Our Board of Directors

AMANDA DUBOIS

Amanda DuBois is the founder and managing partner of DuBois Levias Law Group, a Seattle-based woman-owned boutique family law firm.

Amanda founded Civil Survival nearly one decade ago, helping it grow from a handful of volunteers to nearly 20 staff members. She was awarded the Sally P. Savage Leadership in Philanthropy Award from the Washington State Bar Association and the Washington State Bar Foundation for this work. 

Amanda is the Vice President of the board of Purpose Dignity Action in Seattle, and is a long time board member of Freedom Education Project Puget Sound. She is also member of the Seattle Chapter of the Women’s President’s Association. She is the author of the Camille Delaney mystery series.

CYNTHIA BRADY

Cynthia Brady is a full time Substance Use Disorder Professional at West Sound Treatment Center in Port Orchard, Washington. She has worked in substance use treatment for over 6.5 years. She is also an active team member on the Bremerton Municipal Therapeutic Court team. Her passions are to help motivate and empower individuals to be able to live a substance-free and crime-free lifestyle, which ultimately saves lives, reduces recidivism, builds community and restores hope; much like the goals of Civil Survival. Cynthia is passionate about her roles due to her own lived experiences with substance use and incarceration.

Cynthia has past and present history as a board member of Civil Survival. Her first role was as a member of Game Changer groups and then she became Secretary of Civil Survival’s Board of Directors from 2017 – 2019.  She was on Civil Survival’s Board of Directors until Civil Survival became a project of the Public Defender Association (PDA) in 2019. In 2022, Civil Survival left PDA and began operating as an independent organization and, in 2023, Cynthia rejoined Civil Survival’s Board. One of her quotes and motto is in the phrase: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

DEREK BOYD
President

A proud graduate of the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, Derek’s journey through incarceration and education fueled his passion for criminal reform, the restoration of rights and freedoms, and the development of support systems that empower individuals to thrive post-incarceration.

While incarcerated, Derek co-founded Huskies for Opportunities in Prison Education at UW, a student organization dedicated to aiding incarcerated students in their educational endeavors and raising awareness on systemic issues of mass incarceration.

His commitment to community service continued through his tenure with Underground Ministries, where he served as a board trustee and worked to expand the One Parish Prisoner program across Washington state.  Derek also served as the treasurer on the board of directors for the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN), laying the foundation for the organization’s financial and administrative operations and ensuring that resources are well-aligned with the organization’s mission.

Building on that foundation he now serves as the Director of Finance and Administration at FICGN, bringing a unique and impactful background to his role. In addition, he currently serves as the President of Civil Survival’s Board of Directors.

Derek lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife and children.  He enjoys family life and volunteering with the Knights of Columbus.  While Derek is preparing for the CPA examination, his professional interests remain focused on supporting nonprofit organizations, aiding disadvantaged business ventures, and empowering entrepreneurs with past incarcerations, underscoring his dedication to economic inclusivity and social justice.

NOEL VEST
Secretary

Noel Vest, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health. As a formerly incarcerated scholar, Dr. Vest is an advocate for social justice issues and public policy concerning substance use disorder recovery and prison reentry. His research interests include mental health, substance use disorders, and addiction recovery. He is currently funded by two NIH grants to study collegiate recovery programs and secondary analysis of NIDA Clinical Trials Network data. He received his PhD and Master’s degrees in Experimental Psychology from Washington State University. He finished his postdoc in the Department of Pain Medicine at Stanford University.

Michelle McClendon

Michelle is a community leader and advocate with more than 20 years of experience in social services, healthcare, public safety, and the criminal legal system. She currently serves as a LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) Project Manager, overseeing public safety initiatives in Seattle’s East and South Precincts. Michelle began her career with LEAD as an Outreach Responder and quickly advanced to leadership roles, including Shift Lead and Site Manager.

Before joining LEAD, Michelle spent eight years at Highline College, where she created the Reentry Transitions Pathways and While in School Housing (WISH) programs. Her success in building these innovative programs earned her Employee of the Year and helped secure ongoing state funding, leading to the expansion of reentry services across Washington’s higher education institutions.

Michelle is an original founding member the Civil Survival Project, She has had roles as a community organizer, Game Changer Leader and Lead Facilitator empowering justice-impacted individuals to share their stories and advocate for systemic reform. She is currently a CSP board member. She was appointed to the Department of Corrections Lived Experience Advisory Team, is a Certified Peer Counselor and Certified Financial Literacy Coach, and actively volunteers with community organizations focused on housing, reintegration, equity, public safety and justice.

Passionate about community-driven solutions, Michelle approaches her work through a trauma-informed and holistic lens.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading,  music, traveling, exploring diverse foods, cultures, and spending time with her family and friends.

Ben Brockie

At a youthful age, Ben was arrested for robbing two banks and sentenced to 812 months of incarceration. It was during his time in prison that Ben discovered the power of education, which became a pivotal force in transforming his life. After serving over twenty-two and a half years of his sentence, Ben was granted clemency—a gift that allowed him to rebuild his life and pursue his dreams. Ten days after his release, Ben enrolled at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he is pursuing an undergraduate degree in American Indian Studies and Sociology. He is set to attend law school in 2026, with the goal of using his legal education to advocate for change.

As a proud member of the A’aninin Tribe of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, Ben is deeply committed to championing the rights of Indigenous communities, particularly in the area of criminal justice reform. He is also passionate about advocating for marginalized communities at large, working to amplify voices often unheard and addressing the disparities that affect those most vulnerable in society. Today, Ben uses his platform to raise awareness about the injustices of incarceration and highlight the transformative impact of higher education in prison settings.

Andy Dugan

Andy Dugan is the Executive Director of Skagit Legal Aid. His career has centered on post-conviction, housing, immigration, tribal law, and language justice advocacy, providing direct representation to individuals disproportionately excluded from the legal system.  Andy also teaches as Faculty Lead of the Paralegal Studies Program at Whatcom Community College, where he develops pathways to train paralegals and legal interpreters to expand justice in the legal system.

Before relocating to Washington, Andy was among the inaugural staff attorneys at the Equality Ohio Legal Clinic, serving LGBTQ+ community members impacted by the criminal justice system across southern Ohio and helped establish ongoing Record Sealing and Expungement Clinics with partners in Columbus, Ohio. He holds a BSBA from The Ohio State University and a JD from Capital University Law School.

Ardell Shaw

Ardell is a grassroots community leader and organizer with deep roots in Seattle’s historic Central District, where he was born and raised. A trusted mentor, brother, son, uncle, and husband, Ardell embodies the spirit of service and connection. He is also a spiritual steward who believes in our sacred role as custodians of this world—seeking humanity, advocating for truth, and standing firmly for justice.

Currently serving as a Care Coordinator and Job Developer for The Freedom Project, Ardell works to improve the lives of individuals impacted by systems of oppression. His lived experience—over 30 years within the criminal justice system—has shaped his unwavering commitment to transformation and equity. While incarcerated at Monroe Reformatory Complex, Ardell became an active member of the Black Prisoners Caucus (BPC), where his passion for organizing and activism took root.

Since his release in 2013, Ardell has dedicated himself to cultivating leadership among formerly incarcerated men and women, empowering them to speak out about their experiences and navigate the complex terrain of reentry and recidivism. He has collaborated with numerous organizations, including Career Bridge (Urban League), Statewide Poverty Action Network (Solid Ground), Civil Survival, East African Community Services, NAACP (King County Seattle Branch), and others—working to dismantle systemic barriers that continue to burden returning citizens.

Ardell has supported a wide range of campaigns and initiatives, such as No New Youth Jail, Seattle Jobs Initiative, Ban the Box, voter outreach and registration efforts, clemency hearings, and legislative task forces addressing Washington State’s Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) system.

What brings Ardell joy? Those who know him best will tell you: he thrives on building authentic relationships and bringing people together to strengthen community ties. Whether hosting his beloved annual Big Yard BBQ or facilitating the Young Men’s Weekly Healing Circle, Ardell continues to create spaces of healing, unity, and hope.

Prachi Dave

Prachi Dave is the Senior Managing Legal & Policy Director at If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice. In that role, Prachi manages the legal and policy departments working on reproductive justice issues spanning from the defense of people being criminalized for their reproductive outcomes, to policy projects aimed at ending pregnancy criminalization. Prior to joining the organization, Prachi was a Co-Executive Director at Civil Survival and in that role she directed and oversaw the organization’s policy and advocacy priorities. Prachi began her career as a public defender in Colorado and then joined the ACLU of Washington, where she led the organization’s Second Chances Project. Prachi also spent three years as the Policy and Advocacy Director at the Public Defender Association, focusing on sentencing, policing, and reentry policy. Prachi received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College and her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law. 

Tony Gonzalez

Tony Gonzalez is a Deputy Director of Advocacy at Columbia Legal Services, co-leading CLS’s statewide legal strategy to End Mass Incarceration. He started at CLS in 2013, as a Laurel Rubin Intern, providing know-your-rights information at farm labor camps and investigating issues impacting children and youth in Eastern Washington. In 2015, Tony was hired as a staff attorney at CLS, where he worked on issues related to medical debt, mobile home parks, and farm worker employment law. In 2020, Tony turned his focus to representing people in Washington’s prisons to address conditions of confinement. Today, Tony co-leads the Ending Mass Incarceration (EMI) work at CLS.

Tony is the proud son of immigrant parents from Mexico. Their triumphs, struggles, and fears of detention inspire Tony to work on behalf of people persecuted by the system and often exempted from its benefits. Tony also does this in memory of Rudy, who struggled and fought regardless of the setbacks life threw at him. RIP 9/29/2025. 

Quinton Baker

Quinton Baker brings both lived experience and a decade of professional expertise in public
health, housing equity, and reentry advocacy to his role on the Civil Survival board. As a
formerly justice-involved leader, Quinton has transformed his personal journey into a career
dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and expanding opportunities for individuals impacted by the criminal legal system.

As Executive Director of Forge, a Spokane-based nonprofit, Quinton has led the development of
innovative, data-driven programs that address the intersections of health, housing, and reentry.
His policy and advocacy efforts were instrumental in the successful passage of SB 5998, expanding opportunities to vacate criminal records and restore second chances for thousands of Washingtonians.

In addition to his professional leadership, Quinton is deeply committed to community service. He serves as an appointed member of the Washington State Reentry Council, 2nd Vice President of NAACP Spokane, and Board President of The Way to Justice, a nonprofit law firm advancing justice reform. He has also been an active member of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance’s Resident Action Project (RAP) and organized Forge’s inaugural Health & Housing Symposium. Through these roles, Quinton has consistently worked to amplify community voices, drive policy change, and create pathways for healing and equity.

David Moore

David Moore is a justice-impacted leader, technologist, and nonprofit advocate whose lived experience and professional background inform his commitment to advancing equitable reentry systems in Washington State. After serving an 18-year sentence, David transformed his trajectory through education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and building a career at the intersection of technology, operations, and community empowerment. He previously served for three years as Director of Operations at the Prison Scholar Fund, where he expanded educational access, strengthened organizational infrastructure, and supported system-impacted individuals in their transition back into the community.

In addition to his nonprofit leadership experience, David has partnered with Washington State Representatives to advocate for policy reform, provided testimony at legislative hearings, and contributed to efforts reshaping incarcerated education programs statewide. He has written letters and spoken at clemency hearings on behalf of incarcerated men and women, advocating for second chances and fair review processes. He serves on the board with a commitment to supporting sustainable organizational growth, strengthening institutional impact, and ensuring that directly impacted voices remain central to policy reform and community reintegration efforts.