Allen Bell attended the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he participated in Army ROTC and graduated with a BA in Criminal Justice. Immediately upon graduation, Allen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Military Police Corps and served in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Allen began working as an adult probation officer with the Midland Judicial District CSCD in 1991, where he is still employed. He earned a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, in 1995. He is currently the Director of the Midland CSCD, a position he has held since 2015.

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.
After leaving PepsiCo, Dean joined the Placer County Probation Department in the spring of 2020. Although new to the industry, Dean went right to work leading a project to replace the department’s case management system. Dean has remained as the department’s Senior IT Specialist leading several other projects, initiatives and support staff.

Assistant Deputy Chief Probation Officer (ADCPO) Ryan Grayson has been with the San Joaquin County Probation Department since 2012, serving in roles across Juvenile Detention, Adult and Juvenile Supervision, and Investigations. He began working in the Investigations Division in 2014, completing Pre-Sentence and Pre-Plea reports, and later supported the unit as part of his leadership responsibilities.
In 2024, Ryan was promoted to Assistant Deputy Chief, overseeing eight units—including Investigations at the time. He worked closely with the unit’s supervisor to improve the efficiency and consistency of report writing. That same year, under Chief Jackson’s leadership, the department partnered with Cognisen to address growing demands from the courts. Ryan helped facilitate the pilot project, collaborating with Cognisen to integrate emerging AI tools into the Investigations workflow. His experience and forward-thinking approach continue to support efforts to modernize probation operations.

Michael Laughlin holds a Master’s in Counseling/Guidance and is a former Senior U.S. Pretrial/Probation Officer/Specialist, and County Manager for Jail Diversion, Pretrial Services, and Criminal Justice systems in multiple Texas jurisdictions. He is immediate past President of Texas Association of Pretrial Services and now serves on the Professional Development Committee, and the NAPSA Diversion Committee. Additionally, Mr. Laughlin is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and nationally Certified Offender Workforce Specialist, and Pretrial Release and Pretrial Diversion Professional.
He served over 35 years in clinical and criminal justice systems at city, state, county, and Federal levels, providing and managing treatment services, as well as Federal/County Courts overseeing clients and staff as senior court officer, treatment, and workforce specialist, pretrial, jail and criminal justice manager. During which he led several large, multi-disciplinary in custody and community-based treatment, jail diversion, and reentry/workforce development projects resulting in wide recognition and replication.
Mr. Laughlin has trained more than 30 years on treatment, corrections, criminal justice, pretrial, career/workforce development and performance measurement topics. He looks forward to fostering fresh ideas on improved and learning to increase the use of AI in Community Supervision to improve case and public safety outcomes for justice-involved citizens, and their families and communities.

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.

Veronica Singh brings over 20 years of experience in community supervision, behavioral health, and human services. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Veronica previously served as a Probation Officer in New York and as a Program Supervisor with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where she led initiatives to enhance program delivery, implement technology solutions, and strengthen policy compliance. As a longstanding member of the APPA Technology Committee, she is committed to advancing the integration of technology in community supervision, with a focus on the ethical and equitable application of artificial intelligence to support informed decision-making and improve outcomes.

Cristel Tullock, is the Chief of the San Francisco Adult Probation Department. Chief Tullock holds a MSW and a BA in Criminology and Corrections. With 25 years of experience in community corrections, she has trained with Kaiser Permanente's Psychiatry Department and contracted with California’s Mental Health Department to develop reentry strategies for sex offenders. Her expertise spans local, state, and national criminal justice reforms, and she has led a variety of programs designed to help justice-involved individuals rebuild their lives. Among her many accolades, she received the San Francisco District Attorney’s Victim Services Award from Kamala Harris in 2007. Additionally, she graduated from the APPA Leadership Institute in 2016 and is an active member of both the APPA AI Committee and the APPA Technology Committee.

Louise Wasilewski is CEO of Acivilate, a women-owned small business that created a mobile friendly app, Pokket, that helps justice agencies work with human services agencies to improve outcomes for vulnerable people by empowering them for better outcomes. Wasilewski has spent thirty years in technology innovation, and was a member of the MPEG-2 committee for digital video control systems. Wasilewski is a member of the Metro Atlanta Reentry Coalition, the Greater Gwinnett Reentry Alliance, and the National Criminal Justice Association. She has spoken at the American Correctional Association and the APPA, and led the PAPDeX data exchange initiative. She was published in Policy and Practice. She is also passionate about improving criminal justice outcomes because it is an issue that has affected her family. Ms. Wasilewski serves on the board of St. Max’s.

Jeff Henderson started his culinary career in the unlikeliest of places, prison. While serving nearly ten years he discovered his passion for cooking which led to executive chef positions at some of the top hotels and resorts in the country. Jeff's inspiring story has been featured on Oprah's Life Class, Good Morning America, Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, CNN, The Steve Harvey Show, and in major publications such as The New York Times, Newsweek, USA Today, People Magazine, the Washington Post, and many others. When Jeff is not traveling the world teaching his life-changing lessons, he resides in Las Vegas with his wife Stacy and their five children.

Darren Ivey is the Event Coordinator for CIT International and a retired Major from the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. He served as the Department’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Commander where he led a multi-disciplinary team that developed a training program called “Building Resilience: Surviving Secondary Trauma.” This training helps address the occupational risks of secondary trauma and acute stress. Over 10 years, he has presented this course to thousands of first responders and other attendees throughout out the world. Darren served six years as a Board Member for CIT International and was the Missouri State CIT Self-Care Chair from 2016-2018. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Park University and a Master’s Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia. He has an International Critical Incident Stress (ICISF) certification for Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention and was an inaugural member of the first Commander Peer Support Group in the country. Prior to becoming a Police Officer, Darren was a proud member of the United States Air Force (1983-1992) and is a graduate of the distinguished FBI National Academy (#274).

Valerie Meade is a Deputy Director with the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI). Valerie brings nearly three decades of experience in the adult and youth justice field, with a robust background in both community and institutional settings. Her expertise encompasses cognitive-behavioral interventions, motivational interviewing, case management, model fidelity, staff development and continuous quality improvement. In her role as Deputy Director at CJI, Valerie oversees initiatives aimed at assisting jurisdictions with the sustainable implementation of evidence-based practices. She supports staff and stakeholders through culture change to foster improved outcomes. Valerie is dedicated to enhancing the quality of justice system programs and practices through collaborative efforts that lead to improved public safety. Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

Caitlin Flood has provided training and technical assistance to different jurisdictions working towards criminal justice reform through treatment courts and community supervision initiatives. Caitlin leads CJI’s community supervision and reentry work, assisting states with data-driven, evidence-based strategies to improve supervision outcomes. Caitlin is committed to improving the justice system through the use of data-driven approaches that reduce the reliance on incarceration, strengthen community supervision practices, and include diverse voices in planning and implementation work. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Government & Law and Philosophy from Lafayette College and her Juris Doctorate from New York University Law School.