From Data to Decisions: Strengthening Pretrial and Supervision Outcomes Through Connected Information

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Dean Dittmann began his IT career over two and a half decades ago in the private sector as an end user support technician. Working for a small business, he worked his way through the ranks from service to sales and eventually becoming the location manager in California’s Central Valley. Seeking a new challenge, Dean joined a start-up company specializing in data services, telephony and converged networks. While with this company, Dean carried out a variety of roles doing everything from pulling cable to programming complex phone systems and configuring converged networks supporting computer-telephone integration. When presented with the opportunity to work for a Fortune 50 company, Dean left the startup and joined PepsiCo where he honed his skills managing enterprise-wide IT and network projects eventually serving as Senior Technician in the California region.

Michael Laughlin holds a Master’s in Counseling/Guidance and is a former Senior U.S. Pretrial/Probation Officer-Specialist, later serving in multiple jurisdictions as a County Manager for Jail Diversion, Pretrial, and Criminal Justice systems. He is past President of Texas Association of Pretrial Services and currently serves on their Professional Development Committee, as well as Co-Chair of the APPA Technology Committee’s AI Subcommittee. Additionally, Mr. Laughlin is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and nationally Certified Pretrial Release and Pretrial Diversion Professional. He served over 30 years within clinical and criminal justice systems at municipal, State, County, and Federal levels providing and managing treatment services, and Federal/County Courts overseeing clients and staff as a Senior Officer, treatment and workforce specialist and manager. During this he led successful multi-disciplinary, cross-system team projects around in-custody and community-based treatment, jail diversion, and reentry/workforce programs leading to local and national replication. Mr. Laughlin has also trained many groups around treatment, corrections, criminal justice, pretrial, workforce development, data metrics, and field technology topics. He looks forward to fostering fresh ideas here around leveraging data analytics to strengthen public safety, operations, and outcomes for staff, agencies, clients, and stakeholders.

Brian Passenheim began his career with the Placer County Probation Department in 2004 as a Deputy Probation Officer, starting at the Juvenile Detention Facility. A graduate of Woodcreek High School in Roseville, California, Brian launched his career as a Correctional Officer with the Brookings County Detention Center in South Dakota. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from South Dakota State University in 2001, with minors in Criminal Justice and Spanish. Following his undergraduate studies, Brian served as a Parole Agent with the South Dakota Department of Corrections before returning to California to continue his public service. Throughout his tenure at the Placer County Probation Department, Brian has promoted through every rank, demonstrating strong leadership and a commitment to excellence. He served as Assistant Chief Probation Officer from 2021 until his appointment as Chief Probation Officer in March 2025. In addition to his leadership roles, he has held a wide range of responsibilities including Background Investigator, Field Training Officer, Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Co-Coordinator of the CSEC team, and Evidence Room Manager. In 2023, Brian earned a Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego. Brian is passionate about serving the community and is honored to lead the department in its mission to enhance public safety, promote rehabilitation, and support positive change throughout Placer County.

Before joining Tyler, Ellen spent 10 years working in the legal system in various roles as a private paralegal, a pro bono program coordinator with the King County Bar Association, and a program lead at the Washington State Bar Association. She started working with Tyler in 2020 as a product analyst and is currently the Director of the Justice Data Team in the Data & Insights division. Ellen’s team focuses exclusively on building data and analytics products for courts and public safety agencies; daily activities include working directly with court and public safety personnel to identify key performance indicators, model and validate data, use data in strategic decision-making, connect data from diverse source systems, and develop advanced analysis capabilities. In 2021, Ellen earned a Master of Science degree in Human-Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington School of Engineering. Outside of Tyler, Ellen teaches Legal Technology in an ABA-approved paralegal program and is active in many legal regulatory boards and committees. Current affiliations include Washington state’s Access to Justice Technology Committee and the Practice of Law Board.