300+ attendees - our biggest room yet at that point. Breakout sessions expanded to four full rounds, and more attendees traveled in from out of state than any year before.

Keynote Adam Clausen was sentenced to 213 years in federal prison and granted compassionate release in 2020. He now leads innovation work for a national reentry nonprofit.

This was the year the model proved itself at every level, not just on stage: formerly incarcerated leaders, corrections professionals, higher education partners, government leaders, and community organizations weren't just speaking to each other - they were the panelists, the presenters, and the volunteers running the day itself. This is what a truly collaborative ecosystem actually looks like - not something you talk about, but something everyone shows up to build together.