Our Team

Kwame Gyamfi
Executive Director

Prior to joining CJC, Kwame Gyamfi served in public education for 19 years, working with public and private schools since 2007. Throughout his career, he has held many roles, including campus supervisor, high school football coach, African American Caucus sponsor, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity facilitator, and Student Advocate. In 2021, he helped write the African Studies curriculum for Lincoln High School.

Kwame has nearly two decades of experience coaching football at the youth, high school, and college levels. In his most recent role on the Malone Center Leadership Team, he served as the School Community Coordinator, also known as the “After School Principal,” running the Community Learning Center at Lincoln Northeast High School.

Kwame creates quality programming focused on civic engagement through STEAM, mentorship, and social-emotional learning for a diverse group of students. He is the creator of the Human Connection Strategies program at Civic Nebraska and the student-driven Future Harvest program at Northeast High School. He currently serves as the Executive Director at the Community Justice Center and is a recent Citizens University Fellow.

In addition to his work in education and community leadership, Kwame is an award-winning writer, African historian, public speaker, artist, and business owner. His current book, “Prism of Perspectives: The Life and Names of Kwame Gyamfi,” is available on all platforms.

Shakur Abdullah
Senior RJI Facilitator

Shakur is an Omaha trainer and outreach specialist for the CJC. Shakur is a National Institute of Corrections (NIC) certified offender workforce development specialist (OWDS). He has three years of experience providing pre- and post-release reentry services to justice-involved individuals in Nebraska and Iowa. Shakur is a member of the Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network (ICAN), a leadership and advocacy network comprised of former juvenile lifers. ICAN was created by and is affiliated with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY). Shakur brings an extensive background of over 4 decades of incarcerated experience to the CJC. Arrested and sentenced as a juvenile in 1975, Shakur was discharged from Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) custody in 2016 upon completion of a homicide sentence. While incarcerated, Shakur took advantage of habilitative opportunities (personal, academic and vocational) to be released from prison better not bitter. Shakur’s passion is to help repair the harm he created and assist others in accomplishing the same duty.

Josh Smith
RJI Facilitator

Josh earned Bachelor Degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology from UNK in 2001

Josh has been in the Human Services field for 20+ years and has had a variety of opportunities and experiences in: residential facilities, mental health facilities, treatment centers, half-way houses, high schools, and community non-profit organizations across the state of Nebraska.  Josh has three years teaching experience with the Upward Bound Program at Western Nebraska Community College, and is a certified Love and Logic trainer.

Josh began working with at risk youth and their families who were connected with the Department of Health and Human Services, in both residential facilities and in the community.  He also worked closely with children in the foster care system in efforts to transition them back with their biological parents.  In 2018, Josh moved to Lincoln and began working with individuals struggling with SPMI (Severe Persistent Mental Illnesses), as well as addiction.  As his career and life experience progressed, he developed a passion for working with men and women within the justice system who currently reside in a correctional facility, or have recently been released from a correctional institution.

Travis Austin
RJI Facilitator

Travis has earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Education as well as a Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling from Southeast Community College. 

Travis is passionate about helping individuals reach the outcomes they set for themselves to achieve their personal goals. Travis has a unique background that incorporates education and substance abuse treatment.  He has worked in the public-school setting for over 6 years as a Special Education Teacher and understands the importance of working with a diverse background of individuals.  This has allowed him to appreciate the importance of different learning styles, interests, motivation and individual abilities.  More recently his work with individuals in recovery strengthened his knowledge of the 12 Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous as well as the Addictions Severity Index. 

Travis is a justice involved individual who upon release from incarceration, successfully completed probation and residential rehabilitation in Lancaster County. He is excited to help individuals that may be struggling with life transitions and habilitation. His goal is to help individuals cope with life’s ups and downs and learn to empower themselves on their path to recovery. He believes that building a strong support network and connections to the community are a key to success.