Summit Preview Guide
This year's Summit brings together correctional professionals from across the country for a dynamic, virtual experience to share practical strategies, fresh perspectives, and create a lasting system of accountability and growth.
Designed for correctional professionals navigating today's challenges, the From Challenge to Change: Redefining Jail Operations Virtual Summit delivers the tools, insights, and strategies needed to drive meaningful change in jail operations, all without leaving your desk.
Through expert-led workshops, powerful keynotes, and networking opportunities, participants will learn how to move beyond survival mode and build systems rooted in accountability, innovation, and resilience.
Keynote Speakers
November 12, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Jail Operations in 2025 & Beyond: Managing Risk Through Change - Presented by Lexipol
Gordon Graham
Correctional facilities are facing unprecedented change, from inmates with ever more complex healthcare needs to evolving contraband threats and the challenges that accompany the deployment of new technologies, such as tablets and biometrics. With change comes opportunity – but also new risks. In this opening keynote session, nationally recognized risk management expert Gordon Graham will share real-world examples to show how “problems lying in wait” can undermine even the best agencies if left unaddressed.
Drawing on lessons learned from corrections and other high-risk professions, Gordon will introduce the concept of the 10 Families of Risk and focus in depth on Organizational Risk Management. Participants will explore the Five Pillars of Success—People, Policy, Training, Supervision and Discipline—and learn how these pillars are central to change management.
By the end of this session, participants will walk away inspired to turn challenges into positive change—proactively identifying risks, strengthening organizational systems, and ultimately achieving the goal of “getting things done right.”
Learning Objectives
- Identify and categorize risks across the “10 Families of Risk” framework and evaluate which pose the greatest threat to your agency.
- Analyze historical examples of resistance to change in corrections (e.g., new hiring practices, policy shifts, technology adoption) to understand the cultural and organizational challenges leaders must overcome.
- Develop leadership strategies to guide personnel through change, ensuring that new policies, technologies, and training approaches are embraced and consistently applied across the organization.
November 13, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Unlocking Potential: Conquering the Inner Critic - Presented by Justice Clearinghouse
Col. Brenda Dietzman (Ret.)
Ever caught yourself thinking, "I'm not good enough" or "I'm not ready yet"? We all have that inner critic, and it's high time we started taming it. In this powerful keynote, we'll delve into the roots of these self-doubts and the unconscious actions and beliefs that hold us back. More importantly, we'll uncover how imposter syndrome uniquely stifles women's careers and share actionable strategies to overcome it. Learn how to win the daily battle against the inner critic that fuels our insecurities.
Join us for an information-packed session designed to provide meaningful change in your career and life. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow, this keynote will equip you with tools to tame that inner critic and unlock your true potential.
Workshops
November 12, 2025
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
Navigating the Journey from Line Staff to Leader
Jeff Begue, CJM
Managing Up the Chain of Command
Susan McCampbell, CJM
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Shifting Ahead: Successfully Leading Former Co-Workers and Supervisors
Denise Diamond, CJM
Including the Excluded: Reaching Staff Who Don’t Feel They Belong
Diana Knapp, MS, CJM, CCE, CCHP; Marsha Travis, CJM, CCM; and Dorothy Harris, MBA, CJM
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Leading From the Outside: Transitional Leadership in Unfamiliar Territory
Sam Davis, MA, CJM
Correctional Legal Updates with Carrie Hill
Carrie Hill, Esq.
November 13, 2025
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
Motivational Interviewing
Mané Martirosyan, MSSW, CSW
False Alarms, Panic Attacks, and Worst-Case Scenarios: The Role of Anxiety in Threat Detection
Dr. Bart Abplanalp, PhD
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Leading Change Together: Custody and Medical Reducing Risk and Improving Operations – Presented by NCCHC
Richard Forbus, MBA, CCHP
Battling Burnout to Quell Quiet Quitting
Lisa Peck, CJM, and Jonathan Ede, MSCJ, CJM
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Finding and Hiring Talent in Today's Market - Presented by the Whalls Group, Platinum Sponsor
Mark R. Whalls, Craig McGinnis, Ashley Wiles, and Eden Broggi
Time Management: Where Does Your Time Go vs Where Should It Go?
Jared Schechter, MS, CJM, CCM
Thank you to our Sponsor!
Platinum Sponsor
