Waleisah Wilson is the founder of NewLife-Second Chance Outreach, Inc. in Columbus, Georgia. Its mission is to reduce crime and recidivism by equipping, empowering and restoring hope to socially and economically disadvantaged individuals affected by a criminal record through workforce development and job readiness training. Waleisah is a dedicated advocate for reforming the criminal justice system and supports efforts that address eliminating the barriers to reentry and the stigmas associated with having a criminal record. She has personally struggled with those barriers as she herself is a formerly incarcerated individual.  As someone who has successfully transitioned back into the community despite not being able to find employment, she is a firm believer in being the change that she wants to see within her community. 

Waleisah holds a Master’s Degree in Human Services with a concentration in Social and Community Services, a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice. Through her work at NewLife-Second Chance Outreach, Inc. and her active community involvement, she is known and respected as a community leader and reentry expert and is often asked to be a speaker at community events. She has a close working relationship with local employers, community organizations and law enforcement and corrections agencies, including the Department of Community Supervision – the very same agency that supervised her probation upon her release from prison in 2011.