Join Us As We Explore and Embrace the Only Constant, LIFE CHANGES!!!
Featuring Interview Guest, Mental Health Therapist, Substance Use Disorder Clinical Supervisor, and Executive Director of Baptist Service Corporation, Dr. Mary Ann Ross; and Performance Guest, Virtuoso, Songwriter, Singer, Producer, and One of the Leading Ukulele Players in the World, Taimane, on The Life Changes Show, Episode 861
Interview Guest: DR. MARY ANN ROSS; and Performance Guest: TAIMANE
LISTEN LIVE at 7 PM PT, Monday, September 29, 2025 HERE
DR. MARY ANN ROSS
Dr. Ross brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in Corrections, Mental Health, Education, Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Permanent Supportive Housing, Nonprofit Management, and Business Consulting.
Dr. Ross’s career in Corrections began as the result of the 2001 filing of Plata vs Schwarzenegger. The lawsuit had a profound impact on healthcare within California’s prison system, as it highlighted the inadequate medical care provided to inmates and the detrimental effects of overcrowding on health outcomes. As a result of the ruling, the state was required to implement reforms to improve medical and mental health services for prisoners, leading to a significant reduction in inmate populations and increased funding for healthcare facilities within the correctional system.
As a means to correct these inadequacies, Dr. Ross was tasked with designing a re-entry program for the California Department of Corrections. Drawing from her personal experiences, Dr. Ross created a model that incorporated essential components she believed would have provided her late brother with the tools to escape a life of violent crime, incarceration, and gang activity that ultimately cost him his life. Her program included mental health and substance use disorder counseling, workforce development and job readiness training, access to medical, dental, and legal services, and case management for community links, such as transportation, vital records (including driver licenses and birth certificates), clothing, and housing assistance. This program became an international model for inmate, parolee, and probationer re-entry services, with components implemented in facilities like Folsom, Donovan, Angola, and Mississippi State Penitentiary, among many others.
In 2020, Dr. Ross earned the Commissioner’s Coin for Excellence in Corrections and the Mississippi Department of Corrections Coin for Innovative Reentry Programming.
In 2024, she was selected to join the 2025-2026 cohort of Mississippi LEAD (Leadership Excellence and Development), a strategic leadership program administered by the Mississippi State Personnel Board.
In 2025, Dr. Ross received the Social Impact Luminary Award from the Global Women’s Empowerment Network for her work in re-entry programming, as well as a Global Impact Award from Women in Management for her contributions to Corrections, Mental Health, and Education.
Dr. Ross holds a Doctorate in Psychology with an emphasis in Psychopharmacology/Health Psychology, a Master of Education in Instructional Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Social Work. She is a Mental Health Therapist, Substance Use Disorder Clinical Supervisor, and she possesses professional certifications in Human Resource Management and Labor Laws. Additionally, she has teaching credentials in multiple academic subjects and specialized certifications in didactic instruction for individuals with moderate to severe intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In her personal life, Dr. Ross is a mother, an ordained minister and serves as the Executive Director of Baptist Service Corporation, a foundation that provides direct services linkages and grants to organizations that support vulnerable and under-served communities.
Find, Follow, and Feel Into Dr. Mary Ann Ross’ Offerings at:
https://baptistservicecorp.org
