BALTIMORE
Meet Baltimore
John Griffin
Business of Living Instructor
& Intake Assistant
john@gatekeepersmd.org
John Griffin is a Business of Living Instructor and Intake Assistant for the Gatekeepers Baltimore Field Office. He also doubles as an IT Coordinator for the Gatekeepers organization as a whole. A life-long Catholic educated in the Jesuit tradition of "men and women in service for others", John earned his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Natural Sciences from Loyola University Maryland. He was also an Eagle Scout with expertise in wilderness survival.
A tragic circumstance later in life caused John to be incarcerated for almost 16 years in the Maryland prison system. Prior to his incarceration, John was a devoted family man. He was a senior level network systems engineer for large corporations with expertise in campus and data center network designs, global internet connection design, and corporate business process analysis. After his release from prison, John has remained rooted in his Catholic faith, which he credits for helping him survive prison and his losses. He has been using his analytical skills to advocate for criminal justice reform, and for increased awareness and action to better support individuals who are trying to return to society--most of whom suffer from the trauma of long term incarceration.
John comes to Gatekeepers with a wealth of business expertise and lived experience, with hopes of helping the organization further its mission of promoting humanity and second chances.
Corey M. Girman
Baltimore
Strategic Partner
corey@gatekeepersmd.org
Corey M. Girman is a strategic partner and directly impacted advocate dedicated to strengthening community-led reentry programming and justice reform across Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Rooted in his Catholic faith, Corey approaches community service with a deep commitment to restorative justice, redemption, and human dignity. Having navigated the justice system firsthand, he understands the unique barriers returning citizens face, fueling his dedication to ensuring reentry initiatives are built with authenticity and real-world empathy.
At Gatekeepers, Corey blends this lived insight with over 15 years of operational and systems experience supporting organizations like National Geographic, Zoukis Consulting Group, and several federal agencies—including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Labor (DOL).
Steven Allbright
Former
Director of Operations
Baltimore
Steven Allbright served as the Director of Operations for Gatekeepers in Baltimore, playing a foundational role in establishing the organization's presence in the city and leading programs that empowered justice-involved individuals to rebuild their lives.
After serving six years in the Maryland State Penitentiary Complex, Steve discovered his faith through Catholic ministry and mentorship from Gatekeepers’ founder, Bill Gaertner, who later became his godfather. Following his release, Steve became Culinary Director at the Franciscan Center in Baltimore, serving the homeless and providing over 350,000 meals during the pandemic. He also served as Associate Director of Culinary Services at the Light House, a homeless prevention support center in Annapolis, before becoming Executive Chef at Cuba Libre in Washington, D.C.
Steve brought together his professional culinary expertise and lived experience to help launch and guide Gatekeepers' Baltimore operations. While he has since stepped down to focus on his family, he remains an enduring motivator, inspirational presence, and champion for Gatekeepers in Baltimore, continuing to exemplify the organization’s mission of transformation, hope, and second chances.
Locations
Visit Us at the Franciscan Center
We are on-site each week at the Franciscan Center to provide direct support, intake, and resource navigation.
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When: Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm & Evenings 5:30pm to 7pm
Thursdays from 10am to 1pm -
Where: 101 W. 23rd Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
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Details: Stop by during our open table hours and speak directly with an intake coordinator.
Visit Us at Our Daily Bread
We are on-site every Thursday during lunch service hours to connect with community members, conduct intakes, and provide direct resource navigation.
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When: Thursdays, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
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Where: 725 Fallsway, Baltimore, MD 21202
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Details: Stop by our table inside the center to speak directly with an intake coordinator.
Our Story in Baltimore
Baltimore’s strength has always lived in its neighborhoods, forged by people who understand that true community safety and vitality are built on restoration, not perpetual punishment. Every year, thousands of men and women return home to Baltimore from incarceration, determined to rebuild their lives, provide for their families, and contribute to the neighborhoods they cherish. Yet the journey through reentry is often met with systemic walls: closed doors in housing, barriers to living-wage employment, fractured support systems, and the quiet weight of stigma.
Gatekeepers was founded on a simple, unwavering truth: returning citizens do not need charity. They need a real pathway, an open door, and advocates who have walked the path before them.
Our narrative is rooted directly in the lived experience of Baltimore. We know the reality of walking out of an institution with little more than the clothes on your back and an expectation to thrive in a world that hasn’t paused. We step into that critical gap. As credible messengers and peer navigators, Gatekeepers provides the essential bridge from release to lasting stability. Through workforce development, intensive case management, mentorship, and personal advocacy, we walk alongside individuals from day one, ensuring that returning home means staying home.
Investing in reentry is not merely a social service; it is an urgent commitment to the future of Baltimore. When a returning citizen secures a stable career, an entire family is lifted. When our neighborhoods welcome people back with genuine opportunities to lead, cycle-breaking generational healing takes root, community violence drops, and local economies grow stronger.
The story of Baltimore cannot be written without the voices, resilience, and leadership of those who have reclaimed their lives against every odd. Gatekeepers stands as proof of what is possible when a city chooses restoration over division. We are here to ensure that second chances are not an exception, but the standard, transforming our shared struggles into our city’s greatest source of renewal.
Our Partners
Franciscan Center
Catholic Charities Baltimore
The Community of St. Dysmas
Prepare Parole
