ABOVE WATER  
INDUSTRIES    

In my youth I avoided incarceration thanks to a Sacramento County diversion program that was in place at the time. It was a second chance that I’m deeply grateful for, but it wasn’t enough to truly begin anew. I lacked the necessary skills, viable literacies, and mentorship needed to to build a meaningful life as a contributing member of the community. I had found myself underwater, sinking into the margins of society once again. Thankfully, I was lucky to have people in my life who saw my potential even when I couldn’t and who guided me toward a better path.

Today, I lead a successful career in the skilled trade of barbering as both a barber and the owner of several barber shops in Sacramento. For me, barbering is more than just helping patrons look and feel their best—it’s also about creating opportunities for others to build careers and find stability. 

With the same commitment to helping others reach their potential, I founded Above Water Industries. Our mission is to provide essential job training, social and professional literacies, and supportive services to those seeking a fresh start. I was given a second chance in life, and now I strive to help others find theirs.

Matt Cate is a lawyer and consultant who specializes in the areas of local government relations, public safety, corrections, rehabilitation, renewable energy and environmental law. 

Prior to launching Mosaic Solutions and Advocacy, Matt served for five years as the Executive Director of the California State Association of Counties. In that role, he oversaw an influential association that represents California’s 58 counties at both the state and federal level. Before serving at CSAC, Matt served both Governors Schwarzenegger and Brown as the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. In this role, Matt was instrumental in implementing sweeping reforms to the Department that resulted in reduced recidivism, the end of the prison overcrowding crises, reduced prison spending, and the historic realignment of many public safety services from the State to the County level. Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Matt served for four years as the California Inspector General where he was responsible for public oversight of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Prior to becoming California’s Inspector General, Matt served as a state and local prosecutor. In 2012, Matt joined Stanford University School of Law as a Law and Policy Fellow.

Ramses Olivares is a driven entrepreneur, skilled barber, and dedicated mentor who deeply appreciates the transformative impact of opportunity. Having grown up in a challenging neighborhood, he personally experienced the struggle of finding direction without proper guidance. However, his life took a pivotal turn when someone introduced him to the craft of barbering, supported him through the licensure process, and helped him build a career that eventually led to owning his own business-[Barber Blues-Folsom.] This experience not only shaped his future but also instilled in him a strong desire to empower others by providing similar support and guidance.

The thing about growing up in Sacramento, California as an aspiring chef is that your as close to the center of agriculture in this country as anyone can be. A chef from that region cannot help but cook local, sustainable and with their backyard in mind. This became a part of me, and as I moved outside that market, it was still what my main focus was in places like Colorado, Maine and Ohio. Places with inclement weather gives you a greater appreciation for the seasons and the techniques to preserve them. My passion is good food, and the road to achieving that is not just paved in my knives, or hard work, it is paved in management of a business and people, in addition to the tangible things like food and knowledge. A chef uses both sides of the brain unlike any other profession, that is why I fell in love with it, it fills my soul.

I’m a bookworm turned writing teacher, currently making waves at California State University, Sacramento, where I’ve taught the changing landscape of rhetoric and composition for the past twelve years. I specialize in fostering learning environments that help people feel empowered to think critically and solve problems through carefully crafted discourse. As a board member of Above Water Industries, I’m excited to leverage my skills in analytical and creative strategies that help the organization achieve its mission of helping underserved community members do better. Outside of work, you’ll find me practicing my amateur chef skills, experimenting with one of the (too) many cookbooks that I’ll never get through, or reading under a large hat in my backyard with my two cats, Sage and Willow.  

Doug Snell is a retired Captain from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he served for 27 years with a focus on rehabilitation and reentry programs. He brings extensive experience in leadership, program development, and public service. In addition to his corrections career, Doug has over nine years of experience teaching at the university and community college levels, with a strong commitment to trauma-informed, student-centered education. He is passionate about supporting underserved communities and advancing opportunities for education, training, and reintegration. He holds a Masters in Criminology from CSU Fresno.