthew Ellis is a multidisciplinary designer and justice-focused advocate dedicated to building tools, stories, and digital spaces that create real-world impact. As a formerly incarcerated person and registrant, he understands the deep harm caused by punitive systems — and the power of reclaiming voice, agency, and dignity.

A graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Communications, Matthew brings a strong foundation in strategic storytelling, creative direction, and community-centered messaging to every project he leads.

As an executive committee volunteer for AZRSOL, Matthew helps guide statewide efforts to advance civil rights, reform ineffective policies, and support communities directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

With extensive experience in web design, brand development, and visual storytelling, Matthew also serves as the lead web and graphic designer for Engage36, where he shapes the organization’s digital presence and ensures every campaign is both powerful and accessible.

Blending creativity with purpose, Matthew uses design as a form of advocacy — helping organizations communicate boldly, mobilize effectively, and reimagine narratives that have long needed rewriting.