We’re thrilled to welcome two new team members who bring compassion and expertise to our mission of supporting incarcerated people and their families. As our work continues to grow, these roles strengthen the direct support we provide every day and the long-term sustainability that makes our work possible.
Joining us as our new Development Director, Maeve Pollack, brings extensive experience in fundraising, public policy, and community engagement. In this key leadership role, Maeve will help expand the Prison Society’s fundraising, reach, and partnerships in support of our mission and future growth.
We are also excited to welcome Ryan Huester as a Prison Monitoring and Helpline Associate. In this role, Ryan supports families and incarcerated people seeking information, resources, and help resolving issues related to their health, safety and dignity..
“One of the strengths of the Prison Society is the people who choose to do this work,” said Executive Director, Claire Shubik-Richards. “Maeve and Ryan both bring an appreciation for our work and experience that is deeply aligned with our mission”
We recently sat down with Maeve and Ryan to learn more about their background and what drew them to this work.
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Prison Society: Tell us about your background and what drew you to this role.
Ryan: My introduction to the Prison Society came through the Inside Out program at St. Joseph's University, where I met a Prison Society intern who had wonderful things to say. I jumped at the chance to intern myself, and the experience was formative — it opened my eyes to what goes on behind bars and taught me how to be a professional. I went on to become a caseworker investigating child abuse and neglect, and I found myself drawing on what I'd learned here throughout that work. When I heard an opening had come up, I didn't hesitate.
Maeve: What caught my attention was the ability to make a difference on an individual level while also thinking about large-scale systemic change, and how it impacts people of color in particular. My background is in development and fundraising, with a Master's in Public Policy, which turned out to be the perfect lens for understanding the Prison Society's work across the legal system.
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Prison Society: What are you most excited about?
Ryan: I'm getting a really broad view of what we do from the Helpline, prison monitoring, and everything in between. I learn something new every single day, and I love that. It's a small, tight team where everyone's role feels connected. That's a special thing.
Maeve: I'm excited to understand what draws people to this organization and this issue — what's in their past, what they care about, why they want to stay connected. Hearing people's stories and really listening to them feels like a big part of what this work is about.
Prison Society: What do you think everyone should know about the Prison Society or Pennsylvania's prisons and jails?
Ryan: If the concerns we hear about through the mail happened in your own home or community, they'd be addressed with urgency. But prison walls shield those experiences from public view, which makes it hard to respond appropriately. That's exactly why the work we do matters, and why the collaborative relationships we build with prisons and jails are so important.
Maeve: We pay for these facilities as taxpayers, and yet most people have no idea what happens inside them. Whether people have access to nutritional food, basic medical care, or even air conditioning. The people who work here care deeply about that, and about each other. That investment in one another, and in the people we serve, is something I find really profound about this organization.
