OUR TEAM
Pascal Cristafolo - Secretary
Joseph Barral - Creative Projects Editor
Michael Nelson - Executive Director
While incarcerated (from the age of 15), Nelson successfully completed his Associates degree; was certified as a rape/crisis counselor; graduated a public access service dog for a retired police officer who lives with PTSD and TBI (a 2 year commitment through New Life K9s program); as well as completed a large number of self-help courses, with additional college credits (including conflict resolution certification and a customer service certification). In addition to being a co-founder of Kid C.A.T., he created Acting with Compassion and Truth (A.C.T.) at San Quentin, a support group for gay, bi and transgender persons and their allies. As principal author of The First Step curriculum, principal founder of the Kid C.A.T. program, and someone who is successfully living his life on the outside, Michael brings his insights and experiences to the program members and participants. More important, he holds his work with Kid C.A.T. as his responsibility to contribute to restorative work, and has dedicated a great deal of his life to the program.
Sarah Wolfarth-Davis - Program Manager
Sarah is a licensed psychotherapist who serves Kid C.A.T. as an executive board member and program manager. Sarah’s clinical, professional, and volunteer work has spanned across various fields over her career, including community organizing, teaching, political organizing, community mental health, and private practice. With a holistic, mind-body-spirit approach Sarah is driven towards change and healing; both within herself and in the work she does in the world. Between 2009-2011 she ran a psychoeducational parenting class with incarcerated mothers at Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center. This experience opened Sarah up to her interest in rehabilitation and working with incarcerated populations. Sarah holds a masters’ degree in clinical psychology—specializing in parent-child relations and child development—and a doctoral degree is in Depth Psychology. Sarah’s dissertation and doctoral research focused on racial justice, equity, and accountability.
Pascal Cristofalo - Secretary
Pascal serves as the Secretary of Kid C.A.T. His journey through the exploration of self inspired an interest in Restorative Justice which resulted in a relationship with the Kid C.A.T community. In that relationship he has found a place to practice his commitment to explore the nature of harm and healing, and to embrace the worth of every individual and our collective humanity. His work with Kid C.A.T has served as the jumping off point for his career in social justice and restorative practices. He is excited to see what the future holds.
Joseph Barral - Creative Projects Editor
Joseph Barral serves as an executive board member of Kid C.A.T. After a serendipitous and inspired introduction to one of Kid C.A.T. 's founders, Michael Nelson, Joseph found an opportunity to be of service in a very unique and meaningful way that he had long been looking for. With experience in the non-profit sector, as well as education, Joseph has always felt a call to build and empower others in and beyond the envelope of conventional learning. With the help of his brother, Paul, Joseph is combining his artistic capacities with the Kid C.A.T. mission by developing a comic book based on the real experiences of Kid C.A.T. members. The comic book series is intended to function as a exploratory narrative tool to help participants tell their story. Supporting the Kid C.A.T. mission, we hope to use storytelling in a manner that helps people and communities transform, restore, and heal. Joseph believes there is a power in telling your story-- and healing in being heard.
