

John Laker (Mgr. OBK Operating Unit), Rick Crosby (Board Directors, IT & Job Skill Class Instructor), Pete Cerneka (President – Board Directors), Lou Slapshak (Secretary – Board Directors), Jesse Gurley III (Treasurer-Board Directors), Mike Schuette (OBK Program Director), Julie Orlet (Like Skills Class Instructor), Kirsten Peterson (Not Pictured), Chris Bailey (Board Directors – Not Pictured), Lizanne Young (Vice-President – Board Directors)
Board of Directors
President | Dcn.Peter Cerneka | |
Vice-President | Open | |
Secretary | Louis F. Slapshak | |
Treasurer | Jesse P. Gurley III | |
Director | Rick Crosby | |
Director | Chris Bailey | |
Director | Julie M. Orlet | |
AgencyDirector | Kirsten Marie Peterson |
OBK Staff

Kirsten Marie Peterson – OBK Program Director, Frederick “Rikkathon” James, Client Specialist/Community Outreach, Ernest Brice-Bey, Client Specialist/Building Security
Agency Director | Kirsten Marie Peterson | |
Program Director | Michael Schuette | |
Client Specialist/Building Security | Ernest Rice-Bey | |
Client Specialist/Community Outreach | Frederick James |
OBK Volunteer Instructors
Job Skill Class | Rick Crosby | |
Life Skills Class | Bill Bailey | |
Office Assistant | Robert Kirchgessner | |
Clothing Manager | Linda Meirink | |
Clothing Manager | Dan Meirink | |
Life Skill Class | Julie Orlet | |
Computer Class | Linda Schuette | |
Literacy Class | Colleen West |
OBK Welcomes Nautica Young as Indiana State University Intern
The OBK reentry program for men and women coming out of prisons and jails welcomed Nautica Young to work during the winter semester doing research on traumas, conducting new client INTAKE’S, and working with both men and women in the Life Skill classes. Nautica also wrote articles on: “Why Reentry Programs are Important” and also a power point presentation on “Restorative Justice” and how the process was beneficial to the victim, offender and the community. Since it is very difficult to gather all the parties together it was suggested that some of the interface could be on ZOOM to avoid direct contact at the beginning of the process.
Nautica was also able to work with the staff and make recommendation about program additions and improvements based on her studies on Criminology and Criminal Justice (Major) and also Corrections and Psychology (Minor) at Indiana State University.
OBK was approved as an internship site by Indiana State University and looks forward to having other undergraduates and graduates to continue their on-site education dealing with the reentry process for returning citizens in the Metro-East area.

Ernest Rice-Bey, Client Specialist/Building Security, Frederick “Rikkathon” James, Client Specialist/Community Outreach, Nautica Young, ISU Intern, Mike Schuette – OBK Program Director
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Helpful Links
Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition
Catholic Conference of Illinois: Prison and Jail Ministry
Southern Illinois District Prison Ministry
Contact Us
Email: kpeterson@obkministry.org
OBK Reentry Office:
614 N. 7th Street,
East St. Louis, IL
62201-3085
Office Phone: 618-271-7821
Agency Director:
Kirsten Marie Peterson
kirstenmpeterson25@gmail.com
Program Director:
Mike Schuette
obkpmschuette@gmail.com
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