Building a Culture of Inclusiveness in Your Organization One Person at a Time

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MONICA MILES-STEFFENS, is currently the Director of Court Services in the Juvenile Division for the Nebraska Administrative Office of Courts and Probation. In this position she is responsible for the implementation of a continuum of evidence based programs and services aimed at rehabilitation and restorative justice. Her career also includes direct care work in juvenile detention; overseeing state and federal grant funding for youth and victim services; grant writing, management, and training; community and strategic planning; facilitating state level juvenile justice coalitions; and implementation of evidence based initiatives such as the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). Monica has worked diligently in Nebraska and nationally with stakeholders to enhance and expand community based programs and services, implementing new policies, procedures and legislation to improve Nebraska’s Juvenile Justice System. She is passionate about impacting the issues that lead to over-representation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system and has recently helped spearhead a Judicial Branch wide training and community of practice effort. Monica was recognized as an APPA President’s award recipient in March 2019 for this initiative. Monica currently serves on the Access to Justice Minority Justice Committee, and Crime Commission Diversion and Community Planning Committees. She has served as adjunct faculty at Nebraska Wesleyan University. She is a former Executive Director and board member of the Nebraska Juvenile Justice Association Board. Monica received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Doane College in Crete and a Masters of Public Administration from UNO.

Camellia 'Cammy' Watkins is an Omaha native who graduated from Omaha South High School. She received a BA Degree from Cornell College in Psychology and Vocal Performance. Cammy has over 15 years of experience working with not-for-profit organizations ranging from environmental activism to performing arts administration. The opportunity to work with many different facets of the not-for-profit world have provided Cammy with vast insights into the business needs of organizations. Cammy is the Deputy Director at Inclusive Communities. In this role she utilitizes her passions for promoting social justice, community building and organizational development to facilitate dialogues within the business community around Diversity and Inclusion.

Jerid Wedige is the Probation Education Director for the Nebraska Probation System. He has been involved with community corrections since graduating from Wayne State College in 1998. In his role as Probation Education Director he oversees the daily operations of the Nebraska Probation System’s training program. Developing curriculum, supervising and coaching trainers, overseeing and developing the e-learning management system and the use of technology to deliver education to employees statewide. In his role he also trains and coaches new trainers. Prior to his current position Jerid was a Community Based Supervision Officer for nine years. He worked in the field supervising high-risk probationers. As a CBI officer he worked one on one with clients, completed reports to the court, communicated regularly with community support personal and facilitated cognitive restructuring groups. Jerid is a certified Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), Level of Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) and Real Colors trainer as well as provides numerous other trainings for the Nebraska Probation System.