Board Profile
Diana Knapp
MS, CJM, CCE, Director Jackson County Detention Center Kansas City, Missouri
Hello, my name is Diana Knapp. I am the Director of the Jackson County Detention Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. We are an 800 bed pre-trial adult detention center. My career spans three decades and includes work with adults and juvenile offenders in federal, state, and municipal jurisdictions.
I decided to enter the field of corrections and make it my career because...
it was a hand in glove fit. I grew up wanting to be a high school history teacher and became a parole officer instead. More than 30 years later I am still fascinated by the stories of the people in our custody and amazed at the work of the people who care for them day in and day out.
My favorite way to relax is...
hot bubble bath, followed by a mobster movie and a cold glass of wine.
One item from my personal "bucket list" is to...
visit Vietnam.
My motto is...
handle today’s problems today. You don’t know what tomorrow is going to require of you.
I am most proud of...
raising two great kids who became kind and responsible adults, military veterans, and good parents.
The most unusual job I’ve ever had was...
Firefighter/EMT, not so much an unusual job as not that common among women in my generation.
I felt it was important to be a member of AJA and serve on the board and commission...
we need to change the public narrative of who our staff are and the crucial nature of the job they do.
The hardest thing I've ever done is...
told a mother her child had been killed in a car accident.
Three people living or deceased I'd invite to dinner are...
my dad, Anthony Bourdain, and Vince Lombardi.
My favorite meal is...
Chinese buffet. Isn’t it everyone’s?
You would be surprised to learn that...
I was 10 the first time I drove a car, without supervision, no seatbelt, 60 miles an hour.
One piece of advice that I would give anyone considering correction as a career is...
do it, but be prepared to go all in. Half measures avail us nothing.
AJA Board of Directors
President-Elect Darren Sieger, MS, CJM Director Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Detention Fort Lauderdale, Florida darren_sieger@sheriff.org
President-Elect Louis A. Quiñones Jr., MS, CJM, CCE, CPM Chief of Corrections Orange County Corrections Department Orlando, Florida Louis.QuinonesJr@ocfl.net
1st Vice President Shawn C. Laughlin, MCJ, CJM Commander Broomfield Police Detention & Training Center Support Services Division Broomfield, Colorado slaughlin@broomfield.org
2nd Vice President Robert Leslie Hood, CJM Lieutenant Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Columbiana, Alabama lhood@shelbyso.com
3rd Vice President Anthony Yeber, MPA, MSCJ, CJM Captain/Facility Supervisor Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department Miami, Florida anthony.yeber@miamidade.gov
Secretary Sam Davis, MA, CJM Major/Jail Administrator (Retired) Ingham County Sheriff’s Office Adjunct Staff, School of Criminal Justice Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan samdavis8224@gmail.com
Treasurer Eddie K. Lance, CJM Jail Administrator (Retired) Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office Internal Sales Specialist Southern Software Southern Pines, North Carolina elance@southernsoftware.com
Immediate Past President Mandy Lambert, CJM Major/Director of Support Services (Retired) Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center Manassas, Virginia alambert@pwcgov.org
1–Year Term
Denise Diamond Captain Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Portland, Oregon denise.diamond@mcso.us
Mark Foxall, PhD, CJM Community Service Associate University of Nebraska Omaha School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Omaha, Nebraska markfoxall@unomaha.edu
Diana Knapp, MS, CCE Director Jackson County Department of Corrections Kansas City, Missouri dknapp@jacksongov.org
Melissa McClellan, CJM Captain Jail Administrator–Corrective Services Division Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Pontiac, Michigan mcclellanm@oakgov.com
2–Year Term
Stefanie Bush, CJM Assistant Jail Administrator Scott County Sheriff’s Office- Jail Division Davenport, Iowa Stefanie.Bush@ scottcountyiowa.com
Kevin Jones, CJM, NCCE, CCE, CJE Major/Detention & Court Services Bureau Commander Charles B. Webster Detention Center Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Augusta, Georgia KJones@augustaga.gov
Shaun Klucznik, CJM, CCE Major/Jail Administrator Judicial Services Bureau Commander Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Brooksville, Florida sklucznik@hernandosheriff.org
Lisa Peck, CJM Lieutenant, Detention Division Mesa County Sheriff’s Office Grand Junction, Colorado lisa.peck@mesacounty.us
3-Year Term
Laura Bedard, PhD, CJM Chief of Corrections Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Sanford, Florida lbedard@seminolesheriff.org
Sonya Gillespie Chief, Employee Relations Denver Sheriff Administration Denver, Colorado sonya.gillespie@denvergov.org
Elsie Judon, MS Major, Assistant Director of South Operations Broward Sheriff's Office Ft. Lauderdale, Florida elsie_judon@sheriff.org
Henry Reyes, MAM, MPA, CJM, CCE, NCEE Chief Deputy/Assistant Jail Administrator Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Fort Worth, Texas hreyes@tarrantcounty.com
Parliamentarian Wayne Dicky, CJM, CCE Sheriff Brazos County Office of Sheriff Bryan, Texas wdicky@brazoscountytx.gov
Sergeant-at-Arms Jeffrey M. Begue, CJO Sergeant Stark County Sheriff’s Office Canton, Ohio 290@starksheriff.org
Chaplain Linda Ahrens, MBA Volunteer Chaplain for Staff Chicago, Illinois lindaahrens_1@yahoo.com
Executive Director Chris D. Daniels, MPA, CAE American Jail Association Hagerstown, Maryland chrisd@aja.org