ViaPath Technologies: Building a Digital Bridge to Reintegration

When people think about technological advancement, correctional facilities are not often the first place that comes to mind.

But for ViaPath Technologies, formerly known as GTL, innovation inside facility walls is not just a business opportunity—it’s a profound social mission. At the helm of this transformation is Deb Alderson, President and CEO, who has led ViaPath since 2018 with a vision to provide secure, affordable communication and meaningful rehabilitation tools to incarcerated individuals across the United States and abroad.

ViaPath operates in the highly specialized and often scrutinized space of communications services for incarcerated persons. While this industry has historically been associated with unjustifiably high rates and limited access, Alderson’s leadership has turned that image on its head.

Under her guidance, ViaPath has emerged as a company driven by purpose, dedicated to providing critical services that help prepare incarcerated individuals for reintegration into society, all while maintaining the highest levels of security and operational integrity.

We’ve taken the signal to the cell, which ensures that incarcerated individuals aren’t just limited to dayroom access

Transforming the Inmate Communications Market

The markets ViaPath serves are more complex than they may appear. It’s not simply about installing phones in prisons or selling access to emails. It’s about enabling a secure and controlled flow of information and communication that balances the rights and needs of incarcerated individuals with the essential security requirements of correctional institutions.

“If you can just imagine our everyday lives—getting access to the internet, watching YouTube videos, communicating openly—it has to be different when you're incarcerated,” Alderson says. “That difference is what ViaPath’s secure network was built to address. We’ve made tremendous investments in developing a very secure network, and it’s our network that we install into these facilities. All of the communication tools that we provide to the incarcerated run on this network.”

The secure network forms the backbone of ViaPath’s service offerings, which include voice calls, video visitation, and digital tools accessible through customized tablets. These aren’t just any tablets—they’re designed specifically for correctional use, with tamper alerts, advanced location tracking, and full integration into a facility’s monitoring systems. They are, as Alderson puts it, “lifelines,” and they’re changing the fabric of an incarcerated individual’s day to day existence.

Meeting Challenges with Cutting-Edge Solutions

Correctional facilities often present enormous technical and infrastructural hurdles. Many of them are decades old, with concrete walls and metal reinforcements that render traditional wireless communication ineffective.

To this end, ViaPath has invested in private LTE networks that deliver robust signal strength even within the most structurally challenging environments.

“Our private LTE network is industry-leading,” Alderson notes. “We’ve taken the signal to the cell, which ensures that incarcerated individuals aren’t just limited to dayroom access. They can now connect from their own cells, which improves access and also contributes to a safer, more controlled environment.”

This infrastructure is a gateway to education, job training, mental health support, and more. Through ViaPath’s tablets, incarcerated individuals can access GED/High School Diploma programs, anger management courses, resume-building tools, and educational videos—all through a secure, monitored system.

From Incarceration to Employment: A Model of Reintegration

One of the most compelling aspects of ViaPath’s model is its focus on reintegration. The company provides all educational and job training content at no cost to the incarcerated.

Alderson shares the story of Antonio Sandler, a former incarcerated individual at the South Carolina Department of Corrections: “He got access to the tablets, took full advantage of everything offered—classes, job training—and now he works for us. He’s one of our product managers. The tablet made a critical difference in his life and in the successful reintegration that he has experienced.”

The journey doesn’t end upon release. Through ViaPath’s innovative app, formerly incarcerated individuals can take all the digital content they accumulated while inside—including resumes, certificates, and coursework—with them into the real world. The app also helps them manage parole and probation appointments, avoiding the kinds of missed check-ins that can derail re-entry.

Seamless Integration, Tailored Delivery

ViaPath’s implementation process is systematic and focused. Once a contract is secured, the company installs its secure communications network, rolls out tablets according to the facility’s specifications—whether on a one-to-one or shared model—and provides immediate access to its suite of services.

Each tablet unlocks not only communication features such as phone calling and video visitation but also a full spectrum of reintegration content.

ViaPath promotes free phone calling—and, indeed, any method by which people can be connected. This, in Alderson’s view, is central to the company’s mission to calm, connect, and prepare individuals for success beyond prison walls.

The ViaPath and SAFESuite™

Earlier this year, ViaPath launched SAFESuite™, an integrated system built atop the company’s secure network. Combining real-time analytics, artificial intelligence, and ADA-compliance tools, the suite represents a holistic approach to correctional management. Facilities and their staff can use dashboards to track tablet usage, gain insights into engagement with educational content, and identify emerging security risks.

“Our investments in the security of the network have been critical to our success,” Alderson says. “And SAFESuite™ takes that even further—bringing in AI, enhancing accessibility, and providing analytics that not only help the facilities operate better but also help incarcerated individuals stay on track.”

The system’s tamper alerts and device location tracking help maintain order within facilities, while the addition of AI tools opens the door to more effective communication management. For example, messages sent through the system can be automatically flagged for concerning content, allowing for faster intervention when necessary.

A Culture of Feedback

What makes ViaPath distinct isn’t just its technology—it’s the company’s relentless attention to feedback from every stakeholder: facility administrators, incarcerated users, family members, and returning citizens. The company surveys users frequently, asking whether the content offered is helpful, what improvements they’d like to see, and how their needs are evolving.

ViaPath invests time in association meetings, listening to customers, and ensuring it develops tools that meet their needs. It is constantly improving—and that includes everything from dashboards for administrators to better educational content for incarcerated individuals.

ViaPath’s responsiveness is in part due to its structure. Sales and product teams collaborate closely with engineers to integrate field feedback into new features and upgrades. This collaborative approach ensures that innovation remains grounded in real-world needs.

A Mission with a Heart

While ViaPath Technologies stands out for its innovative communication solutions within correctional facilities, its deeper value lies in a mission that extends far beyond technology, seeking to reduce recidivism and improve the lives of those impacted by incarceration.

At the helm of this mission is Alderson, whose roots in defence and intelligence have shaped her commitment to purposeful work. Her personal connection to the issue adds a layer of authenticity to her leadership. Before joining the company, Alderson had firsthand experience with the challenges of staying connected with incarcerated loved ones, which fueled her passion for affordable and meaningful communication solutions.

This personal investment informs ViaPath’s broader efforts to promote rehabilitation and connection. Under Alderson’s leadership, the company has prioritized initiatives that go beyond business, focusing on delivering real impact to individuals and families navigating the correctional system.

Central to this commitment is the ViaPath Foundation, the company’s non-profit arm, which targets support for at-risk youth, especially those in foster care, with the goal of disrupting cycles of incarceration before they take hold. Through free educational resources, job training programs, and accessible content, the foundation invests in building better futures. As of March 2025, the ViaPath Foundation has expanded its reach, now positively impacting more than 2,500 lives. This growth encompasses the launch of four pillars: Bright Futures Fund, which supports youth impacted by incarceration; Champions of Change, backing justice-impacted leaders who create change through advocacy and lived experience; 2C Your Impact, advancing workforce readiness for returning citizens; and Operation Veteran Reentry, which supports incarcerated and formerly incarcerated veterans.

Global Expansion and New Frontiers

ViaPath is pushing its boundaries—both geographically and conceptually. While its roots are deeply embedded in the U.S. correctional system, the company’s secure and scalable technology, combined with its unwavering mission, is drawing international attention and opening doors to broader societal impact.

Already active in New South Wales, Australia, ViaPath is seeing growing interest from Europe and other global markets. These regions are increasingly recognizing the value of secure, mission-driven communication and rehabilitation platforms. With its strong infrastructure and commitment to reducing recidivism, the company is well-positioned to replicate its impact on a global scale.

Domestically, ViaPath is also focusing its attention on healthcare within correctional facilities. Through strategic partnerships with third-party providers, the company is leveraging its tablet technology and secure network to support the provision of HIPAA-compliant telehealth services. This initiative aims to ease the burden on overtaxed prison healthcare systems and offer incarcerated individuals timely access to medical care through virtual consultations.

But ViaPath’s vision doesn’t stop there. The company is beginning to enter other adjacent markets where its core technology can offer value—starting with school safety. A newly developed threat alert system, originally designed for correctional settings, is being adapted for potential use in educational institutions.

This strategic diversification is guided by a consistent thread: empathy, purpose, and transformative potential. ViaPath is redefining what it means to serve the correctional industry—not just by securing communications, but by restoring dignity, enabling opportunity, and sparking systemic change.

As Alderson put it, “We believe we can be a catalyst for change, not just inside prison walls but far beyond them. And that belief drives everything we do.”