The Last Mile

May 17, 2021

Join us to learn about The Last Mile, a program that prepares incarcerated individuals for successful reentry through business and technology training, from Jen Browning, Technical Program Manager at Indiana Department of Correction and Jacob Briggs, The Last Mile Graduate & Apprentice Software Engineer at SEP.

Jen shares the origin story of the Last Mile, how they’ve grown from California across the US, and how they created web development curriculum that doesn’t use the internet.

Jacob walks us through a day in the life of a Last Mile student. He shares the unique challenges The Last Mile students face both in the program and after being released and explains that those challenges have made him a better software engineer.

We wrap up the conversation by discussing the ways The Last Mile is healing returned citizens and their communities, the perseverance of the students, and the robustness of the program’s curriculum.

 

Episode Guests

Jen Browning Headshot

Jen Browning | Technical Program Manager at Indiana Department of Correction

Jen works diligently to create community partnerships for the Indiana Department of Correction and their Workforce Reentry Team. She has a strong focus on helping The Last Mile returned citizens continue to build their skills through apprenticeship and junior developer positions in the rapidly growing tech community.

Jen’s LinkedIn

Jyotsna Raghuraman Headshot

Jyotsna Raghuraman | Lead Software Engineer at SEP

Jyotsna is a Technical Lead at SEP. She’s experienced in the complete software life cycle from requirements gathering to product delivery as well as agile methodologies for project management. She has helped build SEP’s relationship with the Last Mile.

Jyotsna’s LinkedIn

Jacob Briggs Headshot

Jacob Briggs | The Last Mile Graduate & SEP Alumn

Jacob is a graduate of the Last Mile program and a previous SEP employee. He is now the Director of Education at the Last Mile.

Jacob’s LinkedIn


Episode Host

Zac Darnell Headshot

Zac Darnell | Host of Behind The Product & Manager at SEP

With his diverse background and expertise, Zac brings a unique perspective to discussions around innovation, leadership, and the ever-evolving tech landscape. His ability to bridge technical and business domains makes him a valuable voice in the industry.

Zac's LinkedIn
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