Justice 101: Dying on the Inside—The History of America’s Incarceration of Women

In addition to serving as Co-Executive Producer and Host for Dying on the Inside, Cherri Gregg is co-host of “Studio 2,” WHYY’s flagship local news program that airs live Monday through Thursday at noon on WHYY 90.9 FM and streams on YouTube. She is also creator and executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning Good Souls Project, WHYY’s effort to highlight individuals and organizations making a positive impact on the region. 

Prior to her current position, the award-winning journalist covered civil rights, social justice, race and public affairs issues impacting marginalized communities in the Philadelphia region, spending nearly a decade on air at KYW Newsradio, while regularly filing reports for CBS 3 Eyewitness News. Cherri served as KYW Newsradio’s community affairs reporter and was the creator, host and executive producer of the weekly syndicated radio show and podcast “Flashpoint with Cherri Gregg.”  Under her leadership, the show earned two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2021. Cherri is also a past president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. She is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Law & Justice Journalism Project. 

Since becoming the Defender Association’s Chief Defender in November 2021, Keisha Hudson has brought both local and national attention to the critical role of public defenders in maintaining and reforming the criminal justice system.  

Her 22-year career as a public defender began with the Defender Association of Philadelphia and continued with the Federal Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Capital Habeas Unit), where she represented people on death row in state post-conviction and federal habeas appeals. In 2016, Ms. Hudson transitioned from the Federal Defender to the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender, where she served as Deputy Chief Defender. In 2020, Ms. Hudson joined The Justice Collaborative and The Appeal, where she developed and led media and advocacy campaigns on criminal justice reform, particularly focused on innovative community-based solutions to improve public safety. From 2020 to 2021, she was a visiting professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. 

Dr. Kerry Sautner, Ed.D., is the president and chief executive officer of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, a museum interpreting the legacy of American criminal justice reform from the site of the world’s first penitentiary. The facility pioneered the large-scale use of solitary confinement in the early 19th century and housed approximately 85,000 people during its 142 years of operation. Today, Eastern State Penitentiary attracts hundreds of thousands of guests from around the world each year to explore the site’s fascinating past and contemplate some of the most critical issues facing our nation. Its innovative public history program draws connections to contemporary justice reform through an approach that values multiple perspectives, amplifies marginalized voices, and respects a broad range of visitors’ interests and learning styles.

In her previous role as the Chief Learning Officer at the National Constitution Center, Dr. Sautner was promoted to drive national civic education efforts and oversaw all aspects of the Center’s visitor experience and educational programming. Before joining the staff at the National Constitution Center in 2005, she worked on program development at the Franklin Institute, and has served as an adjunct professor at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Sautner obtained her doctorate in education leadership and management from Drexel University with a focus on creativity and innovation within educational facilities. She earned her master’s degree in education from Drexel University, and a bachelor’s degree in biology and marine science from Rutgers University.

She is the president of the school board of the Lower Merion School District, a member of the Forum of Executive Women, and on the American Bar Association's Public Education Advisory Commission. Her academic writings have appeared in the Journal of Museum Education.

Tonie Willis founded Ardella’s House in 2010. Ardella’s House is a service and advocacy non-profit organization committed to helping women and girls with criminal justice histories realize new possibilities for themselves and their families. Through her Institute on Women & Criminal Justice, Tonie is also realizing her vision as a tireless advocate for a rigorous policy, advocacy, and research agenda that brings new perspectives to public debates on women, girls and criminal justice and the enormous toll that mass incarceration has taken.  

As a visionary leader, Tonie’s advocacy supports access to transitional housing for family reunification. Her work at Ardella’s House provides assistance to over 800 women and their families annually and offers a continuum of care in the areas of employment, housing, family, health and wellbeing, and criminal justice compliance. She is also the brainchild behind “Life Interrupted,” a 12-week  program to help women plan a productive post-incarceration life. 

Tonie is no stranger to the hurdles that formerly incarcerated women face when they are released. As someone with lived experience, she knows that it takes support systems to get one’s live back on track after incarceration. Tonie was recently appointed to the board of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment Opportunity where she elevates the economic and employment needs of formerly incarcerated women. She is a former member of the Parole and Probation Advisory Board,  serves on the Incarcerated Women’s Working Group on behalf of the rights of incarcerated women, and is a member of the Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls.