Update

“I feel grateful for the opportunity to help people, even if it's just by connecting with their family members, letting them know I saw their loved one. I'm glad to be part of potentially making a difference.” - Dzemila

We are thrilled to welcome Dzemila Bilanovic as the newest member of our Prison Monitoring staff where she will focus on Eastern Pennsylvania. 

Dzemila is instrumental in supporting volunteer chapters from Scranton to Philadelphia, overseeing recruitment and training, troubleshooting challenging situations, and ensuring we respond promptly to requests for assistance from incarcerated people. 

“We are truly fortunate to have Dzemila on the team. She is sharp and caring, and joins us with deep experience working with volunteers in refugee resettlement, and working with men coming home after spending time in the Philadelphia jails,” says Claire Shubik-Richards, our executive director.

Dzemila’s extensive professional experience equipps her with the skills to navigate complex bureaucracies and systems, to help people get the help they need. Her commitment to community work, ability to connect with people, and eagerness to learn from others make her a perfect fit for the role. Core to this work is being able to engage a broad range of stakeholders–from prison administrators to incarcerated people, family members, community organizations, and local lawmakers. Dzemila’s openness to hearing different perspectives, finding common ground, and building connections is invaluable. 

With Dzemila joining Angela in the western and Jessica in the central regions, we have a full complement of regional staff to support our statewide network of volunteers. Volunteers are the backbone of the Prison Society, and with strengthened support, we can better serve incarcerated people and families across the Commonwealth. 

Please join us in welcoming Dzemila to the team!

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Prison Society: Tell us about your background and what makes you suited for this work.

Dzemila: My family were refugees from Bosnia, which has significantly impacted my life. I appreciate my agency and recognize that many people don't have that privilege. This gives me a lot of understanding, compassion, and genuine concern for those I work with.

My first job out of college was with a small nonprofit in Louisville, Kentucky that helped immigrants and refugees with education, family support, and children's programs. This was my first experience working with disadvantaged, mostly low-income individuals. Later, I moved to Philly and worked as a refugee resettlement case manager for two years, assisting people from all over the world, including men from Southeast Asia who had been imprisoned on islands en route to Australia. After that, I worked at an adult education nonprofit, partnering with the District Attorney's Office to help formerly incarcerated individuals avoid further incarceration through education programs. This experience led me to the Pennsylvania Prison Society, as I wanted to continue supporting people stuck in the system.

‍Prison Society: What attracted you to the regional manager role at the Prison Society?

Dzemila: At the beginning of  the pandemic, I think a lot of people felt for the first time the isolation and loss of mobility when we were told not to go outside for our safety. It made me think about people who live like that all the time. I was drawn to the Prison Society because they go into facilities and speak with currently incarcerated individuals. We often hear from people who are formerly incarcerated, but not as much from those currently inside. It's crucial to treat all individuals humanely, regardless of their circumstances.

‍Prison Society: What are you most excited about in your new role?

‍Dzemila: I'm very interested in the people on both ends—the incarcerated individuals and the volunteers. It's amazing how many people across the state are willing to put in their personal time and effort to help us do our jobs. Meeting these wonderful volunteers and the individuals incarcerated has been exciting, and I'm looking forward to continuing this work.

‍Prison Society: As someone new to the organization, is there anything you've observed about the Prison Society or Pennsylvania prisons and jails that you think everyone should know?

Dzemila: I think our supporters know that prisons are not good places, but it's actually worse than most people think. Meeting incarcerated individuals and learning about their daily struggles to stay alive and maintain a positive outlook is incredible. It's crucial to keep our eyes trained on what's happening and never look away.

Prison Society: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our supporters?

Dzemila:I feel really grateful to be doing this work. It allows me to reflect on my own privilege and feel grateful for the opportunity to help people, even if it's just by connecting with their family members, letting them know I saw their loved one. I'm glad to be part of potentially making a difference.