DEI and Beyond: Generating Solutions

SESSION INFO

Tuesday, January 28, 2025
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Session Type: Workshop

During this highly interactive 90-minute workshop, attendees will engage in meaningful discussion to generate solution-based action plans to integrate a meaningful DEI culture into their agency and practice. Participants will discuss ways to reframe the DEI conversation and discuss solutions that will allow agencies to be responsive to each client’s unique needs by improving their awareness of their backstory and lived experiences. Solutions to proactively address challenges with implementing DEI as well as expanding the DEI conversation to include age, gender, and lived experiences will be the focus of the workshop.  This workshop aims not to rehash previously stated problems, but to move the needle from problem identification to generating solutions (action plans) that will help agencies enhance their DEI efforts. 

SESSION PRESENTERS

Mark Dyea
Tribal Grants Manager, American Probation and Parole Association


Mark began his career in 2004 with the Pueblo of Laguna Probation & Parole Services in New Mexico as a Probation Officer and was later promoted to Program Manager. During his time in Laguna, he was a founding member of the Pueblo’s Community Wellness Court program and collaborated with state, federal, local, and other tribal agencies to develop and administer alternative supervision programs including electronic monitoring, community custody, courtesy supervision, and reentry notification. Mark worked as Case Manager for Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court and coordinated the creation of a state/tribal agreement providing courtesy testing to enhance outcomes for native participants of the Specialty Court programs. Mark served as a Sr. Consultant for the NADCP Tribal Healing to Wellness Court Planning Initiative and as faculty for other Training and Technical Assistance providers. As a consultant Mark worked with numerous jurisdictions across the country to develop and enhance Treatment Courts, Community Supervision programs, and enhance intergovernmental collaboration.


Thomas M Gregory
Director, Vermilion County Probation


Thomas Gregory has been most recently elected as your APPA Vice President. Tom previously served two (2) terms as APPA Treasurer. Prior to serving as treasurer, he was a Region Representative for Illinois. He is a proud graduate of APPA’s Leadership Institute 5. Tom is a past President of the Illinois Probation and Court Services Association and current Chair of the Legislative Committee. He is the Director of Probation for Vermilion County Probation and Court Services where he has proudly served since 1997.


Isabel Perez-Morina, PhD
Chief Executive Officer, Advocate Program, Inc.


Isabel Perez-Morina, Ph.D. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Advocate Program. Advocate Program is a private, not-for-profit organization that offers probation, diversion, DUI programs, domestic violence programs, clinical services, and supportive services to court-ordered individuals, veterans, and at-risk children and families. Dr. Perez-Morina obtained her doctorate degree in Clinical Forensic Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Her work has concentrated on improving the community response to issues affecting public and family safety. She is dedicated to the safety and well-being of individuals, children, and families and the communities they live in. In addition to being a Board Member of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), Dr. Perez-Morina is also a board member and Immediate Past-President of the Florida Association of Community Corrections (FACC).


Charles Robinson
Deputy Chief, Probation and Pretrial Services Office Administrative Office of the United States Courts


Charles Robinson is the Deputy Chief of the Probation & Pretrial Services Office of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Over the course of more than 20 years, he has worked in both county and federal probation, including supervising a caseload of community supervision clients, training officers and developing systems to support successful implementation of risk instruments, and serving as a chief probation officer. Charles has co-authored several widely used client and officer training programs for community and custodial correctional settings. Among these programs are Decision Points, an open-group cognitive-behavioral program that teaches clients to observe and interrupt thinking that leads to trouble; and Effective Practices in Correctional Settings (EPICS) II, a training program for criminal justice professionals based on behavioral change strategies found to be effective with criminal justice clients. He has extensive experience as a consultant training agency leaders and staff in juvenile and adult correctional settings. He has helped leaders and agencies in the U.S. and other countries better align their community supervision systems with practices proven to exert a positive effect on clients and their communities. Charles has also co-authored several articles that contribute to the research literature supporting effective practices in community supervision.