The Team
Who We Are
Crystal Daniel, MSW
Co-Founder & CEO
Crystal Daniel is a highly accomplished professional with a distinguished academic background. She holds a Master's Degree in Social Work, specializing in Advanced Community Practice. Her extensive qualifications also include certifications as a Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Counselor.
Since 2017, Crystal has dedicated herself to the non-profit sector, with a the focus on addressing the pressing needs and challenges faced by marginalized populations. Her expertise encompasses a wide range of services, including housing solutions, counseling, group therapy, trauma-informed care, and crisis response. She is a visionary leader who, alongside two close friends and colleagues, established B.AN.E (Building and Empire) Institute.
Her journey to this point has been marked by resilience and personal growth, having faced adversity early in life, including the loss of her father at the age of 15, followed by multiple prison sentences and 32 arrests. Crystal's transformative experience has instilled in her a profound belief in the potential for positive change within the criminal justice system. In 2008, Crystal served her final prison sentence, emerging free from addiction and determined to make a difference. She has since dedicated herself to working in correctional facilities providing crucial reentry services to female offenders.
Her heart lies in criminal justice reform, where she envisions the transformation of lives in ways that defy conventional expectations. Crystal is a staunch advocate for revising the current reentry model to cater to the unique needs of each individual. She is passionate about reinventing and enhancing this model to make a tangible impact. Crystal firmly believes that, as societal challenges evolve, so must our programming, communication methods, and services to address the growing struggles faced by those behind prison doors. Her unwavering commitment to progress and reform underscores her dedication to creating a brighter future for all.
682-233-0724
Aneisa Chambers, MPA
Co-Founder & CFO
Aneisa Chambers serves as the Chief Financial Officer and one of the three founding Board Members of B.AN.E Institute. Her first exposure to corrections and the justice system was over 20 years ago when she served as a Deputy Sheriff for Orleans Parish Prisons in New Orleans, LA. She later moved to Denver, CO and discovered offender reentry programs and worked in a number of community corrections agencies, cementing her career in the nonprofit/public sector.
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While a New Orleanian at heart, Aneisa grew up in a military family and has had the opportunity to travel extensively and meet people from all over. She credits her upbringing as the primary reason she enjoys working with people, especially the disadvantaged and those in transition.
In addition to the time spent in nonprofit program management, Aneisa holds a Bachelors in Sociology from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver.
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682-233-1839
Meet Our Peer-to-Peer Counselors
Peer-to-Peer Counselors play a pivotal role in B.AN.E, collaborating closely with previously incarcerated clients to establish a comprehensive and reliable support network, leaving no woman without assistance.
Christi Stinson
Peer-to-Peer Counselor
Christi is a beacon of strength and resilience, having triumphed over addiction for an impressive span of over 11 years. Her path to recovery was forged through profound pain, trauma, multiple incarcerations, and a harrowing suicide attempt. Her journey was further marred by the unimaginable loss of her son, Blake. The weight of grief and trauma became overwhelming and she turned to numbing substances as an escape. However, it became clear to Christi that a higher purpose was in store for her.
For two decades, she grappled with addiction, making numerous attempts to break free, only to find herself repeatedly falling short. It was when she relinquished control and allowed her Higher Power to guide her that her true path toward recovery began to unfold.
Through the course of Christi's deeply personal and spiritual journey, she has been drawn to a profound calling: providing support to incarcerated women. It is her goal to extend a lifeline to individuals who mirror the person she once was, letting them know that they possess inherent worth and the inner strength to overcome the challenges they face.