IPMW Staff

Jennifer C. Jackson, CEO.  Jennifer has held leadership positions in several North Carolina and New York City nonprofits over the past 28 years in the areas of prison chaplaincy and reentry, social services, the arts, community development, victim services, human rights, and spiritual activism.  Prior organizations include Safe Horizon, where she served in senior leadership roles including Vice President for Human Resources, after directing Joining Forces, a project on Public-Private Partnerships in Victim Assistance funded by the US Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime.  She has worked as an organizational development consultant, coach and trainer for nonprofits and groups across the country, and as a facilitator and presenter for conferences including the NC Center for Nonprofits Annual Conference.  

Jennifer believes deeply in the power of forgiveness to transform hearts and minds and is committed to work that creates a more inclusive and just society.  She is on the Board of Durham's Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF), and is a member of the 2019/2020 national Omega Institute's Juno Leadership Collective.  She serves on the Executive Committee for the Wake County Local Reentry Council and is an Affiliate Coach for the Rockwood Leadership Institute in Oakland, CA.  Previously, she served on the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s Community Leadership Council and the Oberlin College Alumni Leadership Council. Jennifer received undergraduate degrees from Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, her master’s degree from Indiana University, her Coaching certification from Coach U, and was ordained as an Interfaith Minister from One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City.  She enjoys reading, the arts and performing in local theater, and is an avid meditation and yoga practitioner. 

Sarah Jobe, Senior Chaplain.  Rev. Jobe is an ordained Baptist minister. She studied religious studies at the University of Virginia, received her Master’s in Divinity from Duke University Divinity School, and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in practical theology from Duke University Divinity School. Sarah has served as a chaplain at the NCCIW Raleigh Unit since 2011, and she has taught theology courses there since 2009.

​Sarah is passionate about creating pathways toward success for incarcerated people, and she has served on a nation-wide study through the Association of Theological Schools and a state-wide NCDPS Commission on Post-Secondary Education in Prison, both commissions that are dedicated to advancing opportunities for incarcerated people to pursue their educational goals. Sarah serves on the Advisory Committee of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab and the Professional Advisory Group of the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at the Durham VA. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Durham where she gardens in her spare time (her garden is in the shape of a labyrinth in honor of a project that she did with women at the Raleigh Unit creating canvas labyrinths still used in the Hope Center!) Sarah is the author of Creating with God: The Holy Confusing Blessedness of Pregnancy.

Elisa Rosoff, Chaplain.  Elisa is a Humanist-endorsed, interfaith clinical Chaplain. She has a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City as well as Master of Education in Early Childhood and Special Education.

​Prior to working for IPMW, Elisa was a hospital Chaplain, serving the entire hospital, while also having specialties in palliative care and pediatrics. She has provided diverse people with spiritual and/or emotional care in diverse settings in Washington, D.C., New York, and North Carolina. Elisa now resides in Durham with her husband and two "children," a Siberian husky and a chihuahua rescue. She is passionate about holistic health, spending time in nature, all forms of dance, the fine arts, reading, and writing. ​

Tashani Gaskins, Operations Director. Tashani is an experienced business manager with nearly 20 years of experience in human resources, business operations, and financial administration.  Tashani earned a Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  Her prior roles include research and operations management at UNC-Chapel and key leadership roles with two Raleigh-based behavioral health and wellness organizations.  Tashani is passionate about working with service-based organizations and joined IPMW to support the mission of helping women.

​Tashani enjoys spending time with her family, outdoor activities, and being a dog Mom.

Kimberly R. Stone, Women's Reentry Project Program Director.  With nearly two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, Kim brings to IPMW the heart of a servant leader.  She has deep passion and compassion for both the women and the work of the Women’s Reentry Project.  Kim shared, “I know, firsthand, how that darkness can swallow you up, and I know what it is like to feel lost.” 

In addition to academic achievements from Shaw University in Business Management and Behavioral Science, she brings an expansive understanding of nonprofit operations, facility management, leadership development, and community engagement.  She has received training and certification in Peer Support Services and attributes her accomplishments to a commitment to her own recovery, to truth, to doing what is right - even when it’s hard - and striving to be a woman of integrity.  Kim believes that in order to keep the peace she has found, she must give it away. 

Leanne Wells, Office Manager.​ Leanne is a graduate of Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, CA. She has a B.A. in Human Development, minoring in Early Childhood Education and Development, with an overarching focus in social change, anti-bias approach, and advocacy. She has worked as a home visitor with Head Start, been a recruiter in the childcare industry, and worked in the daycare on SAS Campus in Cary, NC.

​Leanne is excited to be a part of Interfaith Prison Ministry for Women and continuing her passion of supporting others as they work to strengthen, grow, and thrive in their communities. She loves to read, and among her favorite authors are: Dr. Clarisa Pinkola Estes, Myles Horton, and E.L. Konigsburg. She has four children, and enjoys being outside, painting, drawing and writing, and is a budding stained glass artist. ​

Cherisse Kendrick, Executive Assistant.  Cherisse has been working with non-profit organizations since graduating from Frostburg State University with a BS in Business Administration. Originally from Baltimore, MD, Cherisse's prior employment included serving the underserved communities in a healthcare setting.  She is excited to have found a ministry since relocating to North Carolina, where she can continue to helping others in need.

​In her spare time, Cherisse enjoys her role of caring for and spending time with her family, volunteering at her childrens' schools through PTA, watching movies and attending functions at her church. ​

Jennifer Melvin, Housing Coordinator.​  Jennifer is  a Certified Peer Support Specialist.  She graduated from Shaw University with a BA in Sociology, and is currently attending Wake Tech for her BA in Human Resources.

Jennifer enjoys being part of IPMW and feels that her lived experiences help her relate to the women in the program.​

Michelle Cousar, Peer Support Specialist.​  Bio coming soon.​