FACULTY AND STAFF
Program Director
Kate Meloney has served as the director of the Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix (formerly SCI Graterford) since August 2015. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from Lewis & Clark College, and a Master of Social Services and a Master of Law and Social Policy, both from the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. In addition to her responsibilities as director of the program, Meloney serves as the academic advisor to all students at SCI Phoenix. With her extensive education in social work and more than 20 years of experience working with incarcerated individuals, Meloney brings an incredibly valuable perspective to the program, rooted in a comprehensive understanding of the prison system and a respect for the value and dignity of all individuals.
Assistant Director
Matthew Puffer, PhD, joined the Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix as assistant director in July 2025. He was previously associate professor of Humanities and Ethics in Christ College, the Honors College at Valparaiso University, and has held fellowships and visiting positions at Westminster College, University of Cambridge, as an Imbesi Family Fellow in the Augustinian Institute and as a Catherine of Siena Fellow in the Ethics Program at Villanova, and as a postdoctoral fellow at the UVA Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. He holds a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia, an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from NC State.
College Bridge Coordinator
Alison Longman joined the Villanova Program as the College Bridge Coordinator in 2025. A former high school English teacher in Los Angeles, Alison holds an MA in Secondary English Education from California State University, Northridge, and an MS in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. She received her BA in American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with an emphasis in Comparative Race and Ethnicity. During undergraduate and graduate studies, Alison discovered her passions for social justice through education and community organizing.
Professors in the Program
Kate Meloney, Director, SCI Phoenix Prison Program
katherine.meloney@villanova.edu
Matthew Puffer, Assistant Director, SCI Phoenix Prison Program