WICC2025-PID043-Tanja Sieme, Oliver Drews, Lígia Rebelo

Kindness as a Catalyst: Connecting Hearts to Transform Corrections for Families

Authors

Tanja Sieme

Member of the Board of Trustees, Connecting Hearts, Germany

Tanja Sieme is a seasoned expert in strategic communications and project leadership, with a particular focus on driving change through her work with Telio Group and Connecting Hearts. At Telio Group, she leads international marketing projects, enhancing the company’s brand presence and aligning with strategic business goals.
Through Connecting Hearts, a foundation that supports children of incarcerated persons, Tanja is dedicated to establishing international projects that promote positive transformation within the corrections field. Her work focuses on creating initiatives that address the unique challenges faced by children and families impacted by incarceration, fostering resilience and building bridges between communities. By developing tailored programs, she aims to create a global network of support, emphasizing the importance of communication between families and incarcerated persons as a key factor in successful rehabilitation and reintegration. Her background in psychological coaching enhances her ability to connect with diverse groups, offering a deeper understanding of the emotional and psychological aspects involved in facilitating meaningful change and long-term support.

Oliver Drews

CEO, Telio Group, Founder Connecting Hearts, Germany

Oliver Drews, 54, holds a diploma in economics from the University of Hamburg and is a former banker. For over the last 20 years, he has dedicated his life to the world of prisons. As CEO of the Telio Group, he grew the company from 6 people to over 300, and under his leadership Telio now serves prisons in 23 countries worldwide.

Oliver has been involved in several committees on a voluntary basis. He headed the Startup Committee at the Chamber of Commerce of Hamburg. He has also served as Vice-President of Germany's biggest association of young entrepreneurs and, for many years, as a board member of “Die Familienunternehmer” – Germany's largest association of entrepreneurs. Since 2024, Oliver has been a board member of the ICPA European Chapter.

Oliver views prisons as places of second chance and is committed to supporting the rehabilitation of inmates through innovative technical products. Since his first engagement with ICPA, he has actively supported collaboration between the public and private sectors to improve conditions for both inmates and prison employees.

In addition to his professional endeavors, Oliver founded Connecting Hearts in 2022 to support children of inmates, further demonstrating his commitment to positive social change.

Ligia Rebelo

Governor of Tires Prison, Direção-Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais, Portugal

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