NEW ORLEANS — Kristy Laschober, an advocate for recovery and prison reform since her own release in 2017, is the new life coach lead for Operation Restoration. The New Orleans-based nonprofit supports women and girls impacted by incarceration to help them recognize their full potential, restore their lives and discover new possibilities.
Laschober oversees the team of life coaches and manages a caseload of clients, helping them to navigate opportunities for second chances. She also brings skills as a federal reentry court advocate to the organization.
“I am passionate about bridging communities and cultures so that people have opportunities to recognize their ultimate potential,” said Laschober.
Collaborating with legislators, higher education coalitions and other key partners, Laschober successfully campaigned in 2020 to remove the criminal history box on college applications in Oregon. The Ban the Box initiative started in Louisiana with Operation Restoration Founder and Executive Director Syrita Steib leading the effort to end the practice of requiring persons to disclose their criminal background for purposes of college admission.
Laschober graduated summa cum laude in 2020 from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in innovation and leadership. She founded the Freedom Exchange Project to connect with men and women impacted by the criminal legal system. She is certified in community storytelling, a certified peer support specialist and a member of the Faces of Women Speakers Bureau for Ladies of Hope Ministries.
