Skill-Building Supervision: How Officer Competencies Shape Client Change

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Lakisha Fisher is a Senior Manager at CEPP, where she delivers technical assistance to several jurisdictions to improve pretrial practices and facilitate system change. She also develops resources focused on complex pretrial policy and implementation planning. Ms. Fisher was formerly the Pretrial Release Coordinator of Grant County Court Services, Indiana, where she developed and implemented effective pretrial practice and policy. She served on the Indiana State Pretrial Committee and the Pretrial Education Subcommittee, developing educational material and training for pretrial agencies, stakeholders, and the judiciary. With the Indiana Office of Court Services, Ms. Fisher helped other counties establish pretrial release programs in accordance with Criminal Rule 26. In addition, she facilitated a race-responsive program within Grant County Court Services to culturally address the needs of African American men involved in the criminal justice system. In 2020, Ms. Fisher was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court Commission for Race and Gender Fairness. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminal Justice and a master’s degree in public administration, with a concentration in criminal justice.

Troy Hatfield is a Senior Manager at CEPP, where he supports the Community Supervision Resource Center (CSRC), serving as a substantive expert, trainer, and technical assistance provider on probation supervision issues. Mr. Hatfield also develops new resources for community supervision practitioners. Mr. Hatfield previously worked in the criminal justice field for over 25 years, beginning his career as a juvenile probation officer. He served as the Deputy Chief Probation Officer for the Monroe Circuit Court Probation Department for more than 15 years, overseeing adult and juvenile probation and the court alcohol and drug program. He also helped to create a legal and evidence-based pretrial services program and spearheaded the activities for the Reducing Revocations Challenge for the jurisdiction, facilitating data collection and developing policy and practice. He served as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University, teaching a course on probation and parole. Mr. Hatfield holds a BA in criminal justice and psychology from Indiana University and an MS in criminology from Indiana State University.

Denise Symdon is a Senior Manager at CEPP with extensive expertise in assisting probation and parole agencies in implementing evidence-based, research-informed system changes. Prior to joining CEPP, Ms. Symdon worked for more than 34 years in the criminal justice field in Wisconsin. During her tenure, she held a variety of leadership positions, including Administrator with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC), Division of Community Corrections; Assistant Administrator with the Division of Adult Institutions; and Regional Chief within the Division of Community Corrections. Throughout her career with the Wisconsin DOC, she was a strong leader in implementing evidence-based, research-informed practices to improve outcomes in probation and parole supervision. Ms. Symdon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she earned a double major in social work and behavioral science and law.