JUSTICE SYSTEM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Finance
- Operations Associate
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Coordinator for JSP
Diane "Didi" Nguyen is the Coordinator for JSP. Prior to joining JSP, she worked as a Project Support Specialist for years on multiple projects in the criminal justice field at the Institute for Justice Research and Development at Florida State University. She began her career in the legal field, providing legal assistance and support on the Pradaxa and Accutane litigations at a major law firm in Florida. Then, she worked at a counseling facility that specialized in providing individuals who had experienced incarceration with substance use disorder treatment and life management skills, as well as helping them move forward from domestic violence and learn anger management skills. There, she also conducted state approved HIV counseling courses.
Nguyen holds two Bachelor's degrees - a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, both from the University of West Florida. Nguyen is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and her goal is to educate, help, and assist individuals who have made contact with the criminal justice system to promote positive behaviors and develop well-being.
In her spare time, Nguyen loves to travel and explore new places, play with her American Bulldog named Blue, spend time with her husband, and share her love and passion of food (mainly desserts!) with others. Her favorite animals are pigeons, beluga whales, and capybaras. She is also an advocate of joining the fight against multiple sclerosis, as she was diagnosed with tumefactive multiple sclerosis in 2018.
Dr. Brian Lovins is the President for Justice System Partners (JSP). He earned his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cincinnati. He is currently President-Elect for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Prior to JSP, Dr. Lovins worked for Harris County CSCD as the Assistant Director. He was tasked with developing and implementing agency wide change plans to drive increased successful completion rates. In addition, he has the Associate Director for the University of Cincinnati's Corrections Institute-the School of Criminal Justice's training and research department. He has developed a state-wide juvenile risk assessment (Ohio Youth Assessment System: OYAS) and adult risk assessment (Ohio Risk Assessment System: ORAS), as well as validation of a series of pretrial risk assessments. Dr. Lovins has been invited to present to over 200 agencies and routinely trains agencies in the principles of effective intervention, risk assessment, and the delivery of cognitive-behavioral interventions.
Dr. Lovins has received the Dr. Simon Dinitz Award for his work and dedication in helping correctional agencies adopt evidence-based programs and the David Dillingham Award, as well as a being recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Cincinnati. His publications include articles on risk assessment, sexual offenders, effective interventions, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.
Dr. Jennifer Lerch is a Senior Associate at Justice System Partners (JSP). Her research focuses on organizational change, system evaluation, behavioral interventions, substance use, community corrections, and reentry. She has over ten years of experience working to design, develop, implement, and evaluate justice systems to help address organizational and client needs. Prior to joining JSP, Jen worked for the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! (ACE!) where she led evaluation, data collection, and data management and produced important study findings on several large-scale projects, including research studies funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, and National Institute on Drug Abuse. She has expertise in system mapping, measuring disparities in the justice system, and the risk-need-responsivity model and has provided trainings for community providers and criminal justice practitioners across the country. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and regularly presents her work at national and international conferences.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate at Justice System Partners
Dr. Rebecca Stone is a Senior Associate at Justice System Partners (JSP). Rebecca earned her PhD in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, where she also earned a Master of Public Health (MPH). Her research focuses on the intersection of public health and the criminal-legal system. This has included the intersection of substance use and intimate partner violence, substance use during pregnancy and the negative consequences of criminalization, women's experiences of reentry and desistance, and language and framing effects in media and public policy. She has published in leading criminal justice and public health journals, including Justice Quarterly, Criminology & Public Policy, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment.
Rebecca is passionate about doing applied, interdisciplinary, and community-based research that centers people with direct experience of criminal-legal and health systems. She is an alumna of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Interdisciplinary Research Leaders fellowship program and recipient of the 2022 Community-Engaged Scholar Award from the American Society of Criminology's Division of Feminist Criminology. She believes in effective science communication as a means of achieving research impact and served as the evaluator on a series of National Science Foundation-supported communication training workshops for early-career scholars.
Job Titles:
- Director of Staff Investment and Curiosity
Dr. Tameka Vaught Williams is the Director of Staff Investment and Curiosity for Justice System Partners. She has over 15 years of experience working in higher education and the criminal and juvenile systems. Tameka began her career as an adult probation officer and later transitioned to a juvenile court counselor. In both positions, she provided high-quality case management and oversight to court-involved adults and youth. Later in her career, she shifted to the quality assurance aspect of public safety and was responsible for implementing, supervising, and evaluating community and evidence-based programs.
Before joining JSP, Tameka was a Clinical Assistant Professor at North Carolina Central University. In this role, she taught numerous criminal justice courses and served as the Director of Student Support. She is well-versed in curriculum development, student coaching, and delivering instruction in both online and face-to-face modalities. During her tenure at NCCU, she founded J.E.W.E.L.S., a gender-specific non-profit organization that develops the next generation of women leaders in criminal and social justice fields.
Tameka is a two-time alumna of North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She was awarded dual bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice. She received her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Tameka's written work and research interests focus on student professional development, correctional managers' leadership development, barbershops and beauty salons as community anchors, the criminalization of minority youth, and the barriers to leadership for Black women in the workplace.
Her life's work focuses on making systemic and structural changes in the criminal justice system through leadership, advocacy, research, and teaching.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate at Justice System Partners
Dylan Norris is an Associate at Justice System Partners. She is a dedicated professional with a strong background in the nonprofit sector specializing in project development, implementation, and curation of various justice programs. In her most recent role as Justice Coordinator for a nonprofit in Louisiana, she was responsible for the facilitation of the Lafayette Reentry Coalition, two Justice and Mental Health Collaborative grant funded projects - Pre-Arrest Diversion Program and a Judicial Diversion for Mental Health Intervention Project, as well as managing the Department of Corrections Community Incentive Grant for Lafayette Parish called The Community Care Hub for Reentry. Dylan holds her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and her Master of Social Work from New Mexico State University. Dylan's passion for social and restorative justice approaches when working within the criminal justice space is what ultimately led her to JSP.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Consultant
- Principal and Member of JSP 's Board of Directors
Elyse Clawson is a founding Principal and member of JSP's Board of Directors. Elyse brings over 30 years of experience in both executive level roles in correctional agencies and as a nationally recognized consultant. She specializes in criminal and juvenile justice system reform at the state and local level, and is known for her innovative approaches to complex problems. Previously, Elyse was Executive Director for the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) for 13 years. She led the team that developed the Integrated Model for Evidence Based Practices for the National Institute of Corrections, which is now widely used across the country. Prior to CJI, Elyse was Executive Director of Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, where she assisted elected officials and partners in the development of countywide criminal and juvenile justice policy. In this role, she was able to substantially reduce juvenile detention and jail bed usage, and racial and ethnic disparities through pretrial supervision practices and an administrative sanctions system for probation. Elyse implemented evidence-based programming in both the adult and juvenile divisions of the department. As Assistant Director for the Oregon Department of Corrections, she developed several pieces of legislation to reform community corrections, and implemented a risk assessment system, administrative sanctions, and evidence-based reentry programs. Elyse was also involved in the oversight and planning for institutions.
Elyse has been a consultant to elected officials and state and local leaders on policy and practice reform. She has led planning at the system and organizational levels, provided leadership coaching, led organizational change efforts, and provided implementation assistance. Elyse has overseen several large-scale reform efforts, both as a consultant and as an agency leader. She has a comprehensive understanding of the complexities to consider when developing new models and frameworks for doing business.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Executive Vice President for JSP
Kate Florio is the Executive Vice President for JSP. Kate provides overall leadership and direction for JSP's business operations. With over a decade of experience overseeing grants and contracts, Kate has honed her skills in financial analysis, organizational change management, grant administration, and performance management. She also brings extensive experience working with a diverse group of public safety stakeholders, a deep understanding of criminal and juvenile justice issues, and strong project management, analytic and communication skills.
Kate draws from the knowledge gained throughout her career to facilitate planning processes with a focus on quality and results. Prior to joining JSP, she was Director of Administration and Operations for the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) where she delivered technical assistance and oversaw more than thirty grants and contracts annually. She worked on a variety of projects at CJI, including the development of the widely used Integrated Model for Evidence Based Practices with NIC where she assisted collaborative groups in using data in the development and implementation of effective strategies to address public safety issues.
Kate received an MBA from Suffolk University and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Bridgewater State College, where her focus of study was criminology. Kate is also a Certified Facilitator, and holds a Certificate in Health and Human Services Management.
Job Titles:
- Finance
- Operations Associate
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate at JSP
Kevin Kuehmeier is a Senior Associate at JSP. He has over 25 years of experience working for the U.S. Courts with Federal Probation and Pretrial Services, including 12 years of experience working as a Probation and Pretrial Services Administrator with the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in Washington D.C. and Charleston, SC. Kevin is skilled in providing organizational assessments, technical assistance, and recommendations regarding policy and procedure improvements. He has been at the forefront of policy development and national training and implementation regarding evidence-based practices, risk assessment for pretrial and probation, supervision of those on pretrial and post-conviction, treatment services, and core correctional practices. Kevin was also instrumental in developing a national training curriculum for probation and pretrial services officers in all these areas of expertise.
Kevin was a faculty member of the Federal Judicial Center for three years and graduate of their leadership development program. He served as a U.S. Pretrial Services Officer in Philadelphia, PA, and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officer in Buffalo, NY. He received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.
Job Titles:
- Senior Finance & Operations Manager
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate for Justice System Partners
Lauren Henderson is an Associate for Justice System Partners. Before joining JSP, she worked as a clinical social worker and research assistant in various settings supporting legal system-involved populations and collaborating with legal system stakeholders. Lauren worked as a Research Assistant with the Florida State University Institute for Justice Research and Development while also earning her Master of Social Work. There, she delivered research interviews and conducted qualitative analysis on multiple research projects examining reentry supports. As a clinical social worker, Lauren worked with adults and youths involved in the legal system. She was responsible for conducting assessments and providing substance use treatment and batterer intervention programming. She also provided mitigation services, which included conducting interviews with incarcerated individuals with substance use disorder and trauma history. In this role, she worked collaboratively with attorneys to facilitate the release of those she worked with from incarceration to treatment. This work further ignited her passion for transforming systems to center the voices and support the healing of people impacted by the legal system.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work, both from Florida State University. Her ultimate goal is to help uplift and amplify the voices of those impacted by the system, and she believes the solutions lie in our communities.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of JSP 's Board of Directors
- Vice President of the American Probation
Marcus Hodges is a member of JSP's Board of Directors. In April 1992, Marcus started his career in the Virginia Department of Corrections and has worked passionately in various positions to create environments that produce safer communities, fewer victims, while reducing recidivism. These positions include Rehabilitation Counselor at a maximum security prison, Intensive Probation and Parole Officer, Sr. Probation Officer in Community Correctional facilities (Detention/Diversion programs), Deputy Chief Probation and Parole Officer, and Regional Manager. In 2003 Marcus joined the National Institute of Corrections on an Interagency Personnel Act (IPA) contract between NIC and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Working as a Correctional Program Specialist with the Community Corrections/Prisons Division, his primary focus es were on community corrections for those transitioning from prison to the community, evidence-based practices in corrections, and pretrial services. His responsibilities extend ed to the prison environment in the areas of promoting a positive correctional culture and working successfully with a multi-generational workforce. In 2006 he was promoted to Chief Probation and Parole Officer in District #21 (Fredericksburg, Virginia) where he achieved success in reducing workload/caseload and developing local reentry councils. This collaborative approach assisted individuals in re-entering society. In 2012 he was promoted to Community Corrections Regional Administrator for the Virginia Department of Corrections. In this position he was responsible for overseeing sixteen Probation and Parole Districts, two Community Corrections facilities, and nine Community Residential programs.
While employed with the Virginia Department of Corrections he received the Director's Award for Teamwork in 2012 and for Innovation in 2015. In 2017 he accepted a position as Associate Director for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency in Washington, DC.
Marcus is the current Vice President of the American Probation and Parole Association. He has also served as President of the National Association of Probation Executives from 2014-2018, and assists in facilitating the American Probation/Parole Association of Leadership Academy. In 2018 he received the Middle Correctional States Association Award for Innovat ion in Community Corrections and in 2020 he was awarded Probation Executive of the Year from NAPE/Sam Houston State University.
Marcus holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Criminal Justice from Virginia Union University and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from Florida Metropolitan University.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate With Justice System Partners
Nicole Arzola is an Associate with Justice System Partners with close to 10 years working in the criminal justice and legal systems. Nicole is a dedicated and accomplished professional with a background in public administration, policy analysis and project management. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration on Public Policy Analysis and specialization in Management and Operations and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor is Psychology from Pace University.
Before joining JSP, Nicole was a Management Analyst with MDRC, where she contributed to a span of policy research and operational work. Her work included co-leading the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team and to the contribution and creation of MDRC's first Council for Lived Experts Advisory Board (CLEA). Nicole's work with the CLEA focused on how to highlight the voices of lived experts in criminal justice policy research.
Nicole served as the Policy and Communications Manager at Exodus Transitional Community, a non-profit organization in New York City that supports formerly incarcerated and recently released individuals in their reentry back into society. Nicole oversaw policy advocacy initiatives, communications, fundraising, grant writing and program development. She worked closely with community members, NYC Council, and other stake holders to push for reform in policies focusing on the intersections of reentry such as housing, healthcare, food insecurity, immigration, mass incarceration, policing, prison reform, etc. Nicole facilitated numerous workshops and trainings for staff and participants around narrative building, professional development, and civic engagement.
In her free time, Nicole loves to read, spend time with her family, friends, and dog! She is a native New Yorker who loves to explore through food, museums and walking/hiking.
Job Titles:
- Director of Impact and Innovation
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate at JSP
Rachel Goldstein is a Senior Associate at JSP. She has 14 years of experience in the community corrections space. She has dedicated her career to collaboratively building a more equitable, just criminal legal system. She spent a year serving her country as an AmeriCorps member with the Rochester Police Department, where she advocated and stood alongside survivors of crime through the court process. After her year of service, she began her government career as a probation officer working at the county and federal level. She found her niche learning and incorporating core correctional practices and principles of effective intervention into her daily work with people on supervision. She became a Staff Aimed at Reducing Rearrest (STARR) coach and a national coach for the Criminogenic Needs and Violence Curriculum (CNVC), a manualized curriculum that creates a common language and set of materials for the officer, person on supervision, their support network and treatment providers.
Rachel transitioned into a probation administrator role at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts where she began to tackle how to address the segmented evidence-based programming and training into a comprehensive approach that defines what it means to do community supervision work well. This is where she was introduced to Implementation Science! Rachel immersed herself in implementation work within the government, in addition to legislative implementation efforts at REFORM Alliance, an advocacy agency focused on transforming probation and parole. She sees implementation as the foundation to ensure that agencies have the needed infrastructure and capacity to support change. She is a proud member of the Global Implementation Society and the American Probation and Parole Association. She completed a Certificate Program in Implementation Practice through the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Social Work. Rachel obtained a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Research Associate With JSP
Sarah Jensen (she/her) is a Research Associate with JSP. She has seven years of experience conducting research in county jails, state prisons, problem-solving courts, and juvenile justice settings to implement equitable evidence-based practices to support justice-impacted individuals and communities. Her dissertation, titled "Experiences of Jail Churn among Incarcerated Parents, their Children, and their Families," uses mixed methods to analyze original data collected from individuals in a county jail, their coparents, and their 3 to 12-year-old children. She has authored peer-reviewed articles, public-facing policy briefs, and practitioner-oriented toolkits about people impacted by the criminal legal system and innovative ways to support them. Prior to joining JSP, Sarah worked at the Dane County Criminal Justice Council on its Research & Innovation Team, through which she participated in initiatives in the MacArthur Safety & Justice Challenge (SJC), National Association of Counties (NACo), Advancing Pretrial Policy & Research (APPR), and more. She is also a licensed attorney. Sarah received her Ph.D. in Sociology and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Job Titles:
- Director of Influence and Storytelling
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Secretary
- Founder and Principal for JSP
is a founder and Principal for JSP and is a member of the Board of Directors. He has extensive experience at leading both national and county-level consulting projects, and managing a large local criminal justice agency. Mr. Dal Pra has been the lead technical assistance provider and project director for JSP's work implementing the PSA since 2014. He serves as a master trainer for the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, delivering trainings to other organizations interested in offering technical assistance on the PSA. Prior to creating Justice System Partners, he was a Managing Associate at the Crime and Justice Institute where he served as project director for the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Justice Reinvestment Initiative for two years. Prior to that, Mr. Dal Pra retired as Deputy Chief from Maricopa County Superior Court Adult Probation Department, the fourth largest community corrections agency in the country, after serving with the Department for nearly 30 years.
Mr. Dal Pra has over 15 years of consulting experience with federal, state and local agencies and jurisdictions, which includes facilitating strategic planning efforts, reviewing supervision policies for sex offenders, conducting tabletop exercises for public safety and corrections agencies and program implementation. He also serves on the Arizona State Supreme Court's Pretrial Services Committee as a Public Member being appointed by the Chief Justice in Arizona in November 2015. Zach received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Millikin University and a Masters of Education from Northern Arizona University.