Meet our Founders
Bill and Anne Degnan
For over 30 years, Bill and Anne Degnan have dedicated their lives to helping individuals discover wholeness through conscious decision-making, emotional healing, and personal growth. Together, they have co-authored impactful resources including Healing Relationships, Mending Brokenness, The Bear Story, and the foundational Operation New Hope life skills curriculum.
Lifelong Commitment to Healing & Transformation
Now retired in San Luis Obispo County, Bill and Anne remain actively engaged in their community. They continue to facilitate training sessions—especially with seniors—and offer their guidance through workshops and support groups.
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Bill, with unwavering dedication, still leads weekly group counseling sessions for incarcerated men at Salinas Valley State Prison and Soledad Correctional Training Facility, mentoring them through their rehabilitation journey.
Pioneering Change in the Justice System
Bill’s evidence-based, trauma-informed approach to rehabilitation has been nationally recognized. His work was featured in Justice Quarterly (March 1999) and highlighted on the First Lady’s web page as a top rehabilitation initiative in the country.
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From 1980 to 1992, Bill served as Program Director at El Paso de Robles Boy’s School (California Youth Authority), where he created the original Operation New Hope curriculum. Recognizing the need for support beyond prison walls, he expanded the program in 1993 to assist young adults on parole, later serving in roles such as Juvenile Parole Counselor, Group Home Supervisor, and Program Administrator at Maranatha State Prison.
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From 2012 to 2015, he continued his work in the Los Angeles County Jails’ Twin Towers facilities, supporting both men and women in their recovery.
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Bill holds a degree in philosophy from San Luis Rey College and even played a season with the Boston Patriots. A father of four and a natural leader, he has seen a common thread of brokenness in relationships across his work with youth, 12-step groups, and community outreach—insight that fuels his passion for healing.
Anne’s Heart for Holistic Healing
Anne’s journey has paralleled Bill’s, blending her medical expertise with a deep spiritual understanding of healing. A graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s College with a BS in Nursing, Anne specialized in cardiac care and education and is certified in Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry. Her holistic approach has complemented Bill’s counseling work, offering support, co-facilitation, and documentation of their shared methodologies.
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Together, Bill and Anne draw from diverse backgrounds in philosophy, theology, sociology, medicine, and science to craft a comprehensive framework for lifestyle change—one that complements traditional 12-step models and emphasizes self-awareness, accountability, and hope.
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can start working together.
