IPMW Staff
Jennifer C. Jackson, Executive Director. Jennifer has been working in support of individual, organizational and societal transformation and healing throughout her career in both staff positions and as a consultant. A native of Atlanta, GA with family ties to Rocky Mount and Wilson, NC, she received a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from Indiana University and Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Vocal Performance from Oberlin College and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. An ordained Interfaith minister through One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in NYC and a spiritual director and certified life coach, Jennifer regularly utilizes her skills as a facilitator, speaker, teacher and trainer with diverse groups in North Carolina and beyond. She serves as an Affiliate Coach of the Rockwood Leadership Institute in Oakland, CA and has provided organizational development consulting, leadership development training and curriculum design for nonprofits in North Carolina, New York and California. Jennifer was an inaugural member of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation's Community Leadership Council and recently was appointed to Oberlin's Alumni Leadership Council. She is a member of the Capital Area Reentry Council and serves on the Community Resource Council for the NCCIW Raleigh Unit. Jennifer enjoys singing, performing and reading, and is an avid meditation and yoga practitioner.
Shanae Artis, Mentor and Outreach Manager, is a graduate of Bryant & Stratton Community College. Since relocating to North Carolina in 2014, she has been actively working with non-profit organizations such as Dress for Success to teach women how to become self-sufficient. Shanae brings her experience in leadership, creating curricula and building partnerships to the IPMW team. Shanae grew up in New York and is a member of the Christian church. She enjoys reading, singing and spending time with her daughter.
Willie Brazil, Chaplain. Rev. Brazil is a retired minister in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. In her first career, she was a computer programmer analyst. She grew up in Birmingham, Alabama where she was a member of the Baptist Church. As a young adult, she united with the Presbyterian Church while living in Knoxville, Tennessee. She received a BS in Mathematics from Knoxville College and an MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. While in seminary, she was awarded an urban internship by the Fund for Theological Education to work with homeless and indigent people in Miami, Florida. She has served as a pastor for churches in North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, and as Campus Minister at Albany State University in Albany, Georgia. Willie enjoys shopping with her 12 year old granddaughter and playing indoor soccer with her 7 and 9 year old grandsons.
Sarah Jobe, 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 also enjoys preaching and teaching nation-wide about faith and incarceration. 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.
Amy Otto, Mentoring Coordinator. Amy has been working with various non-profits for the past seven years. In her role with IPMW, she works with Redirection Home, a women’s transition house in the Raleigh area, where she also serves as Program Director. Amy also is the Urban Outreach Minister for Brooks Avenue Church of Christ. Amy is from Richmond, Virginia where she met her husband, Nick Otto. They have been married for 28 years and have two children and one granddaughter. Amy has an associates degree in legal assisting and a bachelor’s degree in Christian counseling. She is a certified Christian Life Coach and Temperament Counselor. She and her husband live in Holly Springs.
Maria B. Rau, Transition and Reentry Specialist. Maria is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate. She received her BS in psychology from Kansas State University and her MSW from Boston University. Since arriving to North Carolina in 2012, Maria has worked with non-profit organizations including Catholic Charities, and served as a committee chair within the Fayetteville Cumberland County Reentry Council; she also is a member of the Capital Area Reentry Council. Maria incorporates her knowledge of and experience in clinical counseling, curriculum development and evidence-based practice into her position. Maria grew up in Kansas where she was a member of the Catholic Church. She enjoys exercising and spending time with her husband and two children.
Kaye Ward, Program Assistant. Kaye comes to IPMW with over 30 years experience as an administrative assistant at organizations including NC State University. She is a licensed minister and is attending the University of Mount Olive to complete her degree in Religion and become ordained as a Chaplain. Kaye brings her skills and experiences in the nonprofit and business worlds to her role and works on donor services and the paperwork side of the organization. She also is a key resource for public speaking and reentry referral services for recently incarcerated women. Kaye’s goal is to become a Chaplain, but her calling is to service for women both in and out of prison. She is the mother of two sons; the grandmother of 7, and great grandmother of Noah. Kaye lives in Smithfield with her Jack Russell, Peanut.
Soteria Shepperson, Special Assistant. Soteria's mission is to empower people to live into their purpose and beyond the limitations society has projected upon them. Since graduating from George Mason University with a Social Work concentration and a B.S. in Administration of Justice, Soteria has implemented change through advocacy and art. She uses poetry as a bridge to bring awareness to systemic injustices and to empower those she serves. She was a Director with Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen and spent a year in the Episcopal Service Corp in Chapel Hill. She currently serves on the Community Advisory Board for A Place at the Table, a pay-what-you-can non-profit serving delicious meals throughout Raleigh. Soteria enjoys volunteering in the Orange County Correctional Center, and mentoring and working with youth in the school system and in the community.