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about us

About Merit Partners

Mission

Strengthening and Reclaiming Young Lives

Brief History

Merit Partners was founded in 1998 as a California non-profit corporation, Merit, Incorporated. The goals for Merit were to:

Social Enterprise

Merit operates its electronic reclamation business in order to employ and train young adult offenders in all aspects of running a business. Our jobs and job-training help prepare young adults with the attitudes and skills to succeed upon release from incarceration. Merit hires individuals who show desire to learn and willingness to contribute and be held accountable and replaces those who prove otherwise.

Merit ePartners’ employees work close to 40 hours a week and are paid a fair market wage as set by the state. After taxes, 20 percent of their income is taken for restitution for victims of violent crimes; another 20 percent goes towards room and board on site; 20 percent goes to family support if appropriate, and up to 40 percent to a savings account in the worker’s name.

Research shows that employment and training such as Merit's reduces recidivism more effectively than any other type of prison program.

Board of Directors


Tom Gammon is a Silicon Valley executive who conceived Merit Partners with the belief that an offender has to have hope and the ability to work in order to change a life of crime. Mr. Gammon created Merit's initial prison training model in cooperation with corrections, education, and electronic industry leaders. Merit now provides a bridge for young men with limited electronics experience as they learn vital knowledge about technology in the context of a real job. As Chairman of the Board Mr. Gammon keeps a clear focus on the offenders and their needs to work, save, and prepare for release. He resides on the Monterey Peninsula of California.

Art Pearl, Ph.D., has a vibrant dedication to changing young lives through teaching democratic skills and attitudes. Currently adjunct faculty at the University of Oregon, he is Professor Emeritus at University of California, Santa Cruz, and was Professor at the University of Oregon and an Assistant Professor at Howard University earlier in his career. Dr. Pearl is a former Director of the New York State Division of Youth. He has authored numerous articles and books and received awards, honors, and appointments for work that focuses on democratic ideals and issues of those with disadvantages. He received both a M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology and has been an elected school board member. He resides in southwest Washington State.

Susan Gilson, M.S.E., has had a career devoted to youth development through building broad community partnerships and collaborations that give at-risk young people opportunities to learn and obtain job skills. As Executive Director of National and Community Service Programs and as Director of Youth Programs for a large regional agency, Ms. Gilson oversaw programs operating in four northwest states and Alaska. She developed exemplary youth programs for at-risk young people focusing on job-training, reducing truancy, reclaiming youth expelled from school, and education in juvenile detention facilities. Ms. Gilson has a Masters in Counseling and Guidance. She resides in Portland, Oregon.


Justin Evers is committed to providing prisoners with the skills to succeed upon release from confinement. After graduating from Pennsylvania State with a major in Law and Society, Mr. Evers served as an officer in the Navy. After his service, he worked for the Longview Washington Police Department as a Grant Project Manager. Mr. Evers worked to develop and strengthen community partnerships to provide a stronger network of treatment and training for offenders upon their release. His time working in reentry gave him a strong appreciation for the need to give people in confinement the job skills and attitudes that will help them obtain work and progress as wage earners upon release.

 

 

Executive Director


Suzy McCausland, Ph.D., co-founded Merit with the belief that skills and attitudes to succeed will come only after people believe their efforts to learn will be rewarded. An expert in the complexities of dynamic social-system change, Dr. McCausland insures Merit's accountability to its values and goals. As a former Director of Program Development and Evaluation for a $25 million nonprofit organization, she has administered, consulted, and evaluated numerous social, justice, and education programs. Dr. McCausland earned an M.S. in Education and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies. She has been a foster parent, elected school board member, and adjunct university faculty member and resides in southwest Washington State. 

Strengthening Communities


Merit develops its own community-based programs. One such program is designed to maintain contact with high-risk youth through systematic texting. We also conduct research, program development, and training for other community-based programs. More information may be found at www.MeritResearch.org.

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