meet the team.

  • Jodi Hocking

    FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Jodi Hocking spent nearly a decade organizing new unions across the country, notably supporting low-income workers in New York’s fight for a living wage. When her partner was incarcerated after a parole violation, she was outraged by the injustice of the system. She decided to use her organizing skills to unite impacted people in Nevada and fight for change—leading to the birth of Return Strong.

    Her goal was to reshape reentry programs and challenge society’s perception of incarcerated people. What started as organizing families grew into a movement amplifying the voices of those inside. Today, Jodi works alongside incarcerated people and their loved ones, using an equity lens to push for true justice in Nevada’s prison system.

  • Korie Clegg

    DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

    Korie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a professional background rooted in startup nonprofit environments and direct service with system-impacted young adults. Since its inception, she has served as the Operations and Development Director at Return Strong, helping build and sustain the organization’s infrastructure, strategy, and growth. Personally impacted and deeply connected to Return Strong’s mission, Korie considers it an honor to support the organization’s work alongside impacted communities. Drawing on both clinical training and community-based experience, she brings a trauma-informed, person-centered approach to organizational development, advocacy, and systems change. Outside of her professional work, Korie is a proud mother of two and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

  • Denise Bolaños

    ASSOSCIATE DIRECTOR

    Denise Bolaños Heredia is the Associate Director of Return Strong, where she advocates for incarcerated individuals and their families, leads communications efforts, and manages day-to-day operations. Her journey with the organization began five years ago as a volunteer when her husband faced challenges within the prison system. After meeting the executive director, Jodi, Denise took on various roles, including serving as Vice Chair of the board, before stepping into her current position.

    With a background in community work, Denise has held roles as a community liaison, welfare eligibility specialist, and communications advocate. Her passion for activism and social justice ultimately led her back to Return Strong full time. Denise lives in Northern Nevada with her three children, enjoys hiking, reading, watching movies, and is a proud daughter of immigrants, which fuels her dedication to justice and equity.

  • Katelyn Ahern

    Katelyn is the Executive Assistant and Legislative Operations Team Lead at Return Strong! She is part of an impacted family and since learning of the things that happen to incarcerated people has not been able to look away. She strongly believes this can't possibly be the best we have to offer our community for healing and recovery. Katelyn is also a Digital Project manager and a mom.

  • Desi Miller

    DATA AND CORRESPONDENCE ASSOCIATE

    Desi Miller serves as the Data and Correspondence Coordinator for Return Strong. As someone personally impacted by the criminal justice system—having experienced family members cycling in and out of incarceration in California—Desi has long recognized the deep injustices within the system. When her partner was incarcerated in Nevada, she sought out a support network and discovered Return Strong. Drawn to the organization’s mission, Desi quickly became an active participant, volunteering before stepping into her current role. She is inspired by the strength and resilience of the Return Strong community and is passionate about amplifying member stories to drive change. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work is witnessing formerly incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives and thrive after release.

  • Makena Lenz

    RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

    Makena started with Return Strong as an intern, and is now a Public Health Research Associate. She has long been passionate about safeguarding the humanity of the disenfranchised and working to build a more just world. After experiencing the incarceration of a loved one, Makena developed a fascination with systems of mass incarceration and theories of power. She aims to usher in an era of reform in which criminal-legal system issues are contextualized as a public health priority. Makena holds dual B.A. degrees in Political Science and International Affairs and will complete her Master of Public Health (MPH) in the spring of 2025.

meet the board.

  • Margoth Tello is a public administrator with a Doctorate in Public Policy from UNLV where her research focused on reducing women’s re-incarceration in Nevada and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah, where her research focused on addressing laws against the unhoused. She currently serves as the Community Land Trust Manager for Clark County’s affordable homeownership program. Margoth has worked in the Criminal Legal field for over seven years. With extensive experience in program and project management, strategic planning, and cross-sector collaboration, Margoth has managed specialty courts, court educational programs, legislative initiatives, and is a certified Trauma-Informed and SAMHSA trainer.

     Margoth is committed to serving diverse communities, working to create equitable solutions and improve lives. She also serves as the American Parole and Probation Administration (APPA) area representative for Nevada. In her spare time Margoth enjoys spending time in nature or reading a good book.

  • Pamela Browning is a supervisor for a third-party administrator company and a dedicated advocate for the rights of incarcerated individuals. Her passion for justice is deeply personal—after experiencing incarceration herself in a different state and supporting a loved one through incarceration in Nevada, she saw firsthand the stark differences in how prison systems operate.

    Drawn to Return Strong’s mission of fighting for the rights of incarcerated people and driving real change, Pamela brings invaluable lived experience to her role on the board. She believes that being formerly incarcerated gives her a unique perspective and a vital voice in the fight for systemic reform. Through her work with Return Strong, she is committed to ensuring that those inside are treated with dignity and that their families have the support they need.

  • Katia is a dedicated prison reform advocate with years of leadership experience supporting incarcerated individuals and their families. Since 2022, she has served as an Inmate Family Council (IFC) Chair in California and currently represents families on the Statewide IFC as well, where she works to strengthen communication, accountability, and family engagement within correctional institutions.

    Her advocacy is rooted in personal experience. Having and losing a loved one who passed away while incarcerated in the Nevada Department of Corrections, she gained an intimate understanding of the profound impact incarceration has on families and communities. That loss was a testament as to why transparency, humane treatment, and systemic change is imperative.

    Driven by a passion for legislative reform and an abolitionist vision of justice, she is committed to elevating impacted voices and pushing for policies that prioritize dignity, equity, and community-based solutions over punishment.

  • Mark Bettencourt has dedicated the past decade to serving Nevada’s under-resourced communities as both an educator and grassroots organizer. With firsthand experience of the devastating impact of incarceration on families—having three immediate family members who have been incarcerated—Mark is deeply committed to reforming the legal system. His passion for justice and systemic change led him to join Return Strong, where he works to challenge the injustices of mass incarceration and advocate for the dignity and rights of incarcerated people and their loved ones.

  • Nicole Williams serves on the Return Strong Board as an impacted family member and activist for incarcerated people. Nicole came to return strong because she understands that there is strength in numbers. Nicole tried for many years to get things done or have questions or issues addressed within the NDOC that affected her loved ones along with the many injustices that occur daily and nothing was happening. Being part of a group that knows and understands what impacted family members face, and is dedicated to advocate and demand change and transparency is such a blessing. The knowledge, support and encouragement in this collective is amazing and she is honored to be on this board. 

  • Nick Shepack has been involved with Return Strong since its inception, believing it to be one of the most important and impactful organizations in Nevada. He values the organization's role in amplifying the voices of incarcerated individuals and providing much-needed oversight to the prison system.

    Nick holds a master’s degree in social work and has been actively engaged in prison reform since 2018. He currently serves as the Nevada State Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, where he works to address financial barriers and inequities within the prison system.

    A lifelong Nevadan, Nick enjoys all that the state has to offer—from skiing and backpacking to live music and entertainment. He is dedicated to improving life for all Nevadans, especially those impacted by the criminal legal system.

  • Tiunna Hayes serves as the Fundraising Coordinator on the board of Return Strong, where she is committed to advocating for incarcerated individuals and their families. She was drawn to the organization’s mission of justice reform and community empowerment, recognizing the urgent need for systemic change. With a background in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, Tiunna has extensive experience navigating complex healthcare systems, policy advocacy, and resource coordination. Her professional expertise, combined with her passion for prison reform and supporting impacted families, allows her to make a meaningful impact in this role. Beyond her advocacy and professional work, Tiunna is a creative entrepreneur, running Sweetee Creative, a small crafting business. A fun fact about her? She loves bringing joy to families through unique, handcrafted gifts—especially during the holidays!

  • Sarah K. Hawkins is a Chief Deputy Public Defender and a passionate advocate for justice. As a public defender, she works with some of the most vulnerable members of the community, only to see them funneled into a broken criminal-legal system that too often punishes rather than rehabilitates.

    Sarah’s commitment to reform is deeply personal. Her father spent nearly two decades in prison, confined to a wheelchair after being shot by police. She understands firsthand the need for advocacy and systemic change, which is why she believes so strongly in Return Strong’s mission. The organization not only educates and supports those impacted by incarceration but also works to hold the system accountable—work she describes as invaluable and extraordinary in its impact.

    Outside of her legal work and advocacy, Sarah finds joy in the unconditional love of dogs, a much-needed source of comfort in a world filled with injustice.