Mark L. Goldsmith, Founder and CEO Emeritus
Contact: mgoldsmith@gosonyc.org
Mark L. Goldsmith first visited Rikers Island, over 15 years ago, as a volunteer for the “Principal for the Day” program at Horizon Academy, the jail’s high school. Immediately, he saw in the young men assembled the potential for success, given practical direction and importantly, the tools for creating stability in their lives upon reentry into their communities. As a former executive in the cosmetics industry, Mr. Goldsmith brought to his day on Rikers more than 35 years of experience in the corporate world – techniques for success he continues to apply to his work with guys at Getting Out & Staying Out (GOSO), the mentoring program he founded to guide young men aged 16 to 24-years-old and upon their release from Rikers. Since that time, Goldsmith has developed GOSO into an organization that now helps 1,000 young men each year to achieve educational goals and jobs that lead to careers. Mr. Goldsmith has been recognized for his decades of leadership and his stalwart commitment to using his life experience to help young people stay out of the criminal justice system at GOSO with the Encore.org Purpose Prize and a Richard Cornuelle Award for Social Entrepreneurship. In September 2017, Mr. Goldsmith attended the White House’s Summit on Reentry Services, upon direct invitation from the administration. There, GOSO was extolled as a reentry program to be replicated throughout the country.