Jo Turpin

Jo Turpin spent the first half of her working life in advertising, purchasing art and photography for a wide variety of clients for major advertising campaigns.  After successfully establishing and running a nonprofit to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research, she enrolled in Columbia University School of Social Work, graduating in 2014 with an MSW degree.  Her research area focuses on nonresident fathers and their children and more recently, individuals who have been incarcerated.  She teaches both behind ivy walls and the barbwire fence, the latter of which is at Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg NY, and Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills, NY.  Ms. Turpin is passionate about the needs of those who are justice impacted, and strongly believes in the value of education to not only help individuals during their incarceration, but to also assist them post release.  She is a dedicated advocate for the social work curriculum to be taught in prison, as the human service field is welcoming to those with a criminal justice background.