Spotlight Series: Philadelphia
The Petey Greene Program operates across the United States as the largest multi-state provider of individualized educational services for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students. We’re excited to give you a closer look at each of our regions. Today, let’s check out Philadelphia!
MEET THE TEAM
Kaya joined the PGP with over a decade of experience supporting the educational and vocational goals of system-impacted youth around the country. Most recently, she managed federal workforce development grants across a network of community-based organizations providing reentry support to formerly incarcerated young adults. Through passionate advocacy, evidence-based clinical intervention, and trauma-informed program delivery for youth and practitioners alike, she has dedicated her career to disrupting cycles of intergenerational harm and uplifting hope, healing, and opportunity in their place.
Fiona stepped into this role in 2023 after spending her AmeriCorps service year as a Volunteer Coordinator for the region. But that is not where her journey with PGP began, as her most notable experience in her undergrad years at Haverford College was carpooling every week with her roomate to tutor at SCI Chester! Her experience tutoring with PGP ignited her passion for education justice, which is why she is so excited to help support PGP’s programs in Philadelphia-area jails, prisons, and reentry programs through recruiting, placing, and supporting volunteer tutors throughout the city.
Caden Diaz, PHENND Fellow & Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
Proudly from South Jersey, Caden earned his associate’s at Camden County College in May 2024. Before joining the staff at PGP, Caden spent his Wednesday mornings at SCI Chester, tutoring Spanish-speaking students in the GED program. His experiences with and through PGP have been reorienting both personally and professionally, an impact he hopes to share through his continued engagement with PGP and new involvement on the staff side.
THE PGP IN ACTION
The Philadelphia team has been busy expanding programs and launching new initiatives to meet students’ needs. One of the most exciting milestones was continuing to grow our longstanding presence at SCI Chester, including formalizing offering Spanish-language GED tutoring. “We knew that if we started being intentional about developing recruitment pipelines for bilingual tutors…we could provide even more equitable educational services,” shared Kaya Ceci, Philadelphia’s Regional Manager. At the Federal Detention Center (FDC), the PGP, with the support of volunteers with specialized backgrounds, led the instruction of two new First Step Act Life Skills courses - workshops that allow incarcerated students to earn time off their sentences through participation.
The Philadelphia region is also leading a grant awarded to the Petey Greene Program by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to expand the robust tutoring program that the PGP has successfully built over the past six years at SCI Chester, and to integrate a comprehensive educational and reentry service program to guide men both behind and beyond the prison walls. While incarcerated, SCI Chester residents will have access to tutoring and college readiness programming to advance towards their educational goals. Upon release, the PGP will continue to provide individualized educational support while connecting formerly incarcerated people to our network of partners that offer educational and workforce development programming.
WHAT’S NEXT IN PHILLY?
Your support helps us grow our programs focused on youth diversion. Data shows that young people ages 18 to 25 are overrepresented throughout the criminal legal system, have the highest recidivism rates, and have a unique set of developmental and educational needs. Diversion represents an important intervention for serving this group of students. In partnership with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office - a collaboration that began in 2021 -we offer homework help and workshops to justice-involved youth in alternative-to-incarceration programs. In 2025, we are committed to deepening our presence serving both young women and men in diversion. We're already making a difference: we doubled the number of community-based organizations we partner with to serve youth in diversion!
DONATE TODAY
Please support the Petey Greene Program in Philly as we continue to diversify our offerings to best meet the needs of our students. And remember: donations made in May will be matched 4X!
Did you know that 26 million people work for companies with matching gift programs? Employer matching gift programs allow you to team up with your employer and combine your donation to the Petey Greene Program with your employee benefit to make a greater impact. If your employer matches your gift, your donation can be doubled or even tripled! Click here to learn how to double your impact this year!