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It’s All About "Peopling" – Our Journey From Line Staff to District Leadership
SESSION INFO
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Session Type: Workshop
There are many people whose work performance puts them in line for promotion. They are excellent in their roles; committed to helping individuals under supervision while valuing the integral part they play in public safety and collaboration with community partners. However, when it comes to making the transition from being “the one in charge of their own work” to becoming “the one responsible for the people who are in charge of the work”, some falter, become disillusioned or fail to find continued professional satisfaction. How do we identify those who are ready to take on the full challenge of leadership? What can we do to coach our next cohort of leaders? What factors contribute to an inexperienced supervisor’s development and success? How can we shift our professional priorities to maintain enthusiasm, fulfillment and joy in the workplace as promotions take us further away from the actual work that started our fire in the first place? We will take participants through an informal, yet poignant discussion about our paths through this process; the mistakes we made, the lessons we learned and the success we have enjoyed leading people as they strive toward operating at their natural best. This presentation will target those interested in discussing leadership styles, the mindset for effective leadership, the power of relationship building and the process for initiating and following through with effective dialogue in the workplace.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Robert Louis Fassinger, Jr
Deputy District Director, PA Department of Corrections
Deputy Fassinger’s career has followed a path of increasing responsibility and discretionary authority as his skill and knowledge have developed progressively over time. His resume includes; several years as a caseworker with Allegheny County/PA Children, Youth and Families, over a decade as a Pennsylvania State Parole Agent; first as an Institutional Agent working inside Pennsylvania correctional facilities, and then as a Field Parole Agent working with a caseload in the community. In 2018 he began his professional leadership journey embarking on an 8 year assignment as Field Parole Supervisor leading two different teams of parole agents while volunteering as a state-wide staff trainer specializing in risk/needs assessments and the development of new staff attending the department’s basic training academy. Recently, he emerged from a competitive field of candidates to be promoted to the position of Deputy District Director for the PA Department of Corrections State Parole Pittsburgh District Office. Deputy Fassinger’s 9-year commitment to the US Army National Guard should not go unrecognized.
Nate Simon
District Director, PA Department of Corrections
District Director Simon has 32 years of corrections experience spanning juvenile and adult; institutional and field; line staff, supervisory and management level positions. He brings considerable practical application and knowledge to any conversation about leadership, staff development and strategies for putting organizational missions into operation. His resume includes 1) 5 years of experience as a youth development counselor and counselor supervisor in both residential and secure detention settings; 2) several years spent in a Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution as an Institutional Parole Agent working with inmates approaching the release decision making process; 3) a decade as a Field Parole Agent supervising a caseload in the community; 4) another decade as a Field Parole Supervisor leading a team of parole agents while also volunteering as a state-wide staff trainer specializing in risk/needs assessments, report writing, case plan implementation and the development of new staff attending the department's basic training academy. For the last five years he has served as a member of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections management team, first as Deputy District Director and most recently as District Director of the department’s state parole Pittsburgh District Office. As perhaps the most impressive resume builder, his status as a lifelong Penn State Nittany Lion fan cannot be overlooked.
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