The PEARL Team

Dr. Castro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and the Associate Dean of College Access and Communities Engagement in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. In 2016 alongside ten undergraduate students, she co-founded the Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP) and now oversees the education justice portfolio at the University of Utah. Her directorship of PEARL builds upon her prior establishment of the Research Collaborative on Higher Education in Prison.

Dr. Taylor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and Co-PI of the Prison Education Research Initiative (PERI). His research examines how higher education and community college policies and practices shape educational opportunity structures for marginalized and underrepresented college students in the areas of college access, college transition, college identity and success, and college affordability.

Dr. Cappas-Toro is a Puerto Rican teacher-scholar and Faculty Advisor of the Bachelor of University Studies (Humanities) for the University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP). She brings extensive expertise in transcultural, experiential, and work-based learning, having taught over 20 courses across three languages, three countries, and three prison education programs nationwide. She co-founded and directed community-based learning initiatives funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and her scholarship—exploring carcerality, community building, translation, and prison education—is reflected in her most recent publication, Haremos esto hasta que nos liberemos.

Dr. Knaff earned her PhD in Sociology from University of Texas at Austin and is the project lead for the Prison Education Research Initiative (PERI). She brings seven years of experience conducting research in nonprofit and higher education settings, during which she has co-authored more than 250 reports and presentations for postsecondary leaders.

Jenn’s professional background is extensive, including experience working with youth, instruction in higher education contexts, conducting research, and implementing large-scale cancer prevention interventions. In her previous role, she collaborated with principal investigators, community stakeholders, and project teams to design patient-facing interventions and build research infrastructure across multiple grant-funded projects.

Emily is a PhD student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah. Her research interests include access, community formation, and the broader relational and socio-economic dimensions of postsecondary education in women’s-designated prisons.

Lia is a master’s student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah. She is a proud alumnus of the University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP). In her prior role, she supported UPEP alumni and justice-impacted individuals in securing life-affirming services and pursuing postsecondary education.

Dr. Eisen directs the education justice portfolio at the University of Utah, which includes degree-granting and academic programming for adults through the University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP) and science, arts, and college-readiness programming for incarcerated youth through the STEM Community Alliance Program. He has worked in the field of postsecondary prison education for over fifteen years and alongside a community of practitioners and incarcerated students, co-founded the University of Utah’s One-Stop-Shop Student Center at USCF. 

Jonny is an ecologist turned environmental educator who believes all students deserve access to a quality STEM education that equips them for success in the 21st century. His previous work includes various field research and laboratory positions, as well as roles as an educator at the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Red Butte Garden. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology with an Emphasis in Ecology/Biodiversity in 2016 from Utah State University.

Sam is a PhD candidate in Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Utah, where her creative dissertation-in-progress, Mesh, is a collection of essays on surveillance, society, and art. As the One-Stop-Shop Student Center’s fellow, she liaises between Education Advocates and UPEP’s community partners to bring arts and enrichment programming to incarcerated students, and coordinates Venture Courses in collaboration with Utah Humanities and Weber State University.

Phoebe is an undergraduate student majoring in History at Brigham Young University. As part of her internship, she facilitates UPEP resource room hours, supports students’ academic research, offers writing tutoring, and assists with course preparation and related academic activities.

Urah is an undergraduate student majoring in International Studies and Political Science with a minor in Korean Studies. As part of her internship, she contributes to research, reentry initiatives, social events, and the education justice newsletter. Passionate about world affairs and social change, she aspires to become a lawyer and has gained valuable insights into the legal profession through internships at the state, federal, and nonprofit levels.

Bhavika is an undergraduate student in International Studies and Ethnic Studies with a minor in Philosophy. As part of her internship, she contributes to reentry initiatives, research, and the education justice newsletter. Beyond UPEP, she serves as an ambassador for the College of Humanities, organizes with Comunidades Unidas, and hopes to attend law school to continue advocating for social justice at the intersection of the carceral system and immigration.