Agency Leadership: Taking Care of Your Greatest Resource - Staff

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Lorie Brisbin is a Correctional Program Specialist in the Community Services Division of the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). She currently manages the Executives of Probation and Parole Network and the Post-Conviction Victim Services Network along with other work in the areas of staff wellness and paroling authorities. She has been recognized as an authority in the area of sexual violence in correctional settings and has expertise in both offender and victim perspectives. In 2012, Lorie received a Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Attorney General for her participation on the PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) Standards Working Group. Prior to coming to NIC in 2010, she was employed by the Idaho Department of Correction for ten years, serving as a probation/parole officer, statewide Parole Coordinator, Transitions Coordinator, PREA Program Coordinator and as an investigator in the Office of Professional Standards (internal affairs).

Kristina Bryant, MBA, began her work for the NCSC as a Principal Court Management Consultant after 23 years’ experience in community corrections as a Juvenile Court Probation Officer, Criminal Justice Planner, and Assistant Director/Interim Director of adult pretrial and probation services agency. She has worked extensively with the judiciary, elected officials, and policymakers to improve justice policies and practices, and to expand court diversion and intervention efforts. Ms. Bryant is skilled in court administration, including training and process analysis and has broad experience in drug policy issues. She also facilitates cross-system information sharing and collaborations between justice and behavioral health partners. Over the past year, Ms. Bryant, has served as the Executive Director of two multi-state Regional Judicial Opioid Initiatives. Both initiatives focus on the judiciary’s active role in reducing overdose fatalities while capitalizing on the regional multi-state approach. Ms. Bryant has a long history of leadership at the state level in statewide organizations by serving on the Executive Committee for multiple terms and co-leading numerous committees focused on probation supervision and pretrial services. In addition, Ms. Bryant co-chaired the Legislative Committee and testified before state legislature on criminal justice matters. Lastly, Ms. Bryant has extensive experience in education and learning styles, teaching at the university level for seven years.

Prior to founding Rulo Strategies, Tara served as a Senior Drug Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice where she led the implementation of the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP). Under Tara’s leadership, the COSSAP program grew from a $27 million grant program in 2017 to $187 million in 2019. Prior to joining the Federal government, Tara served as a consultant for the National Center for States more than nine years leading, managing, and evaluating projects at all points in the justice system from diversion programs, pretrial supervision, courts, probation, and corrections. Before becoming a consultant, Tara gained invaluable field experience serving as a probation officer, criminal justice planner, and drug court administrator in Virginia. Tara has developed and overseen cooperative agreements and grants with a variety of government agencies including planning, developing and implementing multiyear grant proposals. She received a Masters in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, and Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia.