ICPA Learning Academy: Reaching Beyond Reducing Recidivism - Creating Employment Pathways

Rob Jeffreys

Board Member, ICPA, United States

Rob Jeffreys is a nationally recognized criminal justice expert with extensive experience leading transformative change to improve prison safety and reentry success. He is a champion of using research and data to drive decision-making, improve outcomes, and increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Mr. Jeffreys currently serves as the president of the Correctional Leaders Association, the director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, and a board member of the International Corrections and Prisons Association.

Under his leadership, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has launched transformative reentry initiatives that engage an extensive base of public and private stakeholders to improve reentry success rates for individuals re-integrating into their communities after incarceration.

Prior to becoming director of NDCS in 2023, Mr. Jeffreys led transformational criminal justice reform as the director of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), where he created a dedicated reentry division, reduced the department’s restrictive housing population by 40 percent, and restructured and streamlined population reduction mechanisms that resulted in the state's lowest population level since 1991.

Mr. Jeffreys has also held several executive-level positions with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC), including chief of staff, regional director, bureau chief of classification, and warden.

As a consultant and trainer for the U.S. Department of Justice, the Crime and Justice Institute, and The Moss Group, Mr. Jeffreys has provided policy, program development, and specialized training to aid agencies in meeting their targeted goals and advancing their mission.

Mr. Jeffreys holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in Correctional Administration from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

Heidi Washington

Board Member, ICPA, United States

Governor Rick Snyder appointed Heidi E. Washington as the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections in 2015 and she was then reappointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019.  As director, she is responsible for overseeing the administration of Michigan’s correctional system, which includes the state’s prisons, probation and parole supervision, the Parole Board, and other administrative functions, in addition to managing a $1.9 billion budget.

Director Washington has served in a number of leadership positions during her career with the Department of Corrections.  Prior to her appointment as director, she was warden of the Charles E. Egeler Reception and Guidance Center and the Duane L. Waters Health Center.  She also held positions as warden of Robert Scott Correctional Facility and administrative assistant to the department’s executive bureau and director, where she provided oversight for the Legislative Affairs Office and represented the MDOC before the Legislature.  She has additionally served as acting assistant deputy director, overseeing the 19 prison facilities in the southern region of the state, and acting operations administrator for the Correctional Facilities Administration.  She joined the MDOC in 1998 as a legislative assistant after working for the Legislature for several years.

Director Washington holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Michigan State University and a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.  In 2017, she was named Public Official of the Year by Habitat for Humanity of Michigan for her outstanding vision, dedication, and commitment to excellence, and she was also named the Newsmaker of the Year by the Grand Rapids Business Journal for creating the Vocational Village, the nation’s first skilled trades training center for prisoners.  In 2018, she was honored to receive the national Tom Clements Award for her vision and innovation in corrections.  Director Washington also serves on the Executive Committee for the Correctional Leaders Association as the Vice President. In 2023 Director Washington was appointed to the board of the International Corrections and Prison Association and in 2025 became the President of the North America Chapter for International Corrections and Prison Association. Director Washington is also a board member of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections and is a member of Law Enforcement Leaders.

Victor B. Dickson

President/ CEO, Safer Foundation, United States

Pam Thomure

Executive Director, Empowering Women Out of Prison, United States

Pam Parkman Thomure currently serves as the Executive Director of Empowering Women Out of Prison. Pam grew up in West Texas where she learned the value of servant leadership from her parents who operated a home for thousands of wayward girls. She has over 35 years as a nonprofit leader with a history of creating excellence and profitability for a number of diverse organizations. In 2007 Pam took a break from the nonprofit industry and founded Southwest Senior Solutions, a business helping senior adults “right size” their life. She sold the company in 2015 and returned to the nonprofit sector she loves. She is a member of One Voice Central Texas. In 2022 Pam was awarded the prestigious State of Texas Governor’s Criminal Justice Program Award. In her spare time, she loves to travel and play golf with her husband Craig and be “Poppy” to seven grandchildren.