Tess Neel, Co-President

Tess Neel is a theatre maker and artist who believes in the idea that theatre and art help change perspectives, trajectories, and lives for participants and audiences alike. Through her background in stage and production management, producing, and business management, Tess has worked with many companies including the Arvada Center Black Box Theatre, The Athena Project, The PACE Center, The Three Leaches, Reunion Entertainment LLC, Lamont Opera Company, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative (DU PAI). Among Tess’s most notable work with DU PAI are the Unchained Voices Fine Art Show (Manager 2020 - 2023), Godspell at Colorado Territorial & Fremont Correctional Facilities (Producer & Production Manager), IF LIGHT CLOSED ITS EYES, the play & film (Producer & Production Manager), and These Walls Film (Producer). She is also one of the founding team members and Producing Director of the Denver Theatre Ensemble, a new theatre company focused on creating meaningful new, classic, and devised theatre in a professional environment. For more information, you can visit www.tessneel.com. 

JoyBelle Phelan, Co-President

JoyBelle Phelan (she/her) is Co-President of Unchained Voices, a collective amplifying the art and stories of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. A writer, mentor, and longtime advocate for education and creative expression behind the walls, JoyBelle brings lived experience, deep community ties, and fierce belief in second chances to her leadership. She also serves as Executive Director of Unbound Authors, building literary spaces in ten Colorado prisons.

She believes in the magic of being heard — and is helping others reclaim their voices, one story at a time.
 

Sarah McKenzie, Secretary

Sarah McKenzie (sarahmckenzie.com) is a visual artist based in Boulder, Colorado. Her paintings document our built landscape, exploring changes in our architecture (what we build) for evidence of societal, economic, and cultural shifts (why we build). She is particularly interested in the dynamics of institutional space, as manifested in American museums and prisons. Sarah has exhibited her paintings nationally, including shows with the Walker Art Center, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Yale School of Architecture, the New Mexico Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, among other venues. In 2021, she was awarded the Marion International Fellowship for the Visual and Performing Arts to support her research on the architecture of prisons. That same year, she also began teaching art classes inside the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) through the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. In 2024, Sarah co-founded Impact Arts (impactartsco.org) to continue her teaching in the CDOC and to create and support exhibition opportunities for artists impacted by the criminal-legal system. She is honored to serve on the board of Unchained Voices.
 

Kyle Varvil, Treasurer 

Kyle Varvil, LCSW, has been a forensic social worker/mitigation specialist on criminal defense teams since 2014.  He currently works on federal defense teams and state cases, either through the Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel (OADC) or privately.  Kyle holds a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from the University of Denver. When Kyle isn’t working on defense teams, he is either playing soccer, cruising the Rocky Mountains on his road bike (named ‘Mr. Miyagi’ after the 1947 Ford Super Deluxe convertible in the Karate Kid), or making some BBQ.  Kyle has been part of Unchained Voices (previously Chained Voices) since its inception in 2015, and he is excited to be part of its current growth.  

Tammesa Jones

Tammesa Jones (Tamme) is a proud mother of four and elated Grandmother of seven. They bring her so much joy!  Her journey has been filled with diverse experiences that have shaped who she is today.

For many years, she served as a youth choir director and mentor through Sharing and Caring Ministries, where she had the privilege of guiding young people in their spiritual and personal growth. Tamme's life took a unique turn when she worked as a correctional officer at the Colorado Department of Corrections—an experience that taught her resilience and compassion.

Currently, Tamme serves as a night shift Phlebotomy Lead, striving to make a difference in the lives of her patients every day. She truly believes that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

In 2019, Tamme had the honor of portraying Ruth in the play "Women of Virtue," a character whose unwavering loyalty and faith mirrors her values. Although she had some trying times in her life, Tamme never wavered. She has lived and learned every day, and she always strives to be better than she was yesterday!

Tamme's life is a testament to the power of service and the importance of uplifting others.

Lilly Stannard

Lilly Stannard is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and artist-researcher interested in the transformative nature of the arts in various settings. Lilly has worked as an arts administrator and teaching artist within a range of schools and companies, some of which include Spellbound Theatre, Ramapo for Children, and the Verbatim Performance Lab, where she developed engaging arts-based curricula for diverse populations. She served as the Director of Programming for the DU Prison Arts Initiative beginning in 2021, where she began her work within the Colorado Department of Corrections. In 2024, along with Sarah McKenzie, Lilly co-founded Impact Arts with the mission of generating arts classes, programs, and exhibitions in and around the criminal-legal system in Colorado. Her writing about artistic transformative justice practices and verbatim theatre work can be found in various publications, including The McGill Journal of Education, Routledge Undergraduate Research Series, and the Inquiries Journal.
 

Keandra Hunt

Keandra Hunt (they/she) is a performer, facilitator, and creative human dedicated to making art that connects, uplifts, and transforms. Originally from Killeen, Texas, they earned their BFA in Acting from Texas Tech University in 2022 and moved to Denver shortly after to join the Diversity in the Arts (DITA) internship with Creative Strategies for Change. Keandra continues to stay involved as a member of the DITA Advisory Board, supporting emerging queer artists and cultural workers of color. Their artistic world lives at the intersection of performance, community, and healing – spanning theatre, music, poetry, and yoga. Dedicated to fostering creative spaces, Keandra cherishes the opportunity to connect with other creative beings and hold humans where they are on their journey in life. As a performer, they toured across the Southeastern United States, bringing to life African Folktales, the story of Jackie Robinson, and Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History. In Fall 2025, they’ll begin their MA in Applied Theatre and Theatre Education at Emerson College, excited to keep growing, learning, and building alongside others.

Timothy "Timitrius" Montoya

From a youth shaped by the streets to a man shaped by resilience, Timothy Montoya's life has been anything but ordinary. A troubled adolescence led to incarceration as a juvenile and, ultimately, 18 years in prison, followed by 5 years on parole. But even behind the walls, creativity found him - and never let go. 

What began as raw expression through graffiti evolved into a disciplined pursuit of fine art. In prison, Timothy immersed himself in drawing, learning techniques that transformed his talent into a true craft. His work now reflects a fusion of street culture, realism, and deeply personal storytelling - each piece carrying the weight of lived experience and hope of transformation. 

Today, Timothy is proud to serve as a board member of Unchained Voices, using his art and his journey to inspire others who've walked difficult roads. His creations aren't just images - they're testaments to the idea that growth and redemption are possible, no matter the past. 

From the block to the gallery wall, Timothy paints the story of a man who refused to be defined by his worst mistakes - and instead built a life around passion, purpose, and community. 

Hillary Vervalin

LCSW, Ph.D. Candidate 

Hillary Vervalin is a licensed clinical social worker who holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Denver with a focus on family systems and trauma-informed care. She has worked as a forensic social worker with the Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel (OADC) for eleven years and has supervised new social workers at the agency for the past seven years. Hillary is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in social work at Colorado State University. Since collaborating with a group of social workers and defense attorneys to create Chained Voices in 2014, Hillary has remained involved and is grateful for the current team’s incredible efforts to expand the program. 

Madison Campbell

Madison Campbell (she/her) is a social worker, coach, advocate, and artist guided by a belief in the liberating and healing power of creativity and connection. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at MSU Denver. Madison’s professional experience spans harm reduction research, facilitating therapeutic creativity groups and re-entry planning within the Travis County correctional system, and providing coaching and advocacy for people experiencing high-risk pregnancies. She brings her passion for co-creating shared art experiences, circle and story work, and arts accessibility to the Unchained Voices board. Committed to igniting creativity—individually, communally, and collectively—as a catalyst for belonging, connection across differences, and liberation, Madison is excited to embody this commitment in collaboration with Unchained Voices.

John Sherman

John Sherman, from an early age, knew what he wanted to be when he grew up…an artist. From there, he diligently honed his skills throughout his formative years and eventually made his way to attending The Colorado Institute of Art. 

Shortly thereafter, John went on to open JPS Sign Design Co., a unique business model that merged fine art and outdoor signage in the Denver area. Only years later, John was sentenced to Life in prison.

John served 34 years of that life sentence before receiving a commutation of his sentence by Governor Hickenlooper. During his incarceration, John was graced with the opportunity to complete 22 murals for the Department of Corrections. He applied for and received an Art and Humanities grant for a major installation in front of Limon Correctional Facility. Additionally, John won numerous national art competitions, and his art has been featured in The Artist Magazine in several issues.

After his release from prison, John has enjoyed consistent commissions and mural projects throughout the metropolitan area. As he did during his incarceration, John enjoys teaching art to students at the Dream Center and in private classes.