Board

Rosemarie Murray is one of the original Board Members of Hudson Link, which was founded during her tenure as Dean of Students at Mercy College.

“Hudson Link’s greatest strength is the commitment of all of our stakeholders: the students, professors, staff, board, DOC’s and our supporters. They have all contributed to the effort to change lives and thereby change our world. We are united in our belief that individuals can be transformed through education. These people make the necessary sacrifices and have the resiliency to return to the mission no matter how difficult the challenges we face.”

Ms. Murray is an Assistant Professor of Literature, Language, and Communication at Mercy College. She served as Vice President of the Hudson Link Board of Directors for two terms and has had the pleasure of teaching literature courses at Sing Sing on several occasions. For several years she was also a member of the Board of Providence House, an organization that provides transitional and supportive housing for women released from prison so they can begin their new lives with their children.

In 2009, after meeting young people with spinal cord injuries who are institutionalized in nursing home for the elderly, Ms. Murray resolved to help make appropriate housing available for this large group of forgotten—even “invisible”— individuals; hence, she helped found Wheels of Progress, a nonprofit organization.

“My sincere hope is that Hudson Link will continue to expand to other correctional facilities and will lead the effort to change minds and hearts regarding incarcerated people who desire to become educated so that they can make a difference while incarcerated and after they are released.”

John Minks has been a board member of Hudson Link since 2010, and has served on the Development, Communications, and Governance Committees. He is also active on his church board, where he has been a Warden and Vestry member the last six years. He has led the Outreach Committee for a number of years at his church and is passionate about mentoring and helping people achieve their potential.

Professionally, Mr. Minks is an International Director with Jones Lang LaSalle, an international real estate services and investment company, where he has held a variety of management and leadership roles during his 24 years with the Firm. Mr. Minks and his family moved to New York in 2004 following four years in London, where created and led a regional corporate business across 18 countries. Prior to London John lived in Southern California with his family and enjoyed the Southern California lifestyle. Mr. Minks’ previous work experience includes five years with Smith Barney Corporate Finance and five years with Deloitte as a management consultant. John received an MBA from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA, and his BA from Stanford University

Mr. Minks and his wife Michelle live in Rye Brook New York, and have three grown children. In his free time he enjoys golf and travel and spending time with his family.

Danny Matos tries to embody Mr. Robinson’s words in his daily actions. After 22 years of incarceration (released on November 25, 2011) he was subsequently elected onto the board of directors of Hudson Link in October of 2012. He received his Bachelors of Science in 2004 with Hudson Link/Mercy College and his Masters in Professional Studies from New York Theological Seminary in 2006. During his student years he also served as the Academic Coordinator’s Assistant from 2002-2007. It was in this capacity that “I found true integrity and freedom – to be able to assist the men enroll into college and see their loved ones at graduation filled with pride, as my loved ones feel for me is priceless.”

It is his mission as a member of the Post Release Committee to continue to work closely with the faculty, board of directors, and alumni. He hopes to lead with integrity and will strive to provide meaningful and impactful relationships as more of our alumni are released. As our alumni services becomes more cultivated, he envisions networking forums with topics that will include finance, health, family, and transitional counseling.

Currently, Mr. Matos works as a Personal Coach – Household Manager and has been a guest speaker on prison education and the Hudson Link program at Mercy College, Columbia University, the IRP program at the New School, NYU School of Social Work, Henry Street Settlement, United Postal Service’s Community Involvement Program and many more. He is also an advocate for Exodus Transitional Community, Inc., a non-profit that provides re-entry services for recently released people, and Broadway Housing Communities, a non-profit that provides services for the homeless.

Mr. Matos finds peace while on the baseball diamond. He plays in two different leagues and can be found at Yankee stadium whenever the opportunity presents itself – sharing his love of sports and life lessons with his nieces, nephews, and the youth he comes in contact with.

Bruce Macleod became involved with Hudson Link in 1999 and served two terms as Board President.

“I think that Hudson Link’s greatest strength is its long-term, continued relationship with our students and graduates to ensure their success both inside and outside the prison walls.”

Bruce Macleod earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College and his Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Mr. Macleod has spent the majority of his career developing large-scale commercial real estate projects and is the Retail Principal of Arcturus Real Estate which provides strategic and advisory assessments for institutional investors on troubled retail loans and investments, centered mainly on regional malls.

Mr. Macleod serves as President of the Board for Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, as a trustee for the Posse Foundation, one of the most comprehensive and renowned college access and youth leadership development programs in the United States and past President of the Board of Directors of Hudson Link.

“Hudson Link has proven that access to higher education in prison transforms lives, strengthens families and improves communities. I hope that Hudson Link will continue to expand its educational footprint throughout the national correctional system.”

Neal Keller joined Hudson Link’s Board in 2011 and currently serves on the Program and Post Release Support Committees. Since 2003, as a Mercy College adjunct professor, he has taught Introduction to Personal Computers at Sing Sing Correctional Facility through Hudson Link’s program.

Mr. Keller has been involved in prison work for a number of years and his work with Hudson Link is linked closely to our core values: “The greatest strength of Hudson Link is our students,” he says, “and their commitment to transform themselves through education. The dedication of our staff, teachers and supporters to provide the resources to make this possible is also invaluable.” Mr. Keller hopes that Hudson Link can serve as a model for an increased national commitment to leveraging education for rehabilitation of those incarcerated.

For his dedication and service, Mr. Keller received Hudson Link’s Harold Dow Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual Spring Gala in 2011. “In order to give back for the gifts I have received in life, I volunteer for Hudson Link.” Keller says.

Mr. Keller retired in 2013 after a 28 year career at IBM’s Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York. He holds over 20 IBM patents and his IBM career included work in teaching, distance learning, and collaboration services. Mr. Keller is a member of the 2014 class of Volunteer New York’s “Leadership Westchester” program. He is married with two grown children and lives with his wife Susan in Pleasantville.

Annette Johnson has been a supporter of Hudson Link for many years and joined the Board of Directors in 2010. She is a strong voice for a prison system that is truly rehabilitative, and sees Hudson Link and prison education work as a vehicle to that end. Her motivation comes from the evidence of transformation seen at every Hudson Link graduation ceremony, and with each individual released: “seeing the families of the people who graduate, and the pride of their children inspires me.”

Ms. Johnson has been active in prison education programs since 1999, primarily as the founder and director of Prisoners Reading Encouragement Project, which, in cooperation with New York State Department of Correctional Services, provides books and educational materials at no cost to New York State correctional facilities. She also serves many other organizations implementing innovative and needed educational programs in New York State prisons. She is an active sponsor and supporter of Literacy for Incarcerated Teens, and the Learning Center for Women in Prison at Bayview Correctional Facility.

Her dedication and commitment also extends as a member of the board of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE-NY) for many years; a grassroots advocacy organization focusing on criminal justice reform and rehabilitative measures for those involved with the criminal legal system such as education, training and treatment. As if her resume could not grow any stronger, she also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Prison Policy Initiative; which documents the impact of mass incarceration on individuals, communities, and the national welfare in order to empower the public to improve criminal justice policy.

Ms. Johnson currently serves as Senior Vice President, Vice Dean and General Counsel at NYU Langone Medical Center and oversees all legal matters concerning the medical center including providing leadership to the Office of Audit and Compliance, the Institutional Review Board and the Office of Government Affairs, all of which report to her.

Ms. Johnson received her B.A.from Incarnate Word College, her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, and her J.D. from the University of Toledo, College of Law. Following law school and prior to joining the New York University Office of General Counsel, Ms. Johnson was Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Toledo, College of Law, and briefly served as an Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Attorney General’s office.