ICPA 2026 Annual Conference

Professor Shadd Maruna

Head of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology , University of Liverpool, England

Professor Shadd Maruna is the Head of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool and the Past President of the American Society of Criminology (2022-2024). Previously he has worked at the University of Cambridge, the University of Manchester, and Rutgers University (USA) where he was the Dean of the School of Criminal Justice. His book Making Good: How Ex-Convicts Reform and Rebuild Their Lives was named the Outstanding Contribution to Criminology by the American Society of Criminology, and he was the recipient of the inaugural Research Medal from the Howard League for Penal Reform.

Professor Stuart Kinner

Head, Justice Health Group, Curtin University, Australia

Gethin Jones

Founder and CEO , Unlocking Potential

Gethin Jones is the Founder and CEO of Unlocking Potential, an international consultancy working across the UK, Australia and the United States to help create justice systems that are fit for purpose and fairest for all; this includes those who work within it, live within it and the communities it serves. Through consultancy, leadership development, keynote speaking and programme design, Gethin works with prisons, probation services, governments, charities and private sector partners to strengthen collaboration and improve outcomes across the justice system.

What makes Gethin’s perspective unique is that he has experienced the justice system from both sides of the same door. After spending much of his early life in care, followed by eight years in prison and addiction, he rebuilt his life before going on to spend more than a decade working in public services, progressing from volunteer to senior manager responsible for a £1.5 million programme tackling health inequalities. Today, he combines lived and professional experience to challenge assumptions, bridge divides and bring together the voices of those who work within the system, those who have lived through it, and the communities it serves. His plenary session, Two Sides of the Same Door, explores why lasting reform depends on moving beyond single perspectives towards genuine collaboration and a 360-degree understanding of justice.

Fergus McNeill

Professor of Criminology and Social Work, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom

Jo Mango

Singer-songwriter/Multi-instrumentalist, Scotland

Jo Mango is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Glasgow. She has performed/worked internationally, including at iconic venues such as the Carnegie Hall in New York and the Barbican in London, alongside artists including David Byrne (The Talking Heads), Midge Ure, Eddi Reader and Emili Sande, and written songs with bands including Teenage Fanclub. Her theatre work includes co-devising award-winning gig theatre piece A Giant on the Bridge and writing songs for the National Theatre of Scotland's latest installation piece 100 Voices, which explores care experience (now installing at the Scottish Parliament building). She also works as a Reader in Music at the University of the West of Scotland under the name Dr Jo Collinson Scott, researching the role of songwriting in helping us understand (and change) societal responses to big challenges, including in criminal, climate and health justice systems.

Louis Abbott

Multi-instrumentalist and Singer, Scotland

Rachel Condry

Professor of Criminology, University of Oxford

Hilton Freund MBE

Chief Executive, Twinning Project, United Kingdom

Awarded an MBE by King Charles III in 2024 for services to criminal justice and charity, Hilton Freund is the Global Chief Executive Officer of the Twinning Project and a leading advocate for the use of professional sport as a powerful tool for rehabilitation and positive change.

Under Hilton’s leadership, the Twinning Project has grown from a pioneering UK initiative into an increasingly international programme, bringing professional sports organisations together with prisons, correctional agencies and juvenile justice systems to support rehabilitation, education, employability and successful reintegration.

Hilton has led the development of partnerships across the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia, working with some of the world’s most recognised professional sports organisations alongside national, state and local government and correctional authorities. Central to this work is the belief that sport has a unique ability to engage people who can be difficult to reach through more traditional interventions, creating a platform through which skills, confidence, wellbeing and a sense of belonging can be developed.

A key focus of Hilton’s leadership has been ensuring that the Twinning Project is not simply built around the power of sport, but supported by academic research and evidence. 

Hilton continues to champion collaboration between sport, government, academia and criminal justice, with the ambition of demonstrating how innovative partnerships can improve outcomes for people in custody, support successful reintegration and ultimately contribute to safer communities around the world.

Dr Martha Newson

Associate Professor of Psychology/Centre Lead, University of Greenwich/ Changing Lives Lab Group at the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, University of Oxford

David Kennedy

Director of Prisons, Northern Ireland Prison Service, Northern Ireland

David Kennedy joined the Northern Ireland Prison Service in 1988 as a Prison Officer.

He has served in HM Prison Belfast, HM Prison Magilligan, Hydebank Wood Collage the Prison Service College, and more recently at Prison Service Headquarters.  He took up the post of Governing Governor in Maghaberry in 2017 and was subsequently promoted to the post of Director of Prisons in May 2021 where he has overarching responsibility for the three Northern Ireland Prison establishments, the Working Out Unit, the Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Group, and the Prison Service Collage. He also has responsibility for all the business-critical Northern Ireland Prison Service ICT systems, the Capital Estates Programme and the Minor New Works programme. 

David is also President of the Northern Ireland Prison Service Central Benevolent Fund, which was established to support the widows of murdered Officers and provides assistance to both serving and retired staff.

Maria Watson

Director Reducing Offending, Northern Ireland Prison Service, Northern Ireland

Maria is currently the Director of Reducing Offending in the Department of Justice, leading on development and implementation of strategy and policy to reduce reoffending in Northern Ireland.  This includes driving a Programme for Government commitment to deliver a new cross Executive Strategy.  She also has responsibility for problem-solving approaches to diversion including early intervention through a Strategic Framework for Youth Justice, wider youth justice policy and legislation.  Maria is responsible for implementation of the Department’s Adult Restorative Justice Strategy and expansion of these services.  She leads on the justice wide approach to reduce prison population remand levels, including the establishment of a new bail support scheme and alternatives to remand.  She also drives the cross departmental implementation of a strategy for women and girls at risk of, or in contact with, the criminal justice system. 

Before this Maria was also the Director of Rehabilitation, leading the delivery of rehabilitation support services across Northern Ireland prisons.  She was responsible for the strategic development, delivery and oversight of their rehabilitative and resettlement services.   This involved designing and implementing programmes and interventions to encourage change and support a reduction in reoffending.  Maria was also responsible for overseeing the planning, commissioning, delivery and performance of rehabilitative interventions (i.e. learning and skills, offender management) and develop outcomes measurement tools to demonstrate the impact of rehabilitation on prisoner outcomes. She also led the design of a Rehabilitation Improvement Programme, to embed an enhanced prisoner development framework, and delivery of probation and psychology services in prisons.a

Gary Milling

Governor in Charge, Northern Ireland Prison Service, Northern Ireland

Gary is a highly experienced Prison Officer & Governor and is a respected senior leader within the Northern Ireland Prison Service.  During his career, Gary has been integral to several developments within NIPS.  As a Governor in Charge having been integral in leading the realisation of Hydebank Secure College and latterly, delivering what has been recognised as one of the best prisons in the UK in the 2025 inspection of Magilligan Prison.   

Whilst the physical architecture of Magilligan may be aging the foundations are solid through internal and external relationships supporting what are probably some of the best staff and prisoner relationships within NIPS. 

With a focus on partnership and person-centred delivery, the outcomes for those in custody and for those who work in prisons are at the core of what Magilligan delivers.

Tosha Big Eagle

Director of Programs and Research, The Kindred Light Initiative, USA

Dwayne Antojado

Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology, Adelaide University, Australia

Dwayne Antojado is a Lecturer in the European Studies Department within the School of Social Sciences at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, and at Adelaide University in Australia. His work explores how knowledge produced through experiences of criminalisation, imprisonment, punishment, and social exclusion can reshape the ways institutions understand and respond to harm. Across his academic and professional work, Dwayne has become closely associated with the developing field of lived experience criminology. His scholarship examines how people who have directly encountered the criminal legal system, particularly imprisonment, come to hold forms of knowledge that are often overlooked, marginalised, or reduced to personal testimony within research, policy, and practice. Rather than treating people with lived experience simply as the objects of criminological enquiry, Dwayne’s work argues that they should be recognised as theorists, educators, researchers, advisers, and leaders whose perspectives can fundamentally alter how criminal justice problems are understood and addressed. This intellectual commitment is reflected in his work as co-author of Lived Experience in Criminal Justice: Research, Education, Practice and Activism, (with Gillian Buck, Lucy Campbell, Kemi, Natasha Ryan, and James Windle), and as co-editor of Beyond Autoethnography: Lived Experience Criminology (with Danica Darley and Matthew Maycock). Together, these books advance a broad argument that lived experience must be understood not as an optional addition to criminal justice work, but as a vital form of expertise that should shape research, advocacy, professional practice, teaching, organisational governance, and public debate.

Dwayne’s research is particularly concerned with the politics of representation and participation. He examines the conditions under which people with lived experience are invited into academic, institutional, and policy spaces, asking whether they are genuinely supported, fairly remunerated, and able to influence decisions, or whether their involvement remains symbolic and extractive. His work therefore engages questions of epistemic justice, co-optation, credibility, voice, and power, while also insisting that lived experience participation must be accompanied by concrete organisational structures: fair payment, accessible pathways into employment and leadership, appropriate training and mentoring, institutional support, meaningful governance roles, and accountability for how lived experience knowledge is used. Grounded in autoethnographic and ethnographic approaches, and informed by his own experience of incarceration in Australia, Dwayne’s scholarship also attends to the affective, atmospheric, relational, and sensorial dimensions of carceral and post-carceral life. He is interested in how punishment is felt through the body and encountered through everyday institutional rhythms, relationships, spaces, silences, memories, and forms of exclusion. This work challenges abstract or purely administrative accounts of imprisonment by drawing attention to the lived texture of confinement, stigma, surveillance, release, and reintegration. In doing so, it contributes to wider debates about the limits of formal legal and policy responses, and the need for criminology to take seriously the embodied and emotional consequences of punishment.

Alongside his academic work, Dwayne is a member of Penal Reform International’s Global Group of Experts by Experience. He has worked with a range of international, governmental, academic, and civil society organisations to embed lived experience knowledge within organisational decision-making, policy development, research, education, and justice reform. His collaborators have included the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Penal Reform International, governmental organisations in the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as universities, community organisations, and international justice partners. A key part of this applied work involves supporting organisations to move beyond broad commitments to inclusion towards practical and durable forms of lived experience leadership. Dwayne has contributed to the development of lived experience policies, engagement frameworks, advisory structures, workforce pathways, training programmes, and organisational tools that help institutions assess their readiness to work ethically and meaningfully with people who bring direct experience of the criminal legal system. 

Beyond these institutional and organisational engagements, Dwayne’s work also turns to the broader justice landscapes shaped by state violence, exclusion, and institutional neglect. He is interested in forms of repair that extend beyond formal legal remedies or procedural reform, asking how justice might also be cultivated through recognition, dignity, care, memory, relationships, and the affective and sensory organisation of time and space. Across his scholarship, teaching, and advocacy, he advances work that is politically engaged and grounded in the everyday realities of those whose lives have been shaped by criminal justice institutions. Ultimately, his work seeks to broaden who is recognised as capable of producing knowledge about justice, and to ensure that those most affected by punishment are not merely spoken about, but are able to participate meaningfully in imagining and shaping more just futures.

Naomi Long

Minister of Justice, Northern Ireland

No bio provided

Caroline Acha

Coordinator, Victim Offender Prison Care Support, Cameroon

Sr. Caroline Acha Nanyi is a Cameroonian educationist and Catholic religious sister with over a decade of experience in education, institutional leadership, and community-based development. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (English Language) from the University of Buea, she has served in various academic leadership roles including Dean of Studies, Vice Principal, and formation mentor, contributing to the strengthening of educational systems and the holistic development of young people. Her work reflects a strong commitment to discipline, academic excellence, and values-based formation.

Since 2020, she has been serving as Coordinator of the Prison Apostolate (VOPS), where she leads rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives for inmates, particularly focusing on skills training, legal and healthcare support, and partnership development. She previously directed the St. Thérèse Women’s Empowerment Centre, advancing programs that promote economic independence and social inclusion for vulnerable women. Sr. Caroline has successfully managed several donor-funded projects in education, infrastructure, and social outreach. Her passion lies in restoring dignity and creating sustainable opportunities for marginalized populations, especially women and incarcerated persons

Dr. Persida Acosta DSD,JD

Chief Public Attorney, Public Attorney's Office, Philippines

Alice Adamson

Deputy Director Rehabilitation HMPPS, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, England

Paula Akyol

Project Director, Children of Prisoners Europe, France

Hazem Albacha OAA

Project Manager / Justice Sector Lead, HOK, Canada

Hazem is a Project Manager and Justice Sector Lead for HOK in Canada, with over 10 years of experience supporting complex civic, justice, and institutional projects. His work bridges project delivery, client coordination, strategic partnerships, and justice-sector growth across Canada.

At HOK, Hazem works with local partners, consultants, public-sector clients, and international justice experts to support correctional and public safety projects from early opportunity development through planning and delivery. His role focuses on aligning design, operations, security, behavioral health, and stakeholder priorities to create practical and responsive facility solutions.

His current interests include collaborative delivery models, cross-sector partnerships, and the role of design in supporting safer, more humane, and more resilient correctional environments.

Hena Ali-Bernard

Supervisor of School Social Workers, New York City Public Schools, USA

Arjen Alting

Board Secretary, The Dutch Probation Offices, Netherlands

Julie Anderson

Head of Prisoner Wellbeing, Northern Ireland Prison Service, United Kingdom

I am the Head of Prisoner Wellbeing for the Northern Ireland Prison Service, with a role that encompasses prisoner health and prisoner safety. Prisoner Wellbeing promotes a person-centred approach to  supporting people living in our prisons whether responding to people who may be at risk of suicide or serious self-harm, housing them within the Care and Supervision Unit or responding to incidents of inappropriate behaviour towards others. 

This session focusses on the collaborative approach between Prisoner Wellbeing and the PRISM team and IT provider to  modernise how we work and the introduction of innovative IT solutions. These solutions have enabled staff at all levels across NI Prisons to keep and maintain real time records, manage work activity, share information and provide assurance.

Kavan Applegate

Director, Guymer Bailey Architects, Australia

Kavan is the Chair of the ICPA Planning and Design Network and Director of Guymer Bailey Architects, specialising in specialist in justice and correctional architecture – therapeutic environments that facilitate rehabilitation, empower behavioural change and create a sense of hope to ultimately reduce recidivism rates and create a better, safer community for all.

Knowing that our environment has a profound effect on us, his passion is in harnessing the transformative effects of architecture to help people live better lives. Through the creative and sustainable use of building form and materials and the rehabilitative effects of daylight, Kavan believes architecture can significantly change the quality of life for those inhabiting its space. It is this ‘architecture of hope’ that he seeks to provide each day by delivering well planned, operationally effective and delight-filled masterplanning and building solutions.

Over the last 25 years, Kavan has led the design of many of Australia’s most innovative and iconic justice and correctional projects alongside our team including Hopkins Correctional Centre, Ravenhall Correctional Centre, Western Plains Correctional Centre, Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (St2), Southern Remand Correctional Centre, and the Thomas Embling Forensic Hospital Expansion as well as works in numerous other secure facilities.
As a Director of Guymer Bailey Architects, Kavan leads the exceptional architecture, landscape architecture and interior design team across our Melbourne and Brisbane Studios and overseeing our large-scale correctional projects.

Boitumelo Araes

Divisional Head: Community Service Orders, Namibian Correctional Service, Namibia

Diego Arias PhD

Director of Training School, National Penitenciary Institute, Colombia

Elvia Asencio

Executive Director, Transition Professionals, USA

Elvia Asencio, LSW, SIFI, is a licensed social worker and Executive Director of Transition Professionals, a community-based reentry organization in New Jersey serving individuals returning from incarceration. Her work centers on trauma-responsive and person-centered practice across reentry, community mental health, and substance use treatment settings. Elvia collaborates closely with correctional institutions, courts, probation and parole, and community-based providers to address structural barriers related to housing, employment, healthcare access, and systemic exclusion.

She is currently a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) candidate (Class of 2027) at the NYU Silver School of Social Work, where her scholarly work examines incarceration as a traumatic experience and advances trauma-responsive praxis for justice-involved individuals. Elvia also serves as a field instructor, supervising MSW students and contributing to social work education grounded in social justice, critical reflection, and community-based practice.

Victoria Barnett

Prison Libraries Development Manager, Kent County Council, New Zealand

Victoria Barnett is a Prison Libraries Development Manager for Kent County Council and Chair of the CILIP Prison Libraries Group. She has worked in prison libraries since 2012, and took on the role of Prison Libraries Development Manager in 2018 where she manages the 5 prison libraries in Kent. These prisons are all very different establishments: an open women’s prison; an open men’s prison; a designated foreign national men’s prison; a local Category C men’s prison; and a long-term high security men’s prison. Each presents its own unique challenges, and the needs of the people in custody vary considerably across the sites. Managing services across such diverse environments has given Victoria a broad understanding of the role that libraries can play in rehabilitation, wellbeing, and access to information.

Alongside her operational role, Victoria has been an active member of the CILIP Prison Libraries Group, and was appointed Chair of the committee in 2021. The Group’s mission is to raise the profile of prison libraries, improve standards across the estate, and support the staff who deliver these essential services. In 2025, Victoria gave evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee on the value of prison libraries, and she is frequently invited to speak to organisations and professional groups interested in learning more about the impact of library services within the criminal justice system.

Salome Beacco

Principal Secretary, State Department for Correctional Services, Kenya

Dr. Salome M. Beacco is the Principal Secretary for Correctional Services in Kenya, providing strategic leadership across the country’s correctional and rehabilitation systems. With extensive experience in justice, governance, and public-sector transformation, she has been a strong advocate for cross-sector collaboration, rehabilitation-focused reform, and modernization initiatives within correctional services. Dr. Beacco brings an important international and public-sector perspective on partnership, accountability, and system-level outcomes in corrections.

She is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB), a Master’s degree in Leadership and Governance (LLM) both from University of Nairobi Faculty of Law and a Diploma in legal studies from Kenya School of Law. she is also an ACII London Chartered Insurer. She has been a consummate professional in the field in legal practice with over 25 years experience as Founding Partner at Wanyonyi & Muhia Advocates.

During the early stages of her career began as a Legal Assistant at Insurance Company of Africa Ltd, Legal Officer at Phoenix of East Africa Insurance Company, Head of Legal Department at AIG Insurance Co. Ltd. and as Legal Consultant at Bamburi Cement Co. Ltd

Andreas Bednarek

Research Projects Coordinator, Ministry of Justice, Austria

Andreas Bednarek is a representative of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice with experience in justice-sector practice and the implementation of innovation in correctional environments. In the context of Austrian security research projects, he contributes the institutional and operational perspective of the justice system, helping to ensure that AI-supported solutions are aligned with practical correctional needs, legal requirements and public-sector responsibilities. His work supports collaboration between justice authorities, research institutions and technology partners to develop solutions that are responsible, implementable and relevant for modern correctional practice.

The Austrian Ministry of Justice includes the General Directorate for the Prison System and the Execution of Measures Involving Deprivation of Liberty, which is the relevant organisational context for correctional-system work.

Séamus Beirne

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead, Irish Prison Service, Ireland

Séamus Beirne is Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead with the Irish Prison Service, where he leads organisational policy and practice initiatives to strengthen equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights across the prison system. His work focuses on embedding inclusive approaches within prison operations, recruitment, strategic planning and service delivery, while collaborating with government departments, statutory agencies and community stakeholders. 

Séamus has considerable experience across the Irish public service, including roles in justice, education, defence and international affairs. Prior to his current role, he served as Justice and Equality Attaché at Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels, where he negotiated EU legislation relating to judicial cooperation and equality policy. He holds qualifications in public management, justice policy, employment law, human rights and equality, including an MA in Public Management and a Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality.

Tim Bisong

Lead Expert-African Study on Prisons, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Gambia

Katherine Blamire

Head of the Living Knowledge Network, The British Library, England

Katherine Blamire is Head of the Living Knowledge Network (LKN) at the British Library. LKN is a Network of 33 library authorities across the UK. Through a programme including exhibitions, live streams and events the LKN works to enhance meaningful engagement between libraries and their communities, increase access to culture, collections, and information and support library staff. Katherine is passionate about libraries as important spaces for sharing culture and supporting healthy and connected communities. LKN’s most recent exhibition, Unearthed the Power of Gardening, engaged over 830,000 people.

Katherine also champions the role of libraries as connectors and conveners, not only contributing to the cultural ecosystems of local communities, but also as safe and accessible spaces for supporting people at every stage of their life. Katherine is currently working on extending the LKN's cultural programmes to prison libraries; with the aim of increasing collaboration across the sector, raising awareness of the role public libraries can play in supporting those leaving prison.

Joanne Blanchard

Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada

Joanne Blanchard was appointed as the Chairperson of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) in June 2024. 

In the Spring of 2024, Ms. Blanchard performed the administrative functions of the Regional Vice-Chairperson for the PBC's Quebec Region and was officially designated in that role in May 2024. She has been a PBC Board member since October 2022. 

Ms. Blanchard began her career as an Independent Board Member and Adjudicator for the Correctional Services of Canada, where she conducted disciplinary court hearings. Her decision-making and adjudicating skills were further honed during her tenure as a Board Member of the Employment Insurance Board of Referees and the Social Security Tribunal.

In 2016, Ms. Blanchard joined the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) as a Board Member, where she presided over hearings for asylum seekers. Her leadership skills and dedication to efficient, fair processes were recognized with several key roles, including as Assistant Deputy Chairperson of a national Task Force. Notably, she developed change management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing productivity and consistency in decision-making.

Joanne Blanchard brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to justice. Her career spans over two decades, marked by significant contributions to the fields of public safety as well as immigration and refugee protection.

Throughout her career, Ms. Blanchard has been recognized for her leadership and innovation and received various awards highlighting her leadership and innovation.

Ms. Blanchard holds a Bachelor of Laws from Université de Moncton and a Bachelor of Psychology from McGill University.

Natalie Boal

Executive Director, ICPA, Australia

Doug Bond

President and CEO, Amity Foundation, United States

As President and CEO of Amity Foundation, Doug Bond leads all facets of the organization, overseeing dozens of contracts in California and Arizona, including four residential campuses serving over 500 people with histories of criminal justice system involvement, addiction, and homelessness per day.  Bond first went to Amity in 1983 after being in several foster homes and was reunited with his father who had been incarcerated.

Bond has been instrumental in expanding Amity’s California services, which have increased from serving 2,000 to over 47,000 people each year. He has helped to ensure that men and women with lived experience have the same opportunities he has been given. Under his leadership, Amity now provides in-prison services in all 31 prisons throughout the state of California, and has implemented significant state and county contracts serving Los Angeles County to coordinate post-release services for individuals returning to the community from state prisons, as well as youth coming out of the juvenile justice system. He has also led the development of new California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative to provide enhanced care management for the justice involved population in five southern CA counties. Finally, Bond also served on the design and management team for the Just In Reach (JIR) jail project funded through the Department of Health Services which works to serve some of the most at risk for recidivism and homelessness. Finally, Amity is currently developing 300 units of permanent housing and over 200 more beds for residential services throughout the state.

Jessica Borg

Chief Psychologist/Director Programmes, Department of Corrections, New Zealand

Jessica Borg is the Chief Psychologist/Director Programmes at the Department of Corrections, New Zealand, where she has strategic responsibility for psychological services and rehabilitation programmes. With 18 years at Corrections, Jessica has extensive frontline and leadership experience across prison and community-based settings. 

In her frontline roles, Jessica delivered rehabilitation programmes to both incarcerated individuals and those on probation. Throughout her career, Jessica has completed numerous reports for the New Zealand Parole Board and Courts, supervised correctional psychologists, and led key programme portfolios including high and medium intensity interventions. Her leadership roles have encompassed oversight of programme design, psychology research, workforce training, integrity monitoring, and evidence-based evaluation to drive continuous improvement. 

Prior to Corrections, Jessica worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. She holds an MA in Human Rights, which, combined with her psychological practice, fuels her commitment to effective, just outcomes for justice-involved individuals and their families, and safer communities.

Dr Grant Bosworth PhD

Head of Insights and Assurance, HMPPS, United Kingdom

Billy Boyd

NIIPS Head of IT Services, Community Sports Network, Northern Ireland

Billy Boyd, NIIPS Head of IT Services. Billy has worked in community sports development for over 24 years, bringing extensive experience in fitness, boxing, and sports coaching across a range of disciplines. Throughout his career, he has engaged with hundreds of groups in both community and custodial settings.

Over the past nine years, through CSN, Billy has played a key role in developing impactful programmes within Northern Ireland’s prison system, primarily in HMP Maghaberry, as well as Hydebank Wood and Burren House. Under the “Positive Impact” initiative, he has delivered personal development opportunities for inmates across all categories, using sport and physical activity as tools for engagement, wellbeing, and rehabilitation.

Billy and CSN have also developed additional programmes aimed at supporting prisoners who may otherwise have limited opportunities to participate, including activities for separated prisoners and older inmates such as boccia and seated games.

For the past six years, Billy has been instrumental in expanding CSN’s “Through the Gate” initiatives, helping to establish Support Hubs across Belfast that use physical activity and leadership development to positively engage ex-offenders as they transition back into the community.

Although Positive Impact is primarily an adult programme, Billy credits his Honours Degree in Youth Work as invaluable to his practice. This has also supported the development of outreach work within Centenary Men’s Homeless Hostel, promoting healthier lifestyles and positive engagement through physical activity.

Wynona Boyd

Youth Conference Co ordinator, Youth Justice Agency, Northern Ireland

Wynona Boyd is a Youth Conference Co ordinator with the Youth Justice Agency (YJA) in Northern Ireland, where she works as a restorative practitioner. The YJA delivers both community based and custodial services for children aged 10–17 who are involved in the justice system.

Youth conferencing within the YJA is underpinned by a Child First, Trauma Informed and Needs Based approach, promoting a holistic and individualised response to offending behaviour. Restorative justice practice is central to this process, emphasising participation and direct communication by bringing together those harmed and the child responsible for the harmful behaviour.

In cases involving harmful sexual behaviour, the YJA adopts a flexible and creative approach to youth conferencing, ensuring that victims are supported to have their voice heard. While acknowledging the loss of control experienced by victims, the process seeks to empower them by enabling meaningful participation and influence over outcomes where appropriate.

Sarah Bridgland

Evidence Based Practice Lead, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, United kingdom

Marco Brok MSW

Policy Advisor, International Bureau Dutch Probation, The Netherlands

Marco Brok is Policy Advisor with the International Bureau Dutch Probation. At the Bureau specialized probation professionals and volunteers support Dutch nationals imprisoned abroad and their social network. Marco holds a master’s degree Social Work and has been working for the Dutch probation service since 2002. Within the International Bureau he is responsible for the policy surrounding Dutch detainees abroad. This includes the evaluation and development of interventions, volunteer policy, training of volunteers and research.

Together with Leslie Alcock (Irish Counsel for Prisoners Overseas) and Christopher Stacey (Prisoners Abroad, United Kingdom) Marco participates in the CEP & EuroPris expert group Foreign Nationals in Prison and Probation (FNPP). In the session they share their experience with foreign nationals imprisoned all over the world, the challenges of foreign nationals in prison and the approach of their organizations to address their situation.

Ian Broom

Director General, Research, Correctional Service of Canada, Canada

Caroline Brown

Governor – Prisoner Development Unit, NIPS, Northern Ireland

David Brown

Acting President, ICPA, Australia

• Chief Executive, DCS, South Australia 
• Executive Director Custodial Services, DCS, South Australia 
• Director, Detention Services for GSL (Australia) Pty Ltd 
• General Manager, Maryborough Correctional Centre, DCS, Queensland 
• Assistant General Manager, Acacia Prison, Perth for AIMS Corporation 
• His academic qualifications include: 
• Bachelor of Arts, double major in Government and a major in Australian History, University of Queensland, 1992; and 
• Master of Public Administration, University of Queensland, 2001. 

Pamela Mary Brown

Writer-in-Residence (Prison Arts Foundation), Prison Arts Foundation, Northern Ireland

Rebecca Brown

Deputy Commissioner, Utah Department of Corrections, United States

Rebecca Brown, LCSW, was appointed a Deputy Commissioner for the Utah Department of Corrections in August 2023. 

She brings extensive experience in correctional healthcare, treatment program development, reentry strategies and operations, having previously served as Assistant Deputy Director at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). In this role, she oversaw clinical services and the transition of correctional health services to DHHS, ensuring continuity of care for justice-involved individuals. 
 
With more than 25 years in community-based and non-profit settings, Brown has played a pivotal role in recidivism reduction, reentry planning, and public safety initiatives. Her work at the Salt Lake County Jail and in community treatment programs laid the foundation for innovative, evidence-based approaches to rehabilitation and successful reintegration. 

Brown holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah, specializing in Forensic Social Work, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Substance Use Disorders Counselor. She also has an undergraduate degree in Human Services and Business Management. 

As an executive leader in corrections and health and human services, Rebecca is committed to improving health and life outcomes for justice-involved individuals while maintaining a balanced focus on stakeholder experience, rehabilitation, and public safety. She remains dedicated to systemic reform, interagency collaboration, and evidence-based practices that enhance both individual and public well-being.

Dr Gillian Buck

Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Chester, England

Michelle Butler

Professor in Criminology, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom

Tony Butler PhD

Program Head, Justice Health Research Program, University of New South Wales, Australia

Pedro Cabrita

Technical Office of the ReIncorpora - Portugal, Aproximar Cooperativa de Solidariedade Social, Portugal

Pedro Cabrita is a member of Aproximar, Cooperativa de Solidariedade Social, where he works in the Technical Office of the ReIncorpora Program at the national level (Portugal), supporting the coordination, monitoring, and implementation of initiatives aimed at the training and socio-professional reintegration of individuals undergoing reintegration. As part of these duties, he collaborates with various institutional entities and local partners, contributing to the creation of opportunities for training, employability, and social inclusion.

ReIncorpora Program is funded by Fundación La Caixa (https://incorpora.fundacionlacaixa.org/es/reincorpora).

Ivan Calder

Chief Executive Officer, Health through Walls Inc.

Ivan Calder is Chief Executive Officer of Health through Walls (HTW). With over 20 years of experience in corrections, healthcare delivery, and justice administration, Ivan has dedicated his career to advancing health and human dignity under the guiding principle that “All people are of value.”

He has held leadership roles across Europe, Australasia, Africa, and the Caribbean, including international assignments with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations, bringing a unique global perspective to correctional health. As chair of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Health Network, Ivan has influenced policy and practice worldwide.

Through HtW’s international development programs, Ivan integrates global expertise with innovation, building sustainable, culturally responsive systems that advance health equity, justice, and human rights in some of the world’s most underserved environments.

Paul Caproni

Prisoner Development Unit (PDU) Governor, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Trish Cathcart

Manager, Start 360, Northern Ireland

Fred Caullfield

Executive Director, Prison Arts Foundation, Northern Ireland

Chloe Chang

Civic Designer, Office of the First Deputy Mayor of New York City, USA

Chloe Chang is a strategist and designer who practices participatory design and popular education, and believes that equity and healing can and should be outcomes of any design process. With a background in communication and community engagement design, they work to translate complex narratives and system needs into strategies that work for and with teams, communities, organizations, and cities.

On the Innovation Team within the Mayor's Office of New York City, Chloe focuses on stakeholder collaboration, public engagement, and communication design — facilitating a deeper exchange of community and institutional knowledge so that public services are more community-driven and responsive to the needs of New Yorkers. Before the Innovation Team, Chloe led the design team at Hester Street, a community planning and development nonprofit working so that the neighborhoods are shaped by the people who live in them.

Hugh Chetwynd

Executive Secretary, CPT (European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment), France

Spetosomusa Chinobva M.A

Officer Commanding, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Zimbabwe

Spetosomusa Chinobva is an Officer Commanding in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) with extensive experience in correctional management, offender rehabilitation, and institutional administration. She has played a key role in advancing rehabilitation-oriented approaches within Zimbabwe’s correctional system, with a particular focus on open prison models, skills development programmes, and community-based reintegration strategies. Her work reflects a strong commitment to aligning correctional practice with international standards while adapting solutions to the realities of resource-constrained environments.

Her professional interests centre on correctional reform, with an emphasis on reducing recidivism through innovative, partnership-driven approaches. She has been actively involved in initiatives that promote vocational training, agricultural rehabilitation, and post-release support mechanisms for offenders. She is particularly interested in strengthening collaboration between correctional institutions, civil society, and community stakeholders to enhance reintegration outcomes. Through her work, she continues to advocate for practical, scalable models that improve public safety while supporting the successful reintegration of offenders into society

Ben Sutherland Clark

Director Pae Ora (Healthy Futures), Department of Corrections - Ara Poutama New Zealand

Ben Sutherland Clark is a senior New Zealand public‑sector leader with more than a decade of experience leading complex custodial, community, and cross‑government operations. He is currently Director Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) with the New Zealand Department of Corrections, where he leads operational and system improvements to strengthen health and rehabilitation service delivery with a focus on equity.

Ben has held a range of national and regional leadership roles across Corrections and the wider public service, both in New Zealand and the UK. He has led major organisational change, cross-agency service design, and overseen operational performance uplift in custodial and community environments during periods of high prison growth. Ben has a particular interest in what drives collaboration.

Ben started his career as a Forensic Psychologist with HM Prisons in England and helping individuals appreciate and fulfil their potential has been a constant theme throughout.

George Clemons

Community Support Recovery, Support Recovery Consulting, USA

George Clemons is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSA) and Peer Support Specialist (PSS) with lived experience of the criminal legal system, having spent multiple years incarcerated. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Addiction Counseling, with a focus on recovery-oriented, community-based alternatives to incarceration.

George is the founder and program lead of an alternative-to-incarceration initiative designed to reduce justice system involvement while addressing the underlying drivers of substance use, trauma, and instability. His work integrates peer-led support, accountability-centered programming, and close coordination with community partners to create pathways that prioritize treatment, restoration, and public safety over confinement. Drawing on both professional training and lived experience, George brings a systems-informed perspective to the design and delivery of diversion and reentry services.

Grounded in dignity, credibility, and evidence-informed practice, George’s work centers the voices of those most impacted by the criminal legal system and demonstrates how community-based leadership can produce more humane, effective, and sustainable correctional outcomes.

Lori Coppenrath

Justice+Civic Planning Leader, DLR Group, USA

Lori Coppenrath is an expert in justice facilities planning with over 30 years of experience creating environments that support safety, rehabilitation, and effective operations. Her work spans a diverse range of facility types, including detention centers, adult secure treatment facilities, juvenile campuses, courts, and public safety and law enforcement facilities. She is particularly focused on designing supportive spaces that advance alternatives to incarceration and improve reentry outcomes, such as work release housing, mental health step-down programs, pretrial services, and education programs. 
Lori’s approach centers on early and meaningful stakeholder engagement. She collaborates closely with clients, operators, and community partners to identify operational needs and opportunities to strengthen system performance. Her holistic methodology clarifies relationships and interdependencies within correctional environments to enhance staff effectiveness and quality of life for those in custody. 
Her project experience includes the Puerto Rico Facilities Optimization Assessment and Plan, Hawaii Women’s CCC Ho‘okipa Cottage, Oregon Youth Authority MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, Green Hill School Juvenile Recreation Building, the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs Tecumseh Campus Masterplan, Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, and the Oregon Department of Corrections 10-Year Strategic Plan. 
Lori holds a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis and dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Philosophy of Religion from Ithaca College. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and a frequent speaker on innovative correctional planning and programming.

James Corrigan

Deputy Chief Inspector and Chief Executive , Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI), Northern Ireland

Jerome Costanzo

Technical Advisor, Council of Europe Development Bank, France

Anne Costello

Coordinator, Traveller Justice Initiative, Ireland

Bruno Coutinho

Territorial Manager, Fundación “la Caixa”, Portugal

Bruno Coutinho is a sociologist, specialized in inequalities and social policies, with a postgraduate degree in public policy evaluation. 

He was a lecturer at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto and a researcher in the Social Economy research line at the Centre for Organisational and Social Studies (CEOS.PP). Over the past 20 years, he has worked in the design and management of social projects and programmes in Portugal and in the Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP). 

He has delivered more than 50 training courses on social impact measurement and evaluation for several international organizations.  

With over 10 years of experience as an evaluator of programmes and public policies for the European Development Fund, he has also contributed to the evaluation of United Nations strategic cooperation frameworks with third countries. 

He is currently part of the staff at the “la Caixa” Foundation, where he works within the Deputy Directorate-General for Culture and Territory and is responsible for the Incorpora and ReIncorpora Programme in Portugal.

Donna Creaven

Director Irish Prison Service / Member Europris, EuroPris - European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, Ireland

Donna Creaven is a member of the European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services (EuroPris) ICT Expert Group, where she plays a leading role in contributing to digital strategies. She is also Co-Chair of the ICT Network for the International Corrections & Prisons Association, contributing to global collaboration on technology in corrections. Donna is the Director of ICT, Governance, and Corporate Services at the Irish Prison Service. In this role, she oversees key areas such as ICT, corporate governance, and organisational strategy. Her professional expertise spans law, information technology, project and risk management, public administration, and corporate governance.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Masters in Management & Corporate Governance from the University of Ulster. Additionally, she is a Chartered Company Secretary, has completed a Professional Postgraduate Certificate in Data Protection Law from the University of Dublin, and a Professional Diploma in Strategy & Innovation from the Institute of Irish Management, University College Cork.

Donna previously served as a Board Director for Pobal, an organisation that supports the Irish Government in managing funding and services related to social inclusion, equality, inclusive employment, and enterprise. She also serves as a Council Member for the Association for Criminal Justice Research & Development. Furthermore, she has contributed to the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute's Expert Working Group, participating in research focused on technologies for prisoner rehabilitation.

Bettina Crossick

Head of VCSE Partnerships & Programmes (Voluntary, Community, & Social Enterprises), His Majesties Prison and Probation Service, England - United Kingdom

Bettina Crossick is responsible for Third Sector Partnerships and Programmes and Lived Experience for His Majesties Prison and Probation service. 

After gaining her Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW), Bettina joined the Probation Service, where she worked for over 20 years. She joined HMPPS in 2003 and has had a variety of roles including advising on high-risk and high-profile offender cases, working in the CEO's office, and in the office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, as Private Secretary. 

In her current role she is responsible for managing HMPPS’ relationships with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise - which are referred to collectively as the ‘Third Sector’ or VCSE. It explores and develops new strategic opportunities for MoJ and HMPPS to harness the expertise of the Third Sector to support its policy objectives. She also has responsibility for the oversight of the HMPPS grants, supporting colleagues in providing rehabilitation and care opportunities through the award and management of grants to organisations working in a range of specialisms including education, the arts and health, and well-being.   

Her interest in this area began in 2012 when she was managing Volunteering, Mentoring, Service User Engagement and Learning Disability and Difficulties and somehow the job morphed to become responsible for the MoJ and HMPPS third sector strategic engagement across England and Wales alongside the management of HMPPS’ grants programme.

Angela Cruze-Boldt

Founder, I AM FOSTER KID, USA

Sarah Curran

Clinical Lead, Relate NI, Northern Ireland

Ajema Meleta Dadi

Program Officer , Center for Justice, Ethiopia

Prof. Michele Deitch

Director/ Distinguished Senior Lecturer, Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, USA

Michele Deitch is a Distinguished Senior Lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, where she holds a joint appointment at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and at the UT School of Law and directs the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL), which is home to the National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight. Professor Deitch is widely recognized as one of the leading experts in the U.S. on the issue of correctional oversight and prison reform, and she has written and published extensively on these topics. She also advises policymakers and agencies around the U.S. on prison and jail safety issues and on the development of independent correctional oversight bodies. In 2019, the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) awarded her the Flame Award for her contributions to the field of prison oversight. 

Professor Deitch chairs the ICPA’s Network on External Prison Oversight and Human Rights. She served as the original drafter of the American Bar Association’s Standards on the Treatment of Prisoners. Prior to entering academia, she served as a court-appointed monitor of prison conditions in Texas and as a criminal justice policy advisor to the Texas Legislature.

Professor Deitch holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.Sc. from Oxford University, and a B.A. from Amherst College.

Bree Derrick

Director, Idaho Department of Correction, United States

Dr. Bree Derrick was appointed as director of the Idaho Department of Correction in 2025.  As the director, Bree oversees a system comprised of about 2,300 employees, ten prisons, five community reentry centers, and seven district probation and parole offices, with an annual budget of approximately $400M dollars. Bree served as the IDOC deputy director from 2019 until she was appointed director in 2025.  During that time, Bree oversaw the division of probation and parole, prisons, and management services and she played an instrumental role in the department’s rise as a national model for correctional systems.

Before joining IDOC, Bree worked at the Justice Center, assisted state correctional agencies in planning and implementing large-scale efforts to instill correctional best practices. Bree began her career with the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, later working at a private psychiatric hospital and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. During her 10 years with RIDOC, she held roles as a researcher and mental health clinician.

Along with a Ph.D., director Derrick is a licensed mental health counselor with a master’s degree in counseling and a certificate of advanced graduate study in mental health counseling. Bree currently serves as the Program and Training Committee Chair for the Correctional Leaders’ Association and is a board member for the Association of Women Executives in Corrections.

Brooke Dillon

Indigenous Cultural Advisor, Serco Justice, Australia

Selma Djokovic

Associate Director of Research, Vera Institute of Justice, USA

Dr Katherine Doolin PhD

Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Patricia Downey

Writer – Director – Facilitator – Filmmaker, Spanner in the Works Theatre Company, Northern Ireland

Patricia Downey is the Founder, Artistic Director, and writer of Spanner in the Works Theatre Company (SITW), a Belfast-based theatre company she established in 1998. With over 28 years of experience as a writer, director, drama facilitator, and filmmaker, Patricia has built a distinctive body of work that uses theatre and drama to explore challenging social issues – including work with offenders and ex-offenders, mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse, and human trafficking – with honesty, empathy, and impact.

Patricia has a long and established relationship with the Northern Ireland Prison Service, having delivered drama workshops and productions within prisons across Northern Ireland. Her work with offenders and ex-offenders centres on using the transformative power of theatre to support rehabilitation, build communication and emotional skills, reduce isolation, and help participants envision positive futures. She is passionate about reaching those most often overlooked by mainstream arts provision and brings specialist expertise in facilitation with marginalised groups, underpinned by qualifications in Mental Health and Wellbeing Coaching, Conflict Management, Child Protection, and Disability Equality. Her productions have been staged at the Lyric Theatre Belfast, toured nationally, and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe and Buxton Fringe Festivals, where SITW won Best Production twice. As a filmmaker, her short films have been recognised at international festivals. She has been awarded writing residencies at Hedgebrook in Seattle and a writers’ retreat in Croatia, and in 2015 received a Highly Commended Community Impact Award from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Michael Doyle PhD

Professor, The University of Sydney, Australia

Professor Michael Doyle is a Bardi man and national leader in Australian Aboriginal health research. Based at the University of Sydney, he leads the First Nations Health research team at the Edith Collins Centre for Translational Research in Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology.

Michael has worked in Aboriginal health since 1998, beginning in frontline service delivery before moving into research in 2008. His PhD, awarded in 2018, was the first to examine prison-based rehabilitation programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. His research program focuses on improving alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and health service delivery, with a particular focus on people transitioning between prison and community-based care.

He is Chief Investigator on 12 competitive Category 1 grants, including two as Chief Investigator A, these grant span randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, and service delivery research. Michael works closely with Aboriginal community controlled organisations and is co-chair of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council’s Human Research Ethics Committee in New South Wales. He also contributes nationally as a member of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Prisoner Health Data Committee.

Oliver Drews

Founder, Connecting Hearts Foundation, Germany

Oliver holds a diploma in Economics from the University of Hamburg and is a former banker. As CEO of Telio Group, he has led the company’s international growth over the past two decades, expanding it from a small team into an organization serving correctional facilities in 23 countries worldwide.

Alongside his professional work, Oliver has been actively involved in entrepreneurial and industry associations, including leadership roles at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Die Familienunternehmer, and the ICPA European Chapter, where he has served as a board member since 2024.

Oliver is committed to supporting rehabilitation and strengthening communication within correctional systems through practical and technology-driven solutions. He also actively promotes collaboration between public and private stakeholders in the corrections sector.

In 2022, Oliver founded Connecting Hearts Foundation to support children and families affected by incarceration, reflecting his long-standing commitment to social responsibility and meaningful connection.

Ioan Durnescu

Professor / Consultant, Independent, Romania

Prof. Dr. Ioan Durnescu is a professor at the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, where he engages in the teaching and research of probation, prison reform, and deradicalization. His academic interests are deeply rooted in the comparative study of probation systems, the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals, and the development of effective interventions with justice-involved persons.

He published extensively on core correctional skills (corecorrectional.eu) and conducted training sessions on this topic across various countries, including Slovenia, Jordan, Moldova, Spain, Croatia, Armenia and Kosovo. These sessions have not only allowed him to impart his knowledge but also to learn from the unique challenges and solutions found in different cultural contexts. 

In his role as one of the editors for the European Journal of Probation, Prof. Dr. Durnescu contributes to the critical examination and dissemination of research that informs best practices in probation. He also pioneered the creation of ReHub, an innovative app designed to translate scientific research into practical tools for those working in prisons and probation services. He recently co-edited important handbooks such as The Routledge Handbook on Global Community Corrections and The Routledge Handbook of European Penology. 

Ioan Durnescu is Team Leader of the Timisoara reintegration Centre feasibility study.

Lauren-Brooke (L.B.) Eisen JD

Senior Director, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, USA

Tim Elliott

Governor, Northern Ireland Prison Service, United Kingdom

No bio provided

Muhammad Ali Equatora M.Si.

Associate Professor, Department of Community Guidance, Politeknik Ilmu Pemasyarakatan, Depok, Indonesia

Dr. Muhammad Ali Equatora, A.Ks., M.Si., CIIQA., is an Associate Professor in Social Work at Politeknik Imigrasi dan Pemasyarakatan Indonesia with expertise in correctional social work and legal development. He serves as Head of the Community Guidance Department at Politeknik Pengayoman Indonesia from 2025 to 2026 and has previously held the position of Vice Director for Academic Affairs at Politeknik Ilmu Pemasyarakatan from 2023 to 2025. He is also the Chairperson of the Indonesian Association of Justice System and Correctional Social Workers (APSOSPEKSI).

Dr. Equatora has extensive professional experience within the Indonesian correctional system, beginning his career as a civil servant and serving in various roles, including correctional social worker, structural officer, and academic lecturer. Since 2016, he has been actively engaged as a permanent lecturer, contributing to the development of education and training in correctional sciences.

In the academic field, he is a prolific researcher with numerous publications in national and international journals, many of which are indexed in reputable databases such as Scopus. He is also actively involved as an editor and reviewer for various international scientific journals published by leading publishers.

Through his academic, professional, and organizational roles, Dr. Muhammad Ali Equatora continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of social work practice, particularly in the field of correctional services and justice systems.

Stian Estenstad

Director - Network after Prison, Oslo Red Cross, Norway

Stian Estenstad, born in Trondheim, Norway, has extensive experience in reintegration, and correctional services. With a background in substance use treatment and education from the Norwegian Correctional Service Education Center, he has worked as a prison officer at Ullersmo and Oslo Prisons, where he developed projects aimed at reducing recidivism and supporting individuals transitioning from prison back into society.

In 2004, Estenstad joined the Norwegian Red Cross, where he led the establishment of the “Network After Imprisonment” program — a nationwide initiative designed to support incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals during reintegration. The program has expanded to several major Norwegian cities and inspired similar initiatives internationally.

He also led the development of Norway’s first Reentry Center in Oslo, bringing together social services, education, rehabilitation programs, employment training, and support networks under one roof. The Reentry Center model is now being considered and tested in several Norwegian cities, while both European countries and organizations in the United States have shown interest in receiving assistance to establish similar solutions.

Estenstad has been responsible for a unique rehabilitation program using nature as an arena for change. Through five-day sailing expeditions aboard traditional Viking ships along the Norwegian coastline, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated participants live closely with nature through sailing, fishing, and teamwork. The program received significant national and international attention, and many participants have described the voyages as life-changing experiences that helped them set a new course in life.

Throughout his career, Stian Estenstad has focused on creating meaningful opportunities, dignity, and hope.

Kate Eves OBE

Panel Member, Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody, United Kingdom

Seena Fazel

Professor Forensic Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Department of Psychiatry, United Kingdom

Thomas Ferguson

Governor / Deputy Director of Prisons, NIPS, Northern Ireland

No bio provided

Jayne Finlay

Lecturer in Librarianship, The University of Sheffield, England

Dr Jayne Finlay is a Lecturer in Librarianship in the School of Information, Journalism and Communication at the University of Sheffield. Her work broadly focuses on the provision of library services to people impacted by incarceration, both in prison and in the community. She has carried out research on engagement with library services during incarceration, prison-based family reading programmes and the professional experiences of prison library staff. Holding a PhD in Education, she is keen to bridge the gap between education and library research, exploring how libraries serve as transformative spaces for informal learning and social connections.

In 2021, Jayne led a national review of prison library services in Ireland and continues to engage with policy development in England and Wales. She works closely with the CILIP Prison Libraries Group to facilitate professional development opportunities for prison library staff and to strengthen partnerships between prison and public library services. She sits on the committee of the Irish Prison Education Association as Liaison Officer.

James Foreman

East Midlands – Regional Manager, Ingeus UK, United Kingdom

James Foreman is the Regional Manager for the Ingeus Justice team in the UK, part of the APM Group, where he leads the delivery of high-quality rehabilitative services across both custodial and community settings. With responsibility for more than 10 justice contracts, James plays a pivotal role in ensuring services are safe, effective, and genuinely life changing for the people they support. Bringing over 25 years’ experience across the criminal justice system, James has spent nearly half of his career working within prisons, including both male and female establishments, where he held senior roles such as Resettlement Manager. This frontline experience continues to shape his values-driven approach to leadership, service design, and partnership working.

James is widely respected for his role in supporting the design, bid development, mobilisation, and management of complex contracts. As a contract manager, he has built a strong reputation for delivering high quality services, underpinned by excellence, innovation, and an unwavering focus on outcomes. He is particularly recognised for his creative thinking and his ability to develop new opportunities through collaborative and innovative ways of working. A passionate advocate for lived experience, James is proud to work alongside inspirational colleagues who have transformed their own lives and now use that experience to support others. He is particularly committed to creating meaningful opportunities for young adults, especially those with care experience. Driven, compassionate, and values led, James remains deeply motivated by one simple goal: helping people build brighter, safer, and more hopeful futures.

Melissa Frame

Director of Services, Start 360, Northern Ireland

As a Director of Services at Start360, I lead the strategic development and delivery of a regional portfolio of trauma-informed justice services across the Northern Ireland prison estate and community. 

My work focuses on designing innovative, evidence-informed approaches that support desistance, improve wellbeing, and reduce reoffending. I specialise in building effective partnerships between statutory and voluntary sectors, creating person-centered models that bridge custody and community settings.

Across my career, I have worked extensively with individuals experiencing substance use, trauma, and social exclusion, ensuring services respond to complex need in a coordinated and compassionate way.

Tracy Frimpong Esq, LL.B, B.L

Founder/Executive Director, Reduce Recidivism Ghana, Ghana

Yoshiaki Fukuda

Specialist, Ministry of Justice, Rehabilitation Bureau, Japan

Yoshiaki Fukuda is a specialist at the Rehabilitation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice of Japan, where he is engaged in the planning and development of legislation and policies relating to offender rehabilitation and community corrections. Throughout his career, he has worked across a wide range of policy and frontline practice settings, developing expertise in inter-agency collaboration and reintegration support for offenders released from prison.

While seconded to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, he was involved in the planning and development of employment support measures for offenders released from prison. At a probation office, he worked directly with offenders released from prison, coordinating welfare support and securing accommodation in collaboration with local governments, non-profit organisations, and other stakeholders. He also served in the International Affairs Division of the Ministry of Justice, where he was engaged in the planning and coordination of international cooperation initiatives with the G7 and ASEAN in the field of law and justice. In addition, he has experience working in a halfway house, the Immigration Services Agency, and the Cabinet Secretariat, providing him with both practical and policy-oriented perspectives on rehabilitation and reintegration.

Yu FUNG

Superintendent (Rehabilitation Unit 2), Hong Kong Correctional Services Department, China

Denise Galbraith

Project Manager, Extern, Northern Ireland

Denise is a qualified Social Worker with 11 years of professional experience and a commitment to supporting individuals facing complex social challenges. For the past six years, she has worked with Extern, a leading social justice charity delivering services across Ireland and the UK.

Denise began her work within Extern’s Approved Premises hostels, supporting individuals transitioning from the justice system back into the community. 

She now works within Extern’s Prisoner Support Project; working to reduce reoffending within short sentence population by addressing key barriers such as homelessness, addiction, mental health difficulties, and social isolation.

Jared Garcia

Commissioner, Utah Department of Corrections, United States

Jared Garcia was appointed Commissioner of the Utah Department of Corrections in March 2025. 

He began his career in public safety service in in 2002 when he was hired by the Utah Department of Public Safety. 

He served in a variety of roles at the Utah Highway Patrol and State Bureau of Investigation. Garcia oversaw the UHP Central Bureau, which includes Troopers in Salt Lake County and the DUI Squad. He also oversaw the SERT tactical team, the Motor Squad, the Dive Team, and the Public Order Unit. 

Previously, Garcia was a captain in charge of the State Bureau of Investigation, which investigates all types of criminal activity, from terrorism and homicide to sexual assault, gang activity, narcotics, and property crime. He also has overseen the Department of Public Safety’s Victim Services program, the Youth Narcotics Task Force, and the Narcotics and Violent Crime Evidence Response Team, among other responsibilities. 

In 2017, Garcia was named an International Association of Chiefs of Police “40 Under 40,” an award that recognizes 40 law enforcement professionals under the age of 40 from around the world who demonstrate leadership and exemplify commitment to their Profession. 

Garcia served as the Chief of Police in Moab, Utah starting in May 2022. He has also served on the governing boards for the Salt Lake Area Gang Project, Utah Trafficking in Persons Task Force, and the Utah Crime Victim Council. He joined the UDC in October 2023 as Deputy Executive Director. 

Garcia obtained a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in Criminal Justice Administration and a master’s degree from University of San Diego with an emphasis in law enforcement and public safety leadership. 

Jammie Gardner

Manager, Peer Support & Training, WellSpace Health, USA

Laurie Garduque

Porgram Director, MacArthur Foundation, USA

Siobhan Garrett

Strategic Lead for Implementation and Impact, Trauma Informed Schools and Communities United Kingdom

Siobhán Garrett is an educational consultant, trainer and therapeutic practitioner specialising in trauma-informed and relational approaches across schools, colleges and community settings. With more than twenty years’ experience in education, including leadership roles in primary and specialist settings, she works across the UK and Ireland supporting organisations to embed compassionate, evidence-informed practice that improves outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.

As a licensed trainer with TISCUK, Siobhán delivers training and consultancy focused on attachment, belonging, behaviour, mental health and the impact of adversity on learning and development. Her work draws on neuroscience, attachment theory and trauma-informed systems change, with a particular interest in social buffering, emotionally available adults, and the role of relational environments in strengthening resilience.

Siobhán has worked extensively with schools, further education colleges, local authorities, Violence Reduction Units and multi-agency partnerships to develop trauma-informed cultures that prioritise safety, connection and inclusion. She is also the founder of Healing Young Hearts Ltd and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Psychology and Trauma with the Anna Freud Centre and UCL.

Her work is grounded in the belief that relationships are central to healing and that children experiencing adversity require systems that recognise behaviour through a relational and developmental lens rather than a punitive one. Within the Invisible Walls partnership, Siobhán supports the development of trauma-informed approaches that help schools and services better understand and respond to the experiences of children affected by parental imprisonment.

Tassie Ghilani

HMPPS National Lived Experience Lead, Ministry of Justice, United Kingdom

Martin Gillå

Head of International Unit, Kriminalvarden, Sweden

Anke Gittenaer

Head of Unit, Belgian Agency for Justice and Enforcement, Belgium

Helen Glazebrook CF

Managing Director, Intelability Pty Ltd, Australia

Helen Glazebrook is a leading criminal intelligence expert with extensive experience driving intelligence reform across Australian corrective services, including custodial, parole, probation and the youth justice sector. With an extensive background in Australian law enforcement spanning across 30 years in state and federal policing, she has led the development of intelligence frameworks, practices, technologies, and legislative reforms that strengthen safety, proactive information sharing and executive decision making, while supporting safer outcomes for officers, clients, and communities. 

Helen has developed intelligence capability for community corrections, parole boards and probation specialists across Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and now within the United States of America.  Helen has also built a bespoke intelligence capability for Australian Border Force in immigration detention, underpinned by effective change management strategies provided by Tracey O’Brien. Reform projects provided by Helen are based on corrections intelligence international best practice identified through a Winston Churchill Fellowship which she completed in 2022. 

Helen holds a degree in Justice Studies, specialising in intelligence and investigations, Chairs the International Corrections and Prison Association Intelligence Network Group and has lectured and coordinated intelligence studies at Queensland University of Technology.

Sam Gluckstein

Deputy Chief Inspector, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland

Ian Goodwin-Smith

Matthew Flinders Professor, Dean (Research), College of Business, Creative Arts, Law and Social Sciences Director, Centre for Social Impact (CSI) Flinders Deputy Director (Industry Engagement), ARC Ce, Flinders University, Australia

Sherri Gordon

Prisoner Advocate, and Community Justice & Reintegration Advocate, Integrated Justice Collective Canada Inc,

Sherri Gordon, B.A. Human Justice, is the Co-Founder and Community Justice & Reintegration Advocate of Integrated Justice Collective Canada Inc., a Canadian nonprofit organization focused on justice advocacy, reintegration support, and community collaboration for individuals and families impacted by incarceration. She is also a Certified Independent Gladue Writer and previously worked as a First Nations Representative within a First Nations community, where she witnessed firsthand many of the systemic barriers impacting Indigenous individuals and families, including child welfare involvement, incarceration, addiction, mental health challenges, family separation, and intergenerational trauma.

In addition to her professional experience, Sherri brings lived experience as the wife of an Indigenous man serving a life sentence while actively pursuing a wrongful conviction case. Drawing from both professional and lived experience perspectives, her work focuses on strengthening collaboration between institutions, Indigenous communities, families, and community support systems to improve reintegration outcomes, support healing and cultural connection, and promote safer, healthier communities.

John Graham

Head of Learning & Skills, North West Regional College, Northern Ireland

Luke Grant

Deputy Commissioner, Corrective Services New South Wales, Australia

Hayden Gray

Programme Manager, Department of Corrections, New Zealand, Ara Poutama Aotearoa

Ruth Gray

Assistant Director in Quality Improvement and Innovation, SEHSCT, Northern Ireland

Luis Guedes

Chief Inofrmation Officer, Ministry of Justice, Portugal

Luís Fernando Sousa Guedes is Chief Information Officer for the Portuguese Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP), where he leads ICT strategy, digital transformation, and technology modernization initiatives across Portugal’s correctional system. With extensive experience in correctional technology, operational systems, and public-sector innovation, he has played a central role in advancing secure digital infrastructure, modernizing information management, and supporting integrated service delivery within complex custodial and reintegration environments.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Guedes has contributed to the development and implementation of technology-enabled approaches designed to strengthen institutional effectiveness, operational efficiency, rehabilitation outcomes, and inter-agency collaboration. His work reflects a strong focus on balancing innovation, security, and service improvement within modern correctional systems. He brings significant international experience and practical insight into how technology and cross-sector partnerships can support sustainable correctional reform and broader justice-sector modernization.

Terry Hackett

Senior Associate, International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLR), Canada

Terry Hackett is an internationally recognized expert in prison reform, detention governance, prison infrastructure, and rule of law based criminal justice systems. He is a Senior Associate with the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy and co-founder and principal of Praesora Consulting, advising governments and international organizations on prison reform, detention standards, infrastructure planning, leadership, and institutional governance.
 
From 2018 to 2025, Terry served with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), most recently as Head of the Persons Deprived of Liberty Unit in Geneva. In this role he led the development of global policy and operational practice for ICRC work across prison, police, military, and migration detention systems in more than 75 countries. He oversaw multidisciplinary programs addressing prison management, detention governance, prison infrastructure, and detention conditions, and led ICRC thought leadership on prison planning and design and the responsible use of technology in custodial environments.
 
In addition to this global leadership role, Terry conducted operational missions and technical engagements in more than 20 countries, working with governments, justice ministries, and correctional authorities to translate international standards into practical reforms. Earlier in his career, Terry spent 22 years with Correctional Service of Canada, including as Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Correctional Operations (Pacific Region), and served as Canada’s senior correctional official in Afghanistan supporting national correctional reform efforts.

Terry holds graduate degrees in international law and human security and is a frequent speaker and author on prison reform, detention governance, and correctional leadership.

Josephine Hahn ScD

Senior Research Fellow, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, USA

Professor Andrii Halai

Head of the Research Center for Penitentiary Studies and Criminal Justice, Penitentiary Academy of Ukraine, Ukraine

Mark Halsey

Matthew Flinders Professor of Criminology, Director - ARC Centre of Excellence for Prisoner Reintegration, ARC Industry Laureate Fellow, Flinders University, Australia

Ralf Hammer

Ministerialrat, Federal Ministry Finance, Austria

Dr. Ralph Hammer is Head of the Staff Department for Security Research and Technology Transfer at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance. In this role, he is responsible for Austria’s major security and defence research funding programmes, including KIRAS, FORTE, and, since 2023, the cybersecurity research programme K-PASS. He also represents Austria as delegation lead to the EU security research programme “Civil Security for Society” within Horizon Europe.

With a background in law and international law, Dr. Hammer brings long-standing expertise in European and international security research policy. His work focuses on connecting public authorities, research organisations, industry, and end-users to develop practical, responsible, and innovation-driven solutions for contemporary security challenges. He has also served as a national expert at the European Commission on security within the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, further strengthening his role as a bridge between Austrian and European security research communities.

Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela

Commissioner General, Namibian Correctional Service, Namibia

Mayumi Hando

Professor, UNAFEI (The United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders), Japan

Paula Harriot

CEO, UNLOCK, England

John Harrison

Director Acacia Prison, Serco, Australia

Dr Laurel Harry

Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, USA

Dr. Laurel R. Harry was named Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) by Governor Josh Shapiro in January 2023 and was unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on June 22, 2023. Dr. Harry began her career in 1999 as a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist II at SCI Waynesburg. She worked her way through the ranks as a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist Supervisor, Unit Manager, Corrections Classification and Program Manager, Staff Assistant to the Central Region Deputy Secretary, Deputy Superintendent, and Superintendent of SCI Camp Hill for ten years. Prior to Secretary, she served as Acting Western Region Deputy Secretary.

In addition to serving at six state correctional institutions across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dr. Harry was a member of the Western Region Hostage Negotiation Team for six years and graduated from the Criminal Justice Executive Leadership Program in 2008 and the Leadership Development Institute in 2010. She was also recognized by the PA Prison Wardens Association as the 2019 Warden of the Year. Dr. Harry earned her doctorate in criminal justice at California University of Pennsylvania, and her master’s degree in counseling and bachelor’s degree in psychology at West Virginia University.

Kristina Hartman

Superintendent, Windham School District, USA

Kristina J. Hartman has served as superintendent of Windham School District since 2019, operating 102 schools in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Superintendent Hartman's 23-year career in education in corrections has included a variety of roles in both Florida and Texas. Her focus areas include education in corrections policy, identification and removal of unnecessary employment barriers, access to higher education, digital literacy and technology advancement. 

Ms. Hartman earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Political Science from Baylor University, Master of Arts in Special Education and Education Specialist in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida. Superintendent Hartman previously served as the President of the Council of Directors for the Correctional Education Association and is a board member for the Texas Corrections Association and Board of Governors member for the American Correctional Association. Outside of work, Ms. Hartman enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, swimming, and attending live music events.

Akinari Hayashi

Correctional Psychologist / Doctoral Student, Niigata Prison / Nagoya University, Japan

Don Head

Commissioner, Retired, Correctional Service of Canada, Canada

Don Head was a Canadian career public servant and the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), from June 27, 2008 to February 2, 2018. He is the longest serving Deputy Minister to lead the CSC. He worked mostly in the federal public service and began his career in 1978 as a correctional officer in CSC's Pacific Region. Between 1978 and 1995, he held operational and managerial positions in four federal institutions, Pacific Regional Headquarters, Ontario Regional Headquarters and the National Headquarters, in Ottawa. In 1995, Head moved to the Yukon Department of Justice where he was appointed Superintendent of the Whitehorse Correctional Centre then as the Director of Territorial Probation and Correctional Services. After three years, he moved to Saskatchewan where he joined the Saskatchewan Department of Corrections and Public Safety as Assistant Deputy Minister. In 2002, Head returned to the federal Correctional Service where he was hired as Senior Deputy Commissioner and lead several branches within the CSC, leading several major transformation initiatives. 

In 2008 he was appointed by the Prime Minister to lead the Correctional Service of Canada. He has received many awards, through his career, including the Governor General's Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, with 2 Bars, the Public Service Award of Excellence for Diversity and Employment Equity, the Visible Minority Leadership and Excellence Award, The Aboriginal Network Award for Leadership and Excellence, the Royal Ottawa Hospital Award for Leadership in Mental Health, etc.

Lacides Hernandez

Executive Director, Prison Fellowship Colombia

Eva Nuriyah Hidayat

Associate Professor, Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Padjadjaran University, Indonesia.

Dr. Eva Nuriyah Hidayat, S.Sos., M.Si., is an Associate Professor in Social Welfare  at Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Padjadjaran University, Indonesia. with expertise in correctional social work and legal development. 

 Dr. Eva Nuriyah Hidayat, S.Sos., M.Si. has extensive professional experience within the Indonesian correctional system, beginning his career as a civil servant and serving in various roles, including correctional social worker, structural officer, and academic lecturer. Since 2016, he has been actively engaged as a permanent lecturer, contributing to the development of education and training in correctional sciences.

In the academic field, he is a prolific researcher with numerous publications in national and international journals, many of which are indexed in reputable databases such as Scopus. He is also actively involved as an editor and reviewer for various international scientific journals published by leading publishers.

Through his academic, professional, and organizational roles, Eva Nuriyah Hidayat, S.Sos., M.Si. continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of social work practice, particularly in the field of correctional services and justice systems.

Chris Hill

Chief Executive Officer, CORCAN, Canada

Starting his career as a Parole Officer in 1999, Chris spent the better part of the next 20 years working in various operational and executive capacities, assuming progressively greater leadership positions.  This included operational roles as a Section Supervisor and the Director of Operations for the Ottawa District Parole Office as well as executive roles as the Director of Operations for the Women Offender Sector, the Director of Institutional Reintegration Operations, and the National Director of Security Operations.  Prior to leaving the public service in 2017, Chris was the Director General of Labour Relations and Workplace Wellness for the Correctional Service of Canada.  

Between 2017 and 2023, Chris was the Chief Operating Officer at Modern Niagara Group Incorporated, the largest trades contractor in Canada.  His team played a central role in Modern Niagara being named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers in 2019 and 2020.  As the COO, Chris led the Modern Niagara team through a period of exponential growth, despite the impact of the global pandemic.

Currently the Chief Executive Officer for CORCAN Industries, Chris has led the CORCAN team through three consecutive years of the best results in the organization’ history, positioning CORCAN as a central player in various national initiatives.

Chris has over twenty-five years of leadership experience dealing with diverse sets of challenges within the private and public sector realms.  He is known for his intensity, passion, and ability to analyze, develop and advance comprehensive strategic plans in the face of pressing and complex issues.

Yvonne Hill

Complex Lives Manager, Belfast City Council Complex Lives, Northern Ireland

Wendy Hoey

Chief Executive, Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network NSW, Australia

Veronica Holland

Deputy Director, Reducing Offending Division, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Veronica has worked in the Department of Justice for 15 years across a range of areas including victims and witnesses, violence against the person and reducing offending.  

In her current post Veronica has responsibility for development a new Reducing Offending and Reoffending Strategy, consideration of alternatives to remand (including the introduction of a new bail support scheme – for women in the first instance) and expansion of the use of restorative justice approaches, through a new adult diversionary pilot.  She also is responsible for new youth justice provisions in the Justice Bill dealing with bail, remand and custody.  

This work provides strategic direction, oversight and monitoring of efforts to reduce offending and reoffending, working in partnership with criminal justice, voluntary sector and Departmental partners, to improve outcomes for offenders and ultimately build a safer Northern Ireland through reducing offending behaviour. 

Prior to this Vernica was responsible for bringing forward a five-year Victim and Witness Strategy; new Victim and Witness Charters; and the introduction of Registered Intermediaries (communication specialists) schemes to all criminal court tiers.  

She also was responsible for introducing a range of initiatives to tackle domestic and sexual abuse, including the introduction of a new Domestic Abuse Offence, a Domestic Homicide Review model, a Domestic Violence and Abuse Disclosure Scheme and an Advocacy Support service.  She also contributed to the development of the Executive’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and prepared a new Stopping Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy in conjunction with the Department of Health.

Robert Hollander

Global Detention Systems Adviser, International Committee of the Red Cross, Switzerland

Robert Hollander has over 30 years of professional experience in prison systems, detention management, and criminal justice, working in both domestic and conflict-affected contexts. He currently serves as Global Detention Systems Adviser within the People Deprived of Liberty Unit at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva.

Since joining the ICRC more than 10 years ago, he has supported detention-related activities in prisons, police, military, and migration detention environments across Lebanon, the Gulf region, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Before joining the ICRC, Robert worked for two decades with the Dutch Custodial Agency in various correctional functions, focusing on prison operations, detention management, and institutional practice.

Throughout his career, his work has centred on bridging policy, international detention standards, and field realities, with particular attention to detention systems operating under pressure, including in fragile and conflict-affected environments. He has overseen and supported multidisciplinary detention programs covering prison management, infrastructure, hygiene and living conditions, and engagement with authorities on practical detention-related challenges.

Robert’s professional background includes studies in mental health and forensic psychiatry, which continue to inform his perspective on detention systems and the treatment and wellbeing of people deprived of liberty.

Mark Holmes

Governor in Charge, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Dearbhla Holohan

Assistant Director of Children's Services, Barnardo's Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Dearbhla Holohan is a qualified Youth Worker with over 20 years’ experience working with children and young people across the community and voluntary sector, with a particular focus on those in contact with the care and justice systems. Her professional background includes the design and leadership of large‑scale, multi‑agency and partnership‑based youth initiatives addressing mentoring, employability, personal development, and peacebuilding.

Dearbhla is currently Assistant Director of Children’s Services at Barnardo’s Northern Ireland, the largest children’s charity in the UK. She has strategic responsibility for a wide range of services, including Family Support and Assessment, Early Intervention and Early Years provision, Hidden Harm services, children and young people’s Participation, and prison‑based Parenting Programmes. Her role centres on cross‑sector collaboration with justice, health, education, and community partners to improve outcomes for children and families affected by poverty and exclusion.

Prior to joining Barnardo’s, Dearbhla spent 13 years with Include Youth, a rights‑based organisation supporting young people with experience of care and justice systems, and a further six years working within the homelessness and housing sector.

Kristi Holt

Director of Technology and Innovation, Utah Department of Corrections, United States

Sean Hosman

CEO/Founder, Vant4ge, United States

As a justice-impacted serial entrepreneur with 28 years of experience in the correctional industry, Sean Hosman has a unique perspective on both business and second chances. Using technology to drive criminal justice outcomes is one of his many passions, along with finding solutions to improve all of the lives impacted by the criminal justice system. 

Sean is a leader in the changing technology landscape, finding ways to improve accuracy and impact results. His career-long understanding of automated decision support, deep expertise in artificial intelligence, and commitment to mission-driven outcomes strengthen and support his work. In 1998, he founded Vant4ge, a human services and predictive analytics technology company that has revolutionized correctional care and case management. He also founded Persevere, a national non-profit that teaches justice-involved individuals to code behind prison bars and provides wrap-around support services and comprehensive life transformation for their families.  Finally, Sean founded Banyan Labs, a technology development and AI product company that hires Persevere graduates. Each of these businesses play a vital role in increasing public safety and improving the criminal justice system, while also inspiring hope, teaching skills, and providing opportunities. 

Today, Sean has pioneered the use of generative and agentic artificial intelligence in corrections through the creation of AIDA, an agentic AI assessor. AIDA is built to relieve staff by multiplying productivity through the rapid collection of decision-ready data. The results are changing the lives of justice-involved individuals, breaking cycles of multi-generational incarceration, and bringing relief and increased safety to complex criminal justice operations.

Monica Irfan

Acting Director General, Policy, Planning and Operations, Parole Board of Canada

Paulien Jagt

Program manager, Dutch Custodial Institutions Agency, Netherlands

Ashwini Jarral

Senior Advisor, IJIS Institute, USA

Ashwini Jarral currently serves as the senior advisor at the IJIS Institute and is the founder of The Center of Excellence (COE) on Artificial Intelligence for Justice, Public Safety, and Security.  The COE provides expertise on the responsible, legal, and ethical use of AI. Mr. Jarral also provides advisory services for non-profit and not-for-profit organizations to help advise them on digital transformation strategies. 

Prior to his current role, Jarral was the co-founder of an innovative healthcare technology company, IDYA4, serving as the Chief Operating Officer before the acquisition of IDYA4 by CloudMD in 2021.
 
Prior to IDYA4, Jarral served as the Executive Director (CEO) of the IJIS Institute, a nonprofit corporation formed by the U.S. Department of Justice, to help state and local governments develop ways to share information among disciplines engaged in homeland security, justice, and public safety. 

Jarral has been recognized nationally, and internationally for his work in information sharing since the tragic event of 9/11. In addition to the Justice and Public Safety sector, he also worked in the private sector providing professional technology services and solutions in finance and telecommunications. 

Jarral has published numerous articles, white papers, and reports on technology standards, interoperability, and information sharing. He has played a key role in developing various information-sharing standards. 

Jarral holds a B.S. in Decision Science and Management Information Systems (DMIS) and a M.S. in Management Information Systems. He is a Project Management Institute (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) and Six Sigma Green Belt Certified Professional

Rob Jeffreys

Board Member, ICPA, United States

Valerie Jenness

Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine, USA

Berit Johnsen

Research Professor, The University College of the Norwegian Correctional Service, Norway

Jason Johnson

Undersecretary of Operations for Corrections, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, United States

Julie Jones

Schools and Prisons Manager, Invisible Walls, United Kingdom

Julie Jones (Schools and Prisons Manager at Invisible Walls) has a background supporting children who experience domestic abuse and champions the vital role of schools for children lacking a stable home life.  Since 2012, she has focused on children whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system.

In 2014, Julie developed 'School Zone,' a distinctive service creating a triangular relationship between prisoners, their child, and their teacher. She delivers training to school staff and professionals on the impact of parental imprisonment and establishes a network of schools with 'prison champions'. Hundreds of schools across Wales have visited prison establishments to gain insight from the child's perspective, which improves teacher understanding and outcomes like school attendance, reduced stigma, and better mental health for the children.

Her work has been nationally recognised, including a highlight at the 2017 Crime and Social Justice Awards and a prestigious 2022 Butler Trust Award from the Princess Royal.  In 2024, her efforts led to a ground-breaking event: schools came into a Welsh PCOSO prison to meet with security-approved fathers and their children for the first time in penal history. 

Julie is now working to replicate 'School Zone' in English establishments.  Additionally, she completed the Level 5 Diploma in Trauma and Mental Health and now collaborates with Trauma Informed Schools and Communities (UK) to deliver online training, helping hundreds of practitioners across Wales identify and support 'hidden' children.

Viktor Jovev

Rule of Law Programme Officer, United Nations, DPPA-DPO, Justice and Corrections Service, United States

Viktor Jovev is a rule of law and criminal justice expert with the United Nations Justice and Corrections Service. He has over 20 years of experience supporting criminal justice, accountability and corrections interventions in conflict, post-conflict and complex security settings.

He has served for over a decade with the United Nations Department of Peace Operations (DPO) in New York as a Corrections and Judicial Affairs Officer, providing strategic and technical advice to peace operations on criminal justice, detention and accountability. His work includes legal and policy guidance on rule of law, accountability and detention reform, support for mandate implementation and sustained engagement with UN Member States, including a strong focus on the deployment of national corrections experts to UN peace operations.

Earlier, Mr. Jovev served as a judicial expert with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, as Deputy Representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras, and as Head of Office for the International Commission on Missing Persons in Colombia, among other assignments. He holds an LL.M. in International Human Rights Protection and a degree in international criminal law, with professional experience across Africa, Latin America, the Western Balkans, and at UN Headquarters.

Martin Kampel PhD

Senior Scientist, Technical University of Vienna, Austria

Martin Kampel is a Professor at TU Wien’s Computer Vision Lab, where he leads applied research at the intersection of computer vision, machine learning, and real-world societal challenges. His work spans ambient assisted living, cultural heritage, surveillance, robotics, trustworthy AI, 3D vision, and behaviour analysis. With more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, he has contributed extensively to international research in computer vision and has helped translate academic innovation into deployable technologies, including through entrepreneurial and industry-facing initiatives.

In the justice and security domain, Professor Kampel has played a leading role in Austrian KIRAS-funded research projects that bring together academia, public authorities, industry, and social science partners. These collaborations focus on responsible AI-supported solutions for correctional environments, including secure digital communication, multilingual speech recognition, automated transcription, intelligent monitoring, interoperable information systems, and video analytics. His work emphasises not only technical innovation, but also implementation readiness, legal and ethical compliance, user acceptance, and measurable operational impact in highly sensitive institutional settings.

Liam Kelly

Artist, Prisoner Arts Foundation, Northern Ireland

Lynn Kelly

CEO/Director, Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group, England

Lynn brings over 25 years of experience at senior management level across the private and third sectors, with a strong track record in delivering local, national, and international initiatives within the fields of criminal justice and social inclusion.

She has led the design and implementation of high-value, complex projects, managing a diverse portfolio of funding streams, including national and local government contracts, charitable grants, and philanthropic contributions. Throughout her career, Lynn has contributed to numerous advisory boards and research initiatives, supporting the development of policy and practice across the criminal and social justice sectors.

In 2014, Lynn joined POPS as Head of Operations, where she was responsible for overseeing core business functions and managing the national delivery of commissioned Family Support services across both custodial and community settings.

On 2 January 2025, Lynn was appointed Director of POPS. In this role, she holds overall responsibility for the Charity’s sustainability and strategic growth. Her work emphasises partnership development and stakeholder engagement, alongside contributing to national and local strategy and policy. 

Lynn is committed to strengthening and advancing robust family support services within the criminal justice system and the wider community.

John Kennedy

Assistant Chief Inspector, Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), Northern Ireland

No bio provided

Dr. Richard Kirk

Clinical Director Healthcare in Prison Northern Ireland, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, United Kingdom

I am a medical doctor (GP) and Clinical Director of Healthcare in Prison in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. We are responsible for the delivery of healthcare in all of Northern Irelands prisons.

I am a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs, the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, have an MBA from Durham University and am part 2 certified in Addictions Medicine.

I have been a partner in a community GP practice for over 11 years and also have experience as a medical expert for the Council of Europe CPT and as an NHS England Prisoner Ombudsman Clinical Reviewer.

Nanshin Kumtap LL.M

Chief Superintendent of Corrections, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria

Jane Kuria

Founder/ Chief Executive Officer, Ustawi Network/ Power of Mercy Advisory Commitee

Dmytro Kyselov

Junior Researcher at the Research Center for Penitentiary Studies and Criminal Justice, Penitentiary Academy of Ukraine

Dave Lageweg

Chief Business Officer, TELIO, The Netherlands

Caroline Lanskey

University Associate Professor in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Ka Lok Edison Lau

Senior Manager, SideBySide, China

Edison is an enthusiastic professional in the social welfare sector, currently serving as a Senior Manager at SideBySide in Hong Kong. With a career deeply rooted in the helping professions and social work, Edison focuses on advancing community reintegration through the application of desistance theory and the support of marginalized populations, especially "Persons in Desistance" (PiD). He is particularly interested in the areas of social research, data management, and the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence to modernize NGO operations and enhance offender rehabilitation.

Edison holds a Master of Social Sciences in Criminology, a Master of Social Sciences in Counseling Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) with Honors. Complementing his clinical and academic background, he also earned an Advanced Diploma in Big Data Analytics and Applications to sharpen his capacity for data-driven decision-making and evidence-informed interventions.

In his current role, Edison works to optimize service delivery and resource allocation for marginalized populations. He advocates for a societal shift toward viewing crime as a public health issue, prioritizing systemic prevention. A strong proponent of lifelong learning and agile leadership, Edison is committed to advancing both professional practice and academic discourse to create robust, scalable protocols for community well-being and long-term social impact.

Oak Lawrenson

AHRC CDP PhD Researcher, Ulster University and National Museums, Northern Ireland

Tiago Leitão

CEO, European Association for Social Innovation, Portugal

Dr. Sarah Lewis

CEO, Penal Reform Solutions, England, United Kingdom

No bio provided

Randall Liberty

Commissioner, Maine Department of Corrections, USA

Commissioner Randall Liberty was hired by the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office in 1989 as a Deputy Sheriff. Over twenty-six years, he served as a Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Major, Chief Deputy, and as the elected Sheriff for nine years. During his tenure as Sheriff, his efforts focused on justice-involved military veterans, drug enforcement, and addiction treatment. He served as the President of the Maine Sheriffs Association, as the Chairman of the Maine Drug Enforcement Advisory Board and as Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the University of Maine (Augusta).

Commissioner Liberty served in the Army in multiple capacities, including as a Military Policeman in Korea, in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, and as a Command Sergeant Major in the City of Fallujah, under the tactical command of the 1st Marine Division. 

Liberty is a three-time State of Maine Law Enforcement Officer of the year. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the National Sheriffs Leadership Institute and the New England Chiefs of Police Command Course. He earned a master’s in management and leadership from Liberty University and a B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Maine (Augusta).

Liberty served as the Warden of the Maine State Prison. He currently serves as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections and is the author of the recent best-seller “Liberty’s Prison”. During his tenure as Commissioner, Liberty implemented the Maine Model of Corrections, where dignity, respect and a non-adversarial approach are at the foundation of success.

Alison Liebling

Professor, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Karen Logan

Senior Curator of History, National Museums, Northern Ireland

Lynn Long

Executive Director, Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, Northern Ireland

No bio provided

Rachel Long

Director of Operations at Niacro, NIACRO, Northern Ireland

Rose Lougheed

General Manager Primary Care, Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, Australia

Dr Rohan Lulham

Seniour Lecturer in Design, University of Sydney, Australia

Bobby Lumpkin

Executive Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, USA

Megan Lynch M.S.

Senior Program Manager, Amend at UCSF, USA

Campbell MacInnis MA

Teacher, Correctional Services Canada

Kevin MacInnis

Chief of Education, Correctional Services Canada

Tom Magill

Artistic Director / Film-maker / Peer Mentor, ESC Films, Northern Ireland

Tom Magill is a former felon turned filmmaker who has spent over 20 years as a peer mentor to prisoners. Sentenced at 19 for a violent felony, Tom entered prison with no qualifications, no prospects, and a handful of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Inside, an unlikely mentor — an IRA hunger striker — sent him to the prison library, where he discovered first Steinbeck, then Shakespeare. That encounter changed the course of his life.

After release, Tom studied drama at Birmingham University, won a Fringe First at Edinburgh, and co-founded ESC Films in Belfast in 1999. In 2006/7, working in partnership with Maghaberry high-security prison — then dubbed the most dangerous prison in the UK — he directed Mickey B, the world's first feature film adaptation of Macbeth shot inside a prison with prisoners as its cast. The film went on to screen at 34 universities across 12 countries, win international awards, and feature in taught courses at institutions including the Open University, Emory, Atlanta USA and the University of Guelph, Canada. Tom has since lectured to prison officers in South Korea, collaborated with academics across Europe and North America, and spent two decades using Shakespeare as a tool for peer mentoring, trauma processing and rehabilitation. His story “From Felon to Filmmaker” is published in Shakespeare, Education and Pedagogy (London: Routledge, 2023).

Phaello Malataliana

Corrections Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan, South Sudan

Dr. Phaello Olivia Malataliana is a senior corrections professional with extensive experience in national correctional services and international prison reform. She holds a PhD in Criminology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, where her research focused on sex offender rehabilitation.

She served in the Lesotho Correctional Service from 2002 to 2022, rising through the ranks to Deputy Commissioner. In this role, she oversaw operations as well as the Health, Legal, and Human Rights Sections, demonstrating a strong commitment to rehabilitation, institutional management, and rights-based service delivery.

Following her national service, Dr. Malataliana transitioned to the international arena, working as a corrections advisor in Somalia and Liberia. She currently serves with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan as a Professional Corrections Officer and Deputy Head of the Corrections Unit, where she supports institutional development and promotes effective, humane, and rights-based correctional practices in post-conflict settings.

Her career reflects a rare combination of practical leadership experience and academic expertise, contributing meaningfully to the advancement of correctional systems in complex environments.

Jérôme Mangelinckx

Technical Advisor, Council of Europe Development Bank, France

Lee Manning

Head of Operational Contract Management, HMPPS, United Kingdom

My name is Lee Manning and I am the Head of Operational Contract Management for the Youth Custody Service in the United Kingdom. I am responsible for overseeing Secure Children's Homes, a Secure Training Centre, Education in Youth Offending Institutions, Children's Rights and Advocacy and a number of other contracted provisions. 

I have 14 years of experience across His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service working as a Juvenile Prison Officer at the very start of my career, moving through the adult male and female estate in a number of roles and then managing private probation contracts and working in our approved premise estate for high risk offenders.

Kristen Markos AIA, NCARB

Principal | Behavioral Health Practice Leader, HOK, USA

Kristen is a Principal and Behavioral Health Practice Leader at HOK, with over 18 years of experience as a licensed architect, programmer, and planner. She specializes in justice, courts, juvenile justice, and behavioral health environments, bringing a strong understanding of how design can support safety, dignity, rehabilitation, and operational effectiveness.

At HOK, Kristen leads and supports planning and design efforts for complex institutional and behavioral health projects. Her experience includes program management, facility analysis, master planning, security analysis, trauma-informed design, and construction documentation. She has contributed to projects across the country, working closely with clients, operators, and multidisciplinary teams to develop practical, human-centered facility solutions.

Kristen is recognized for her client-focused approach and her ability to connect behavioral health, operations, planning, and design outcomes. She is passionate about creating environments that support staff, residents, clients, and the communities they serve.

John Marrion

IT Shared Services, Northern Ireland Prison Service, United Kingdom

Stephen Martin

Chief Executive, Youth Justice Agency, Youth Justice Agency, Northern Ireland

Pauline Matthews

Cruse Prisons Manager, Cruse, Northern Ireland

Valerie McCloskey

Assistant Director of Rehabilitation and Reducing Offending, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Tahnee McCorry

CEO The White Ribbon, The White Ribbon, Northern Ireland

Michael McCracken

Principal Psychologist, PBNI, Northern Ireland

Michael McCracken is Probation Board NI Principal Psychologist.

Michael has responsibility for the Psychology Teams along with Regional and Intensive Supervision Unit Programme teams. He is also also responsible for Probation's Promoting Positive Relationships Programme (PPRP).

He is lead for Trauma Informed Practice within Probation and also has responsibility for overseeing Psychology Teams and Regional & Intensive Supervision Unit Programme Teams. He is also responsible for the leading the Promoting Positive Relationships Programme (PPRP) , and managing psychology‑based research projects .

Denise McCreanor

Lead Nurse HMP Maghaberry ( Northern Ireland), South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland

Denise McCreanor is the Lead Nurse at HMP Maghaberry and has held this role for the past four years, providing clinical and professional leadership to a diverse primary care nursing team within Northern Ireland’s most complex prison. During this time, she has led services through an exponential rise in both the volume and complexity of healthcare need, including a growing cohort of older people in prison with significant physical health, disability, and long-term conditions.

Denise has been central to developing patient‑centred responses to these challenges, navigating complex commissioning arrangements and policy constraints, particularly in relation to the provision of social care within a custodial environment. Through strong clinical leadership, advocacy, and collaborative working, she has consistently focused on maintaining safety, dignity, and equity of care for individuals whose needs often extend beyond traditional prison healthcare models.
Her work reflects a sustained commitment to improving outcomes for people with complex needs in custody and to leading innovation in prison healthcare delivery.

Emma McCullough

Director of Governance & Corporate Services, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Michael J. McCusker

Engagement and Advocacy Manager, The Turnaround Project, Northern Ireland

Chris McDonagh

Manager, Traveller Mediation Service, Ireland

Chris is the Manager of the Traveller Mediation Service (TMS). The TMS is a partnership initiative supported by Restorative Justice in the Community. It focuses on mediating conflicts between Travellers, Travellers and agencies, and between Travellers and the settled Community. TMS promotes conflict prevention and intervention skills training, engaging with various stakeholders, including the Gardaí and local authorities.

Chris and his colleagues provide prisoners with peer mediation training to help prevent conflicts from escalating into violence. This work has made a significant contribution to reducing violence within prisons. Men and women with lived experience of imprisonment, who are trained in peer mediation, co-facilitate programmes in both prisons and the wider community. Their lived experience makes them powerful role models, while also creating meaningful employment opportunities.

Chris is a Traveller man and holds a Master’s in Mediation and a Diploma in Mediation Negotiation & Conflict Intervention from Maynooth University, and a Diploma in Addiction Studies from University College Dublin (UCD).

Tony McDonnell

Head of Infrastructure and Asset Management, Head of Infrastructure and Asset Management, Northern Ireland

Michele McElnea

Senior Officer, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Shelton McElroy

Founder/Clinician, Story Group & Associates, USA

"Shelton McElroy is a licensed professional counselor associate, social entrepreneur, and national reentry and workforce systems leader with more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of corrections, behavioral health, housing, and community-based reintegration. His work focuses on designing humane, evidence-informed alternatives to incarceration and building cross-sector partnerships that translate research and policy into practice on the ground.

Shelton currently leads and advises multiple initiatives supporting justice-impacted individuals, including transitional housing models, workforce development programs, and higher-education-in-prison and reentry efforts operating across federal and state systems. He has served as a strategic advisor to national reentry workforce initiatives, collaborated with universities and researchers on community-engaged and implementation-focused studies, and supported corrections agencies and nonprofits in strengthening diversion, reentry, and stabilization pathways. Grounded in lived experience of the systems he now helps shape, Shelton brings a practitioner’s lens to complex system challenges—centering dignity, accountability, and sustainability while elevating the voices of people most impacted by correctional policy and practice."
 

Amanda McIlwaine

Governor – Head of Safety, NIPS, Northern Ireland

Vicki McMaster

Senior Manager, Professional Practice, Corrections Victoria, Australia

Vicki commenced her career in education before joining Corrections Victoria in 2009 as a custodial officer within the women’s prison system. In this role, she worked directly with women in custody supporting rehabilitation and reintegration outcomes, and contributed to the professional development of custodial staff through training for both new and experienced officers.

Drawing on her background in education and custodial practice, she was appointed Senior Project Manager with the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Branch in 2020. In this role, she led the development and implementation of trauma-informed, gender-responsive training for custodial staff across the women’s system, supporting evidence-informed correctional practice.

In 2025, Vicki led the extension of the SaferSkills program into the men’s system and the introduction of a professional development stream to strengthen custodial practice. She is currently Senior Manager, Professional Practice, leading statewide implementation across Victoria’s correctional system.

Shannon McReynolds

Senior Corrections Advisor, US Department of State - INL KM/TAD, United States

Shannon McReynolds serves as Senior Corrections Advisor in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, a position he has held since October of 2017.   

Shannon McReynolds has thirty years of experience in corrections, beginning as a correctional officer and retiring as the inspector general for the New Mexico Corrections Department.  

After retiring in 2014, Shannon worked for the U.S. Department of Justice as a training/technical assistance provider for those prisons and detention facilities seeking compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act.  He is recognized by the federal court as an expert in prison policy/procedure and security threat groups and has provided expert witness services in federal and state court in civil and criminal cases pertaining to inmate classification, use-of-force, suicide risk/screening, inmate religious rights, the sexual abuse of inmates, security threat groups, administrative segregation, and conditions of confinement. 

Shannon has performed operational audits in jails and prisons throughout the United States and has conducted assessments and training in two tribal detention facilities.  Shannon has a BS in Criminal Justice Management and is a member of the American Correctional Association, the Texas Gang Investigators’ Association, the Arizona Gang Investigators’ Association, and the Midwest Gang Investigators’ Association.

Kumsa Gutteta Metta

Executive Director, Center for Justice (CJ), Ethiopia

Mr. Kumsa Gutteta is a highly experienced criminal justice reform expert currently serving as Executive Director of the Center for Justice-Ethiopia. With over 16 years of experience working within the Ethiopian criminal justice system, he has successfully managed more than 50 projects dedicated to strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights. Crucially, his advocacy is deeply informed by his own lived experience as a former prisoner, providing him with a profound, ground-level understanding of prison conditions and the realities of the penal system.

Throughout his career, Mr. Gutteta has demonstrated exceptional leadership in implementing complex projects within prison settings. He has successfully cultivated strong relationships and earned the trust of government officials, penal administrators, and justice sector stakeholders. This trust, combined with his technical grasp of the legal regimes governing prisoners, makes him an invaluable asset for policy-level engagement, systems strengthening, and scaling up ongoing justice reform efforts.

Mr. Gutteta has extensive experience partnering with international donors and organizations, including the European Union, the French and Canadian Embassies, Multi-Donor Trust Funds, DKA Austria, the Open Society Foundations, Civil Rights Defenders, UN Women, UNODC, UNESCO, the International Republican Institute (IRI), and Freedom House, among others.

Chantelle Miller

Queensland State Manager, ACSO, Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO), Australia

Chantelle has worked in the public health sector across multiple Australian states for the past 25 years. She holds a Master of Public Health Policy and has spent her professional career focused on the intersection of health and justice services.

She led a Victorian (AUS) cross-government initiative to design and implement an alcohol and other drug (AOD) service delivery model tailored for people involved with corrective services including the development of criminogenic therapeutic programs. More recently, she has worked with ACSO (Australian Community Support Organisation) to lead the delivery of mental health and AOD services for clients impacted by the justice system, and to develop and implement Queensland’s first whole-of-state Men’s Reintegration Service.

Katrina Mitchell

Senior Legal Adviser, Northern Ireland Prison Service, Northern Ireland

I have been a solicitor for over 30 years and am now the inhouse senior legal adviser for NIPS. I have been working for over 7 years for the organisation and have led a change in how NIPS respond to public law challenges to their decision making in respect of prisoners, particularly where Human Rights are engaged.

I deliver pre litigation legal advice to all Governors and HQ staff when required, support for Governors and other staff when legal challenges are commenced, have both led and imputed into policy change for NIPS and provide continual legal awareness training NIPS for Governors in their role as decision makers as well as for other support staff in NIPS headquarters.

I also engage with other organisations such as Probation Service for Northern Ireland and recently completed a cross border multi organisational leadership course relating to Public Protection.

Jette Birkeskov Mogensen

Office Director, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Denmark

Jette Birkeskov Mogensen, Office Director Aarhus, Schmidt Hammer Lassen:

Jette Birkeskov Mogensen is an experienced architect and senior project manager of complex civic projects across the world. She brings deep knowledge and experience leading international large-scale projects with a collaborative, proactive approach and holistic design methodology across all phases from conception to delivery.

All of which applies to the project work Jette recently delivered on the new educational facility for the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. In working with California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation in advancing the transformation of San Quentin and setting new standards for the ‘California Model’ for correctional institutions in California towards a rehabilitation-focused approach anchored in better support for the incarcerated population in strengthening learning skills, job training and programs for reintegration into society.

As key member of the executive group in the large multidisciplinary DBE team together with McCarthy Building Companies and DLR Group, Jette was leading a team of architects from Schmidt Hammer Lassen in designing the new San Quentin Learning Center. Bringing expertise from Nordic precedents of Correctional and Higher Education projects to the table in co-creating a human-centred, stimulating learning environment.

Jette has deep affiliation for projects with social aspects, engagement with diverse user groups and stakeholders. Her portfolio reflects a commitment to architecture as a catalyst for positive change and includes key projects such as the Correctional Facility of Nuuk in Greenland, Gellerup Sports- and Culture Campus, State Library Victoria in Melbourne and other community libraries as learning hubs.

Ioana Morar

Deputy Director, National Administration of Penitentiaries, Romania

No bio provided

Larry Motiuk PhD

Strategic Advisor, Correctional Service Canada, Canada

Muchaneta Mundopa

Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer , United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Nigeria

Muchaneta MUNDOPA serves as a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office in Nigeria. With over 15 years of experience in criminal justice, penal and prison reform, and anti-corruption, she has worked across diverse national and international contexts to strengthen the rule of law, promote transparency, and advance human rights-based approaches within the criminal justice and prison settings.

A major focus of her work involves translating the UN standards and norms related to crime prevention and criminal justice, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), into practical field-based technical assistance. Through her commitment to advancing the rule of law, she contributes to building resilient, fair, and inclusive justice systems that uphold human dignity and accountability.

Muchaneta holds Master’s degrees in Corruption and Governance, Law, and Development Studies, reflecting a strong multidisciplinary foundation that informs her approach to criminal justice and prison sector reform. Deeply committed to equitable and sustainable development, she is dedicated to advancing transparency, institutional integrity, and access to justice for all.
 

Ison Ndoro MSc

Forensic Psychologist, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service, Zimbabwe

Adrian Neagoe

Vicepresident, National Trade Union of Prison Policemen, Romania

David Neufeld

President, Union of Safety and Justice Employee, Canada

Tracey O'Brien

Managing Director, Context11, Australia

Tracey O’Brien is a change and transformation specialist with extensive experience driving reform in law enforcement and security-sensitive environments. She specialises in building change management capability, enhancing collaboration and driving operational readiness across agencies and stakeholder groups. 

Tracey’s experience is anchored in a Bachelor of Communication (Public Relations and Journalism) and postgraduate studies in innovation. This is reinforced by a Prosci Change Management Practitioner Certification, graduate states with the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a professional membership with the Change Management Institute.

Tracey has most recently been engaged by the Australian Border Force to build and deliver change management strategies to embed intelligence capability, implement enhanced incident reporting and drive the rollout of enhanced search and seizure powers across the Australian detention network; supported by major legislative changes.