Effective Leadership Practices: From Cultivation to Implementation

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Carmen Z. Gomez, PhD is a Criminal Justice and Judicial professional and DEIA advocate with over 26 years of experience. She currently serves as a Regional Supervisor for the Massachusetts Probation Service. She holds a PhD in Philosophy with a concentration in Law, Policy, and Society, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice, and master’s level certificates in Mediation and Hostage Negotiation, Domestic Violence, CJ Management, and Behavioral Analysis. She has served as an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities, and as a consultant to local, state, and federal entities providing expertise in the areas of sex crimes, and serial killings. She serves as an APPA Leadership Institute Coordinator. She also serves in the Board of Directors of the National Association of Probation Executive, Enroot, Cambridge Community Services, and the Governor’s Criminal Record Review Board. She is a current member of the American Probation and Parole Association and the Co-Founder and Member of the Foundation for Non-Violent Action. She organized the Massachusetts Trial Court’s first annual Women’s History Month Celebration in 2021 and has worked with an impressive committee of women to plan subsequent celebrations. A continuation of her dedication to advancing women’s rights and securing recognition for their contributions. She is the recipient of the 2020 Amplify Latinx Latina Leader for the category of Government, and Public Policy, 2019 Martin Luther King Spirit Award, 2018 Mutual of America Community Partnership – Rosie’s Place, 2017 Mutual of America – United States Mint Liberty Coin, 2017 Excellence Award Massachusetts Trial Court, 2017 Women of Distinction, 2015 One of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in Massachusetts, 2012 Excellence Award Massachusetts Trial Court, and Distinguished Alumna in Liberal Arts, Humanity, and Education. She has devoted most of her life to public service, civil rights, wellness, leadership, and community engagement. She is committed to creating and supporting systems that embrace diversity, equality, inclusion, accessibility, and a fair and just legal system.

Mack Jenkins Chief Probation Officer (retired) Chief Jenkins career in the justice system spanned more than 40 years. He retired as the chief probation officer for San Diego County, where he oversaw a department of more than 1,500 staff who provided supervision and services to more than 13,000 adults and 2,500 youth. Over the course of his career Chief Jenkins developed expertise in the use of evidenced-¬based practices for community supervision and gained more than 30 years of experience working in treatment courts. He has served on a number of national boards including the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and Council of State Governments (CSG)/ Justice Center. Chief Jenkins is a past President of the Chief Probation Officers of California and former Vice President of the American Probation and Parole Association. Chief Jenkins currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Association of Probation Executives (NAPE). Chief Jenkins is an adjunct instructor in criminal justice and holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of California, Irvine along with a Master's degree in criminal justice from California State University, Long Beach.

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