Recognitions

APPA's President's Award recognizes and celebrates innovative programs and projects leading community corrections into the future. It's awarded to an individual, group, or project for advancing knowledge, effectiveness, and integrity of the criminal justice system. Hand-picked by APPA’s Board President Susan Rice, the 2025 recipient is the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Adult Parole Authority’s evidence-based practices online training program. Evidence-based practices have become a gold standard because of their research-supported interventions that focus on achieving the best outcomes for individuals. Rehabilitation and corrections programs become effective when staff have the tools and training they need to succeed. The Evidence-based practices online training program implemented by Ohio's Adult Parole Authority provides an innovative solution to improve outcomes in Ohio communities.

The Joe Kegans Award for Victim Services in Probation and Parole is awarded to a community corrections officer who provides exemplary services to victims of crime. The award is named after the late Judge Joe Kegans, a founding member of APPA’s Victim Issues Committee who devoted her career as a jurist to bettering the lives of those impacted by crime. Award winner Christopher Toussant has more than a decade of experience in victim advocacy and criminal justice and has led several transformative projects throughout his career, including the inaugural statewide Georgia Office of Victim Services Training Conference, and the GOVS panel discussions conducted during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. He is a POST-Certified Instructor as a nationally credentialed victim advocate, trained and certified in Critical Stress Incident Management, and is a Victim-Offender Dialogue Facilitator. In 2024, Toussant received APPA’s Norm Helber Award as valedictorian of the Leadership Institute program.

In January 2024, Robert Maccarone retired as Deputy Commissioner of the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and Director of the Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, concluding a remarkable 47-year career in public service. Educated in New York with degrees from Fordham University and PACE University School of Law, Bob spent more than two decades leading probation and correctional alternatives, overseeing 58 probation departments, over 200 community-based programs, 20 county re-entry task forces, and guiding the implementation of significant reforms including Bail Reform, Rise the Age, and Leandra’s Law. As Chairman of the New York State Probation Commission and the state’s Interstate Compact Administrator, he oversaw 6,000 interstate probation and parole transfers annually while ensuring collaborative, consensus-driven policy implementation. His earlier career included 25 years in Westchester County as a prosecutor, deputy bureau chief, deputy commissioner of correction, and director of criminal justice. Most recently, he contributed to APPA’s National Standards for Community Supervision, published in 2024, and continues to champion their adoption in retirement. Bob’s visionary leadership, policy innovations, and lifelong dedication to evidence-based practices have profoundly impacted probation and community corrections in New York and across the nation, making him an exceptionally deserving recipient of the Walter Dunbar Memorial Award—especially fitting to be honored in New York, where his legacy is deeply rooted.

Cobi Tittle, Director of the Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, in Fort Worth, Texas, has dedicated over 21 years to the field, rising from intern to director in 2022 through integrity, humility, compassion, and committee service. As the Texas Representative for APPA, a mentor in it’s Leadership Institute, and President of the National Association of Probation Executives, she has driven numerous innovations. Ms. Tittle frequently shares her expertise nationally, including as a panelist at APPA’s Winter Training Institute. Humble and service-driven, she tirelessly promotes APPA, advances probation practices, and invests in her staff and the judiciary she serves. Her leadership, innovation, and unwavering commitment make her a deserving candidate for the Carmen Rodriguez Member of the Year Award.

Correctional Probation Senior Officer (CPSO) Cassia Kranz from the Florida Department of Corrections is the embodiment of excellence, compassion, and professionalism in community corrections. Since beginning her career in 2015, she has consistently performed her duties in an outstanding manner while making significant contributions to the field and the individuals under her supervision. She has balance enforcement and rehabilitation with unmatched skill, leading high- impact investigations with the Hillsborough County Sherrif’s Office that uncovered large quantities of narcotics, firearms, counterfeit credit cards, and other illicit items - earning recognition from both HCSO and the Secret Service. Equally committed to transforming lives, Officer Kranz spearheads community outreach across the 13th Judicial Circuit, securing resources for families, children, and pets. Respected by peers and revered by the community, Officer Kranz’s tireless service, investigative excellence, and unwavering compassion make her a truly deserving recipient of APPA’s Scotia Knuoff Line Officer of the Year Award. Correctional Probation Senior Officer (CPSO) Cassia Kranz from the Florida Department of Corrections is the embodiment of excellence, compassion, and professionalism in community corrections. Since beginning her career in 2015, she has consistently performed her duties in an outstanding manner while making significant contributions to the field and the individuals under her supervision. She has balance enforcement and rehabilitation with unmatched skill, leading high-impact investigations with the Hillsborough County Sherrif’s Office that uncovered large quantities of narcotics, firearms, counterfeit credit cards, and other illicit items - earning recognition from both HCSO and the Secret Service. Equally committed to transforming lives, Officer Kranz spearheads community outreach across the 13th Judicial Circuit, securing resources for families, children, and pets. Respected by peers and revered by the community, Officer Kranz’s tireless service, investigative excellence, and unwavering compassion make her a truly deserving recipient of APPA’s Scotia Knuoff Line Officer of the Year Award.