Steve Avalos is vice president of operations at Homeboy Industries, a gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in Los Angeles. In this role, he oversees a team of staff who are the conduits to the relationally based, free services available to trainees in the 18-month reentry training program. He works most closely with the case managers and navigators, the people who accompany the trainees. Avalos first came to Homeboy Industries in 2012 as a client after serving a life sentence. He participated in many of the programs and eventually became a mentor and advocate for others in the community. At Homeboy, he uses his previous life and work experiences to support people in court settings, probation offices, classrooms and other systems.