Talks at Prisons

Michael Santos visits prisons nationwide to deliver inspiring presentations to staff members and individuals serving sentences. Drawing from his personal journey through 26 years of incarceration, Michael offers actionable strategies to improve outcomes for those impacted by the justice system. His talks encourage personal accountability, resilience, and preparation for successful reentry, empowering audiences with the tools and mindset needed to transform their lives and contribute positively to their communities.

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Better outcomes for people & Society

Inspiring Change from the Inside

Michael Santos visits prisons nationwide, delivering empowering talks designed for both staff and people serving sentences. By sharing the lessons he learned during 26 years of incarceration,

Michael helps participants recognize their potential to create meaningful change. His presentations emphasize accountability, self-directed growth, and practical strategies to improve outcomes, strengthening not only individual lives but also families and communities.

Preparing People for Success upon Release

Each day, we empower thousands of individuals in jails and prisons across America. We create and distribute essential educational resources people can use to prepare for success upon release. Collaborations with the Bureau of Prisons, the California Department of Corrections, and The Edovo Foundation allow us to be the change we want to see. Join us in creating lasting change.

Our impact

The United States incarcerates more people than any other country, with more than 2 million individuals cycling through jails and prisons. More than 6 million people live with a criminal record.

In one way or another, our criminal justice system affects our entire nation. At Prison Professors, our team develops self-directed resources to help individuals who want to return to society with their dignity intact and with opportunities to live as fully-functioning, law-abiding citizens.

With budgets being strained and personnel shortages, those who work in jails and prisons don't always have resources to provide classroom space or even books.

We strive to improve the outcomes of America's jails and prisons by creating books, self-directed courses, daily lessons, along with video and audio files to teach and inspire people in prison.

Through our courses, participants learn how to use time inside to prepare for success upon release. They can develop a more robust vocabulary, they can improve writing and reading skills. They can learn to think differently, developing the CEO mindset.

People who work through our courses leave prison with the skills and resources necessary to succeed. In many cases, we visit institutions to make in-person presentations.

Management Training Corporation

Management Training Corporation is a respected government contractor specializing in various sectors, including the operation of private correctional facilities. The founder and CEO invited me to tour three Texas facilities under MTC’s management and subsequently speak at their corporate headquarters in Utah, addressing several hundred employees. When delivering presentations to private companies, I emphasize our shared human experiences. While my personal challenges involved decades in prison, the core lessons I learned are universal. These insights—drawn from studying influential leaders—focus on overcoming adversity, maintaining resilience, and consistently delivering results. I encourage teams to adopt strategies that enhance personal accountability and performance, aligning closely with corporate goals of continuous improvement and excellence.

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Texas Prison 1

I’ve visited over 50 prisons across the United States, ranging from maximum-security federal facilities to minimum-security camps, with one clear mission: helping individuals recognize the vital link between their daily choices and their future success after release. During these visits, I share actionable strategies and lessons that guided me through 26 years of incarceration—principles grounded in accountability, education, and personal growth. Through meaningful interactions, I aim to inspire hope, emphasizing that every single day in prison offers a chance to refocus, rebuild, and create a life of purpose and contribution. These in-person engagements are complemented by our extensive library of self-directed courses, books, and videos, all reinforcing the core message: preparation and personal responsibility are the keys to brighter outcomes.

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Texas Prison 2

At the invitation of Management Training Corporation, I had the opportunity to visit three prisons in Texas. During these visits, I spoke with hundreds of incarcerated individuals and engaged directly with the correctional staff dedicated to their care and rehabilitation. At each facility, I highlighted the critical role of proactive planning and intentional action in preparing for life after incarceration. I demonstrated how tools like documenting progress through Prison Professors Talent can open the door to greater opportunities for success upon release. By sharing personal stories and practical insights from my own experience—and the lessons I’ve learned from influential mentors—these visits offered concrete examples of how prisons can cultivate cultures of accountability, resilience, and growth. Such efforts not only improve outcomes for incarcerated individuals but also benefit staff and the wider community.

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TedX

I transitioned from federal prison to a halfway house on Monday, August 13, 2013. The work I completed during my incarceration opened doors to unexpected opportunities and support from people I didn’t even realize were following my progress. Among these supporters was an editor at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Carole, my wife, had been helping me share my journey through several blogs that we published. My goal was always to illustrate how intentional use of my time inside prison laid a foundation for success upon release.

These proactive efforts significantly impacted my chances for a successful reentry into society, a journey detailed extensively in my book, *Earning Freedom: Conquering a 45-Year Prison Term.*

Within a week of my transition to a halfway house, an editor from the San Francisco Chronicle reached out to me. He wrote that he'd been following my journey through the blogs my wife published for me. He asked if he could profile the story for readers who would want to know more. That initiative resulted in a feature article the newspaper published on Thanksgiving weekend in 2012. It became a pivotal point in my journey, opening doors to further opportunities, including an invitation to deliver a TEDx talk in Silicon Valley.

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About the
speaker

Michael Santos

Federal prison from 1987-2013

Learn more

Michael Santos served 26 years in federal prison, where he learned to transform adversity into opportunity. Guided by mentors such as Socrates, Nelson Mandela, and Frederick Douglass, he developed strategies that empowered him to build a path toward meaningful success.

Today, Michael dedicates his life to helping others overcome challenges. He shares insights through his Accountability Log, Daily Blog, and stories of the influences who shaped his journey.
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Accountability Log / Daily Blog / Influences

Highlighted in the BOP

Our work was recognized by the Bureau of Prisons for its impact on rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.

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50+

Prisons we've visited to make in-person presentations. We don't only teach and inspire, we lead train-the-trainer seminars to promote peer-to-peer learning and improve the culture of confinement.

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1,000+

People in custody taking initiative to build profiles on the Prison Professors Talent platform. They're memorializing steps to prepare for success as law-abiding, contributing citizens.

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1,100+

Jails and prisons that offer our lessons, courses, and books to teach and inspire people. In our self-directed courses, people learn how to accelerate pathways to success upon release.

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900K+

People in custody with daily access to Prison Professors lessons, courses, and books through our collaboration with the Edovo Foundation and direct partnership with government agencies.

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Principles we teach

The origins of our self-directed courses began with readings of Socrates, Frederick Douglass, Nelson Mandela, and modern leaders who teach us how to live as if we're the CEO of our life. To overcome any crisis, or build solutions, follow the principles of our Straight-A Guide.

Attitude

By adopting a values-based, goal-oriented mindset, I could more easily navigate the complexities of confinement. Instead of seeing all that was bad around me, I could find ways to conquer adversity and work toward a brighter future. It opened a better attitude, empowering me along the way. Attitude influences success.

Aspiration

During my sentencing hearing, I remember Judge Tanner telling me that I'd be an old man before I got out of prison. He sentenced me to 45-years. Life could have seemed bleak. Yet I returned to my solitary cell with a new vision. Leaders had taught me to focus on what I could control. Through reflection and aspiration, I found a path to purpose.

Action

We should expect obstacles, but we can't allow them to define our path or limit our pursuit of success. The Straight-A Guide became my framework for persevering through challenges and obstacles, helping me focus on the action steps I could take each day, regardless of what adversity I had to endure. Take bold action steps to build success.

Accountability

To transform our lives, we need tools that allow us to measure progress. Those tools, which we call our accountability metrics, empower transformation. While serving 26 years, accountability tools helped me take full ownership of my actions. They kept me moving toward the milestones I had to work toward each day.

Awareness

To climb through adversity, we've got to keep our head in the game, staying aware of every opportunity around us. The more we think about what we're striving to build, the more aware we become of action steps we can take. Others become aware of our commitment, too, which creates a virtuous cycle of growth. Awareness opens opportunities to succeed.

Authenticity

To empower ourselves while climbing from adversity to success, we've got to be authentic. We don't grow confidence by talking. We have to take meaningful steps, adhering to a plan we established on our pathway to success. If we prioritize our actions, then develop our tools, tactics, and resources, our commitment becomes self-evident.

Achievement

Incremental achievements can help anyone climb out of adversity and into a life of meaning, relevance, and dignity. We start by defining success, then lay out the plan with incremental steps. As we reach milestones, we grow our self-confidence. This strategy helped me grow stronger while serving 26 years in prison. Celebrate little achievements.

Appreciation

Adversity is part of life, and there will always be more. The 26 years I had to serve helped me learn how to appreciate the blessings of my life. Living in gratitude is a powerful tool for transformation. Even when living amidst challenges, we can open doors to hope and opportunity. Gratitude creates space for growth, resilience, and success.

Who we serve

We offer resources that people who are going through a crisis or challenge can use to recalibrate. It's never too early or too late to begin building pathways to a better outcome. Each individual can build a body of work that opens opportunities for the next phase, empowering them to live meaningful, contributing lives.

Incarcerated Learners

Get access to our lessons, books, or self-directed courses. Regardless of what staff do, you grow.

Correctional Facilities

Improve the culture of your facility, inspiring people to learn. Be the change you want to see.

Lawyers & Law Firms

Offering resources to help people develop assets for self-advocacy, building mitigation stories.

Family, Friends, & Community

Download daily lessons to inspire people in custody. Help them build self-confidence and prepare.

Feedback

The feedback I received from inmates who participated last week was very positive. My plan is to have this program up and running before June.

Supervisor of Education

Read customer stories

Michael Santos tells a remarkable in his writing on merit-based sentencing reductions. He had the charisma and character to hold a law symposium audience spellbound for every minute of his presentation.

Rory K. Little, Professor of Law, University of Hastings, College of the Law