Presenter Biographies

Julie Marie Baldwin, PhD
Research Professor, American University

Julie Marie Baldwin, PhD, is a Research Professor at American University who has run the VTC Enhancement Initiative since 2018. She specializes in translational and evaluation research on VTCs. As PI or Co-PI, she has obtained over $65 million in federal funding for her work, over $25 million of which was for VTC- and veteran-specific projects. She is currently PI of NIJ’s Multisite Process, Impact, and Cost-Efficiency Evaluation of VTCs and was PI of the previous NIJ VTC Multisite Evaluation that focused on VTC process, implementation, and intermediate outcomes, developing process models for VTC eligibility and admission.

Margaret Baughman, PhD
Project Director, Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC)

Margaret Baughman, PhD, is a Project Director in the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center within the Program Design, Implementation, & Evaluation Section. Dr. Baughman has expertise in behavioral health and substance use, social determinants of health, project planning, program implementation, and evaluation. Dr. Baughman has over 25 years' experience in social science evaluation research and has served as Principal Investigator (PI) for 28 federal, state, or local funded research awards, including awards funded by SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Bureau of Justice Affairs, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Corrections, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. She also serves as a grant reviewer for SAMHSA. Dr. Baughman's extensive evaluation experience has focused on advancing population health initiatives, evaluating program effectiveness, and improving program outcomes in the areas of substance use, mental health services, trauma, criminal justice diversion programming, infants and children, health prevention initiatives, and access to healthcare.

Judge Megan L. Bickerton
Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division

Judge Megan L. Bickerton has served on the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas since 2019 and was the first woman elected to the position. Prior to taking the bench, she served as an Assistant Prosecutor in both Columbiana and Medina counties. Judge Bickerton was instrumental in establishing Columbiana County's Drug Court specialized docket and is committed to using evidence-based practices to promote recovery, accountability, and public safety. Through her leadership, the court has expanded resources and opportunities for individuals affected by substance use disorders while strengthening collaborative approaches to justice.

Dougie Boggs
Incarceration Outreach Program Director, Recovery Zone of Logan County

Dougie Boggs has over five years sobriety and is a Certified Peer Recovery Supporter, ordained evangelist, and Incarceration Outreach Program Director with Recovery Zone of Logan County. As an overdose survivor and person in long-term recovery, Dougie brings lived experience, credibility, and deep compassion to the individuals he serves.

Dougie leads outreach efforts for justice involved individuals, working directly within local courts and jail settings to provide peer support, recovery resources, and guidance for re-entry. Through his leadership, recovery programming within the Logan County Jail has grown from one peer-led group per week to six, significantly expanding access to support.

James Boleyn
Specialized Dockets Director, Marion Municipal Court

James Boleyn is a Certified Court Manager and the specialized dockets director for the Marion Municipal Court in Marion, Ohio, where he has overseen the operations of an adult drug treatment court, a mental health treatment court, and a veterans treatment court for the past fifteen years. Mr. Boleyn works closely with various agencies and stakeholders in Marion County and the State of Ohio to ensure the dockets are in line with best practice standards and meet community needs. He serves on multiple committees and participates in policy-level discussions regarding the provision of substance use disorder and mental health treatment. Through his work with the Stepping Up Ohio Initiative, Mr. Boleyn is assisting in the development of a comprehensive continuum of crisis services for Marion County. Originally from Chicago, IL, he began working in the mental health field after graduating from Shimer College in 1998.

Christian Bondra
Assistant Prosecutor, Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office

Christian Bondra is an assistant prosecutor with the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office. He has been in the office since 2017, where he began as a law clerk. After passing the bar exam in 2019 Christian was employed by the office as an assistant prosecuting attorney on behalf of Geauga County Job and Family Services. Christian spent roughly three years in this role handling Abuse, Neglect, Dependency cases on behalf of the agency. In 2023 he transferred roles to take on an assistant prosecutor role within the office’s felony division. Through this position he handles all levels of felony charges brought against defendants in the Court of Common Pleas. As it pertains to Drug Court, he is involved in screening cases of individuals who have applied for Drug Court, while also helping to assure proper legal procedures are followed and appropriate legal sanctions are imposed as necessary. In his free time Christian enjoys all outdoor activities, with golf being his main passion as of late.

Shannon Bradshaw, LSW, CDCA
Mental Health Court Coordinator, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Shannon Bradshaw, LSW, CDCA, is the R.I.S.E. Mental Health Court Coordinator for the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. She is a Licensed Social Worker, Chemical Dependency Counselor, and clinician with a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Her experience spans corrections, the courts, and work with individuals with serious mental illness involved in the criminal legal system. Drawing on both her professional expertise and lived experience, Shannon advocates for approaches that move beyond compliance by building trust, strengthening community, and fostering lasting behavioral change.

Judge Giovanna Bremke
Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Judge Giovanna Bremke serves on the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, having taken the bench in January 2025. She presides over the largest specialized docket in Lorain County, the felony drug court which is separated by gender. Prior to her election, she practiced law in the private sector and served as a magistrate for the Elyria Municipal Court and was the defense attorney for the felony drug court in Lorain County. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Judge Bremke brings a diverse legal background to the bench and is committed to promoting fairness, accountability, and effective court practices, including leadership in specialized docket initiatives that support recovery and long-term success for justice-involved individuals.

Morgan Brown
Deputy Sheriff, Union County Sheriff’s Office

Morgan Brown is a Deputy Sheriff at the Union County Sheriff’s Office. After completing his Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy at Eastland-Fairfield Career Center, Deputy Brown joined the Union County Sheriff’s Office in May 2016. Upon his hiring at the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Brown served as a Public Safety Officer from May 2016 to December 2019, where he was trained as an EMT and a Firefighter. Dep. Brown was the Crisis Intervention Coordinator for Union County from January 2020 to December 2023. Dep. Brown is currently working in the Court Services division of the Union County Sheriff’s Office. Before his law enforcement career, Deputy Brown served 9 years and 10 months as a Security Forces member in the United States Air Force.

Judge Albert S. Camplese
Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas, Probate and Juvenile Division

Judge Albert S. Camplese graduated from Ohio Northern University, and received his Juris Doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.  He was elected as Judge of the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas, Probate-Juvenile Division in 2015.  Previously, he served 22 years as Judge of the Ashtabula Municipal Court.  Judge Camplese established Ashtabula County’s Family Drug Court in 2017.  In 2018, he established the court’s Family Resource Center.  He is a recipient of the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judge’s Distinguished Service Award for Extraordinary Contributions for transforming the face of Ohio’s juvenile justice system. 

Christina Claar
Program Coordinator, Summit County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Christina Claar is the Program Coordinator for the Summit County Domestic Violence Intervention Court (DVIC), a felony-level specialized docket within the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. She oversees program administration, multidisciplinary team coordination, grant management, and implementation of evidence-based practices that promote offender accountability and victim safety. Christina is passionate about bridging the gap between criminal justice administration and daily operations through collaboration, innovation, and data-driven strategies and is committed to advancing specialized dockets through education, partnership and continuous improvement.

Sheila Clarkson
Certified Peer Recovery Supporter and Certified Family Peer Support Specialist, Recovery Zone of Logan County

Sheila Clarkson is a Certified Peer Recovery Supporter and Certified Family Peer Support Specialist with 13 years of experience in the recovery field. She holds an Associate Degree in Addictions and Recovery Services and spent a decade working in a women’s residential treatment program supporting survivors of sex trafficking and addiction.  She currently works with the Recovery Zone of Logan County, providing peer support for inmates and facilitating codependency recovery groups and SMART recovery inspired groups. Outside the jail, she facilitates a group called ROOTED: A Workshop for Families Navigating Addiction. 

Magistrate Dianne Curtis
Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Magistrate Dianne Curtis spent much of her early career working with children in various management capacities in agencies that provided foster care and adoption services. Magistrate Curtis received her juris doctorate from the University of Akron in 2011 and focused her practice on special education, domestic relations and juvenile law. In 2021, she joined Summit County Children’s Services as legal counsel and juvenile court liaison. Magistrate Curtis accepted her appointment as Magistrate under the leadership and guidance of Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio on September 23, 2024. She chairs the Akron Bar Association’s Juvenile Court Committee and was an inaugural member of their Leadership Academy. She is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State University and the University of Akron.

Annette Deao, LICDC-S
Grants and Specialized Docket Administrator Logan County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Annette Deao, LICDC-S, is an independently licensed chemical dependency counselor and serves as Grants and Specialized Docket Administrator for the Logan County Court of Common Pleas in Bellefontaine, Ohio. With 38 years of experience in the field of addiction and criminal justice, she has devoted her career to addressing addiction and reducing its impact on individuals, families, and communities. 

Magistrate Gina DeGenova
Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Magistrate Gina DeGenova joined the Mahoning County Juvenile Court in January, 2025. She concurrently serves as the Court Administrator overseeing daily operations of the Court and as a Magistrate presiding over the Court's truancy, traffic and Family Dependency Court dockets. Before joining Juvenile Court, Magistrate DeGenova worked with the law firm of Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell and the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office. During her near twenty-year tenure with the Prosecutor’s Office, Magistrate DeGenova served as an Assistant Prosecutor, Chief Assistant and Public Information Officer and was sworn in as the Mahoning County Prosecutor in January, 2023. Magistrate DeGenova is a lifelong resident of the Mahoning Valley having grown up in Niles, Ohio. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science from Youngstown State University and received her Juris Doctorate from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2000. She currently resides in Canfield.

Judge Theresa Dellick
Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Judge Theresa Dellick has served as Judge of the Mahoning County Juvenile Court since 2001, leading innovative, evidence-based programs focused on youth rehabilitation, family support, and public safety. A recognized leader in juvenile justice, she created initiatives such as the Mahoning Valley Community School and helped implement the Georgetown University Crossover Youth Project, earning recognition from the Obama White House, U.S. Departments of Justice and Education, and Sandy Hook Promise. Judge Dellick has also held numerous leadership roles in Ohio’s judiciary, contributed to juvenile justice legislation, and secured millions in grant funding to expand services for youth and families.

Dominick DePhilippis, PhD
Consultant

Dominick DePhilippis, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience as a clinician, researcher, and educator, predominantly in the field of substance use disorders (SUD) treatment. Dr. DePhilippis earned his Ph.D in Clinical Psychology in 1992 from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA. In 2025, he retired from Federal service as the Deputy National Mental Health Director for SUD in the Office of Mental Health in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He now serves as a freelance consultant for matters pertaining to evidence-based SUD treatment.  He has particular interests and expertise in expanding access to evidence-based SUD treatment and measurement-based SUD care.  He is a nationally recognized subject matter expert in Contingency Management (CM) whose work in implementing CM has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and featured in media reports in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Scientific American, and National Public Radio.  He is a trainer in Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders.  Dr. DePhilippis also is a Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

Justine Dumont, CDCA
Specialty Docket Coordinator and Probation Officer, Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Justine Dumont, CDCA is the Specialty Docket Coordinator and Probation Officer with the Lorain County Common Pleas Court. She began her career with the court in 2016 as a Case Manager and has served as the Specialty Docket Coordinator since 2021. Justine holds a Master's degree in Public Administration, is a Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCA), and is a trained Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officer. She works collaboratively with the court, treatment providers, attorneys, and community partners to support participants on their path to recovery and long-term success.

Lora Faenza, LCDCIII
Director of Support Services, Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas, Probate and Juvenile Division

Lora Faenza, LCDCIII began her work in the Criminal Justice field in 2009 after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies from Kent State University.  Lora continued her education by graduating from Tiffin University with Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensic Psychology in 2011. Lora holds a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor III license from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board. Lora has been employed with the Ashtabula County Juvenile/Probate Court for the past 14 year, and is currently the Director of Support Services, which includes coordinating the Specialized Docket for the Ashtabula County Juvenile Court Family Drug Court and Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program for the Ashtabula County Probate Court.

Officer Amy Findley
Critical Incident Coordinator, Marysville Police Division

Officer Amy Findley began her career after earning an associate’s degree and her OPOTA certification from Columbus State Community College in 1999.  Officer Findley started at the Union County Sheriff's Office in 1999 before joining the Marysville Police Division in 2001. For eighteen years (2001-2019), she served in the Road Patrol unit, where she also took on specialized roles as a Field Training Officer, Bike Patrol Officer, and Women's Self-Defense Instructor.  From 2019 to 2024, Officer Findley served as the School Resource Officer at Marysville Early College High School. During this time, she was asked to implement their Therapy K9 program for the department. In 2024, Officer Findley transitioned into her current role as the Critical Incident Coordinator (CIT) for Union County. She has worked to unify law enforcement, mental health providers, and advocacy groups to ensure individuals experiencing a crisis receive the necessary support. She is also responsible for providing training and resources to law enforcement personnel to better equip them when responding to those in crisis.

Kiel Freeman
Probation Officer Summit County Adult Probation Department

Kiel Freeman graduated from Kent State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies. He began his career in 2008 at Oriana House, where he served in a variety of roles, gaining valuable experience in community corrections and offender rehabilitation.

In 2014, Kiel joined the Summit County Probation Department as a Probation Officer, managing a dual caseload of moderate-risk offenders and participants in Reentry Court. In 2016, he transitioned to working exclusively with the Reentry Court population, where he continues to focus on supporting individuals as they successfully reintegrate into the community while promoting accountability and reducing recidivism.

Darryl Graves
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and Reentry Administrator Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Darryl Graves is an accomplished executive leader, manager, and trainer with over thirty years of experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. He has dedicated more than 20 years to training and instruction, alongside over 15 years as a leadership and executive coach. Darryl holds multiple certifications including Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Certified Public Manager, Certified Coach Practitioner, and Master Trainer for essential leadership skills. He is a proud graduate of the Voinovich School Executive Leadership Institute and Cohort 51 of the Ohio Certified Public Manager program (OCPM). Since 2021, he has contributed to the Voinovich School as an Adjunct Faculty Workshop Instructor. He is also a contracted leadership instructor for Levin College of Public Affairs and Education at Cleveland State University. Darryl currently serves as a member of the Program Advisory Board for OCPM. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and numerous executive leadership credentials, such as participation in the Executive Education Program at Harvard Kennedy School.

Karen Guerrieri, LPCC/S, LICDC, SWA
Clinical Supervisor, Mahoning County Juvenile Court’s Clinical Services Department

Karen Guerrieri, LPCC/S, LICDC, SWA, has worked in the human services and juvenile justice fields for over 20 years, currently serving as the Clinical Supervisor in Mahoning County Juvenile Court’s Clinical Services Department and Co-Chair of Stand Grow Thrive: Mahoning Resiliency Movement. As part of her therapeutic responsibilities, Karen provides individual, family, and group treatment services and is an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trained therapist. She also oversees parenting education services provided through the Court.

In addition to her service at Mahoning County Juvenile Court, Karen is an adjunct faculty member at Kent State University, with over 15 years of experience teaching in the both the Human Services and Human Development and Family Studies programs. She has presented at numerous conferences/venues on a variety of topics, including trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and resiliency. Karen is particularly interested in the effects of trauma and adversity exposure on individual development and parenting, as well as the generational implications of adversity exposure.

Angela Hart, LSW
Strategic and Collaborative Systems Leader, Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Angela Hart, LSW, is a strategic and collaborative systems leader with experience in juvenile justice, child welfare, education and family systems. Angela has been with Summit County Juvenile Court since 2015 and the Coordinator of Restore Court since 2022. She is a member of Summit County Trauma Study Committee, Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, State of Ohio Anti-Trafficking Committee-Panel Expert and a contributor to the State of Ohio Anti-Trafficking Task Force-Protocol for Serving Child Trafficking Victims. Angela is a graduate of the Child and Family Leadership Exchange, Summit County Cluster- Family and Children First Counsel Heart to Heart Purposeful Leadership and volunteers at Hope Meadows Equine Psychotherapy. Angela received her Bachelor of Arts and Science in Psychology and Master of Social Work from The University of Akron.

Howard Hatfield
Probation Officer, Hamilton County Adult Probation Department

Howard Hatfield is a Probation Officer with the Hamilton County Adult Probation Department, where he has served for the past eight years supervising felony offenders, including specialized mental health caseloads. With more than 10 years of experience in the criminal justice field, Howard is committed to promoting rehabilitation, accountability, and community safety through evidence-based practices. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Correctional Rehabilitation from the University of Cincinnati.

Judge Alison Hatheway
Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division 

Judge Alison Hatheway is currently the Administrative and Presiding Judge for the Court of Common Pleas in Hamilton County, Ohio. Since taking the bench, she has presided over a Supreme Court Certified Felony Mental Health Court docket, and chaired the Court’s Probation Committee, which has since implemented sweeping, evidence-based changes to way probationers are supervised in Hamilton County.

Judge Hatheway’s legal career has been devoted to making positive change in the criminal justice system. Prior to taking the bench, she was a Public Defender in Hamilton County for nearly 14 years. She has been a defender in Juvenile, Municipal and Felony Common Pleas Courts. Before leaving the Public Defender’s Office, Judge Hatheway served as Director of Juvenile Division. During her tenure, she led a project that established the very first participatory defense hub in Hamilton County and her team was honored by the State Public Defender for its commitment to advocating for children.

Judge Hatheway graduated with honors from Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. She is member of the Ohio Judicial Conference, the Black Judge’s Association of Ohio, the Inn of Courts, the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Bar Association, and the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP. Judge Hatheway volunteers her time at Clark Montessori High School, and also works with other CPS schools to educate students about the justice system. Before pursuing a career in law, Judge Hatheway spent several years working as a news anchor and reporter. She has also been a group fitness instructor. Judge Hatheway earned her bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Muskingum University.

Katie Howell
Advocacy Services Manager, Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center

Katie Howell is the Advocacy Services Manager at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center, serving Summit and Medina Counties. Katie oversees the advocacy teams, including anti-human trafficking advocates and all the agency’s court advocacy programming. Katie sits on the treatment team for the Domestic Violence Intervention Court through Summit County and the Family Intervention Program through Akron Municipal Court, both of which are specialty Domestic Violence dockets. Katie is the secretary for the Summit County Sexual Assault Response Team and is the chair of the Summit County Domestic Violence Coalition. Katie earned her degree in Forensic Psychology from Tiffin University and enjoys shaping victim services by challenging and changing the systems from within. 

Kim Kehl
Retired

Kim Kehl is a SAMSHA certified trauma-informed trainer. He has presented at numerous local, state and national conferences and workshops. Kehl is currently a Project Manager for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Families and Children, Bureau of Foster Care Licensing, where he provides consultation and technical assistance to Ohio’s Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (children’s residential programs) on trauma-informed approaches and trauma treatment models. Kehl recently retired from state and county government after more than 32 years. During that time, he has had various roles with state agencies including the Ohio Departments of Education, Mental Health, Health, Job and Family Services, Transportation and the Governor’s Ohio Family and Children First Council. Kehl has served as Ohio’s Trauma-Informed Care Project Coordinator. Under the general direction of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Assistant Director, Office of Community Treatment Services, he collaborated with federal, state, and local partners to support training and implementation of trauma-informed practices throughout Ohio. He coordinated training efforts and fostered the implementation of trauma-informed practice within the OhioMHAS and Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) systems in both the institutional and community domains. Kehl received a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Wright State University in 1990 and a B.S. from Kent State University in Special Education and Elementary Education in 1978.

Jeff M. Kretschmar, PhD
Research Associate Professor, Case Western Reserve University

Jeff M. Kretschmar, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor at the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences of Case Western Reserve University and Managing Director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at MSASS. He also serves as the Director of the Begun Center’s Partnership for Evaluation, Research, and Implementation (PERI). Since 2006, Dr. Kretschmar has served as the Principal Investigator (PI) on the evaluation of Ohio’s Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice Initiative, a diversion program for juvenile justice- involved youth with behavioral health issues. Dr. Kretschmar also serves as the PI for the evaluation of the Cuyahoga County’s Domestic Violence Homicide Reduction Program, sponsored by the Office on Violence against Women, and PI for the evaluation of a new High-Risk Domestic Violence felony docket with the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  He is also lead evaluator for several specialized docket evaluations, including two federally- funded juvenile drug court dockets, a federally funded family treatment court docket, two juvenile human trafficking dockets, and two juvenile mental health dockets.  Specialized dockets are designed to provide more effective treatment options to those who participate in the dockets.  Dr. Kretschmar has presented the findings from his research at national and international conferences in the criminal/juvenile justice, mental/behavioral health, and related fields and has published these results in various professional journals. Prior to joining CWRU, he served as Project Director for the Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence at Kent State University. Dr. Kretschmar received his PhD in Social Psychology from Miami University.  · Serves as the PI for several local, state, and federal research/evaluation projects 

Maureen Maruna
Drug Court Specialized Docket Coordinator, Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Maureen Maruna graduated from Grand Valley High School in 1992. In her junior year, Maureen lived in Australia as a foreign exchange student. In 1997 she graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Maureen has been in her career as a Parole/Probation Officer for 28 years and has worked with the Adult Parole Authority and the Ashtabula County Adult Probation Department, where she assisted in the creation of their Mental Health Court. In 2018, she was hired by Geauga County Court of Common Pleas as the Specialized Docket Coordinator to assist in creating the New Leaf Program which has served as a mentor court for AllRise, the national treatment court association. In her free time, she enjoys taking nature walks, volunteering for her local fire department and social clubs, golfing, playing pickleball, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Brook Moomaw
Program Coordinator Oriana House, Inc.

Brook Moomaw earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Justice Studies at Kent State University, in 2005. In 2007, she began her career with Oriana House, Inc. as an Intake Specialist in the Admissions Department where she completed intake screens for all Oriana House Programming.  In 2012, she began working in the Reentry Court Program as a Caseworker, and in 2018 was promoted to Program Coordinator of the Family Intervention Court, Reentry Court, and Valor Court Programs in Summit County, where she currently supervises a team of 6 caseworkers.

Judge Sheryl Munson
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Judge Sheryl Munson is a Judge in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division.

Judge Munson graduated summa cum laude with Honors in the Liberal Arts from The Ohio State University before earning her J.D. from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1994. Before taking the bench in 2020, Judge Munson spent 26 years as an attorney with the Franklin County Public Defender's Office. After becoming a judge, she led the development of the R.I.S.E. (Reaching Individual Success Everyday) Mental Health Specialized Docket, which launched in February 2022. She is currently working to launch RENEW (Rebuilding, Empowering, Navigating, and Embracing Wellness), a reentry pilot program seeking certification as a specialized docket through the Supreme Court of Ohio. Judge Munson's judicial philosophy is rooted in the belief that every member of the community deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and as an individual.

Sara Norris
Director of Specialized Dockets and the Assistant Chief Probation Officer, Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division

Sara Norris is the Director of Specialized Dockets and the Assistant Chief Probation Officer for the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas. With 19 years of experience in the probation field and specialized dockets since 2019, Sara is committed to advancing evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. 

Since partnering with Judge Megan L. Bickerton in 2022, she has helped develop and implement Columbiana County's first felony Adult Drug Court Program and assisted in implementing the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas Day Reporting Program. She has led the development of policies, procedures, and programming consistent with the Supreme Court of Ohio's Specialized Docket Standards. Sara is passionate about trauma-informed and gender-responsive practices and is dedicated to strengthening collaboration among justice, treatment, and community partners to promote long-term recovery, reduce recidivism, and enhance public safety.

Freeland Oliverio, Esq.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office

Freeland Oliverio, Esq., is an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with extensive experience prosecuting domestic violence cases. Throughout his career, he has dedicated much of his practice to holding offenders accountable while promoting victim safety and justice, developing significant expertise in the dynamics and prosecution of domestic violence cases. In addition to his courtroom work, Freeland regularly provides training to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and community members on domestic violence dynamics, evidence-based prosecution strategies, and best practices for responding to these complex cases. His work reflects a commitment to improving the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence through education, collaboration, and effective advocacy.

Judge E. Gerald Parker, Jr.
Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Judge E. Gerald Parker, Jr. was elected on November 6th, 2018 to serve on the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Bench (General Division).  Prior to being elected, he was appointed as juvenile magistrate in July of 2016 presiding over juvenile delinquency and traffic matters, along with child dependency, abuse, and neglect cases.   After graduating from Georgetown College (KY), Judge Parker attended Northern Kentucky University’s - Chase College of Law.  He began his legal career as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Montgomery County, handling hundreds of felony cases.  Judge Parker serves as board President for Building Bridges, Inc. which acts as a safety net for at-risk youth involved in the Montgomery County Juvenile Court.  He received WHIO Channel 7’s Making a Difference Award for his work in the community.

Judge Carolyn J. Paschke
Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Judge Carolyn J. Paschke has served as Judge in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division since January 1, 2017, and is currently serving as Presiding Judge. Prior to becoming Judge, she served as Magistrate for the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas from 2013 until taking the bench in January 2017. Before she began working for the court, she was the owner and managing attorney for Paschke & Associates, Co. LPA, where she practiced in Common Pleas, Municipal and Federal Courts throughout Northeast Ohio. Judge Paschke received her BA from Miami University and her JD from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

Judge Paschke started the New Leaf Program, the first Drug Court in Geauga County, in June of 2019. She also serves on the Judicial Advisory Board for NEOCAP and on several committees for the Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association.

Judge Paschke is a past President of the Geauga County Bar Association and a recipient of the OSBA Community Service Award for Attorneys under 30. Judge Paschke has recently taken up kayaking, she is certified in Scuba and loves downhill skiing. She still plays softball in the “Old Ladies’ League”.

Kelly Paull
Early Care and Education Licensing Supervisor Ohio Dept of Children and Youth

Kelly Paull is a Regulatory Compliance Supervisor based out of Dayton, Ohio, where she’s built a reputation for making complex regulations feel approachable and manageable. Over the course of her career, she has participated in several key initiatives that strengthened organizational compliance practices, improved audit readiness, and helped teams navigate changing regulatory standards with confidence. Kelly is especially proud of her work developing and training courses that made it easier for childcare programs to understand not just what the rules are, but why they matter.

Greg Potts
Drug Court Probation Officer, Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division

Greg Potts is from Marion, Ohio where he graduated from Marion Harding High School in 1999. He then went on to Bowling Green State University and graduated in 2003. After graduation, Greg worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Marion, Ohio serving as the program’s One-to-One Coordinator and from 2004 to 2006 at The Buckeye Ranch. There he held the Position of Senior Youth Leader working with Dual Diagnosed youth. In 2006, he was hired by the Franklin County Adult Probation Department as a Probation Officer. For the next 10 years he held the positions of Specialized Sex Offender Probation Officer and Intensive Supervision Officer. In 2016, Greg moved to the Great Geauga County where he had the privilege to be a stay-at-home dad for his 2 children for 2 years. In September of 2018, Greg was offered a position with the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas as a Probation Officer. In October of 2020, with the expanding growth of Geauga’s Specialized Drug Court Docket, Greg transferred into his current position as the Probation Officer for the New Leaf Program.

Rachel Ramirez, LISW-S, RASS
Director of Health and Disability Programs, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Rachel Ramirez, LISW-S, RASS is the Director of Health and Disability Programs and Founder of the Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury at the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. A bilingual licensed social worker and national expert, she brings over 20 years of experience to her work at the intersection of brain injury, trauma and domestic violence. Rachel provides training, technical assistance, consultation, and program support nationwide, and her work has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, CBS News, The Washington Post, and on NPR.

Melissa Shaw
Home-based Manager Leads Community Action Agency

Melissa Shaw is an early childhood development professional who works directly with young children and their families, providing support and guidance. Ms. Shaw supervises a team of home educators who conduct weekly home visits with program-eligible families while ensuring families are connected with needed services in their home community. She holds a masters in education from Concordia University.

Dustin Starkey
Peer Supporter

Dustin Starkey is a peer supporter and graduate of the R.I.S.E. Mental Health Court. Drawing from his own recovery journey and lived experience in the criminal legal system, he provides hope, encouragement, and practical support to individuals navigating similar challenges. Dustin is passionate about demonstrating that meaningful change is possible when people are met with accountability, opportunity, and a community that believes in their potential.

Magistrate Linette M. Stratford
Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Magistrate Linette M. Stratford joined the Mahoning County Juvenile Court in 2025 and serves as Magistrate for private paternity cases and the Building Bridges mental health treatment docket. A cum laude graduate of Youngstown State University and a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Law, she spent 31 years with the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office, ultimately serving as Chief Assistant Prosecutor. Magistrate Stratford is also an adjunct professor at Youngstown State University, author, and frequent presenter on ethics, law, and public service.

Stephen Szendrey
Assistant Public Defender, Geauga County Public Defender’s Office

Stephen Szendrey grew up on the west side of Cleveland, where he developed a strong connection to the community, especially its sports teams. After completing an undergraduate degree at Ohio University, Stephen pursued a law degree from Cleveland State University. Following law school, he gained valuable experience working in private practice before joining the Geauga County Public Defender's Office in 2015. Since then, Stephen has dedicated his career to advocating for those in need, providing legal representation and support to individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

Taylor Tharp, LISW-S,
Director of Specialized Dockets, Union County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division

Taylor Tharp, LISW-S, began her work with the Union County Common Pleas Recovery Court in 2014 as a graduate intern through The Ohio State University’s Master of Social Work program and was hired by the Court in 2015. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Capital University, majoring in Psychology and Sociology, and currently serves as the Director of Specialized Dockets for the Union County Common Pleas Court. Taylor brings over 12 years of experience in the behavioral health field and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker Supervisor (LISW-S) and Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC).  Taylor is involved in many community organizations and has several years of supervisory experience.  She owns and operates a private practice in Dublin, OH where she provides mental health, trauma, and addiction therapy.  She is also an EMDR certified therapist.  Taylor is passionate about helping individuals overcome barriers to recovery, expanding access to treatment, and improving outcomes for those involved in the criminal justice and behavioral health systems.

Krystel Tossone, PhD
Research Analytics Consultant, Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC)

Krystel Tossone, PhD, is a Research Analytics Consultant in the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center within the Program Design, Implementation, & Evaluation Section. Dr. Tossone is an expert in evaluation science mixed methods methodology and applied statistics in the intersecting fields of criminal justice health, substance use, behavioral health outcomes, and trauma exposure throughout the lifespan. Krystel holds a PhD in public health, specializing in prevention science, from Kent State University. Since graduating in 2015, Dr. Tossone has served as a principal investigator, lead statistician, and methodologist on dozens of federal, state, and local evaluation projects in her career. Dr. Tossone is currently serving on the State Opioid and Stimulant Response (SOS) Evaluation, Ohio Department of Medicaid Ohio Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence (OhioRISE) Evaluation, Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Project, National Institute of Justice Overdose Response Study, and the Ohio Criminal Justice Services Mental Health Court Evaluation. Krystel has published in peer-reviewed journals such as Child Abuse and Neglect and Journal of Substance Abuse and Treatment.

Md Shah Jalal Uddin, M.S.
Research Consultant, Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC)

Md Shah Jalal Uddin, M.S., joined the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC) at The Ohio State University in September 2019 and currently serves as a Research Consultant. In his current role, Jalal independently leads quantitative research and evaluation across multiple concurrent federal- and state-sponsored projects. His work has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in journals including Diabetes Care, the American Journal of Public Health, and Clinical Diabetes. His recent work centers on building automated data pipelines, engineering features from unstructured data, and applying statistical modeling to large, complex, real-world datasets. Jalal's educational background includes a Master of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Arts in Economics from Ohio University.

Jamie Vaske, PhD
Professor, Western Carolina University

Jamie Vaske, PhD, is a Professor at Western Carolina University. She has served as the evaluator for several veterans treatment courts in North Carolina since 2015, conducting both process and outcome evaluations. To assist courts in adhering to the Adult Drug Court Best Practice Standards, she created the Treatment Courts Best Practices Inventory and provided education on a variety of topics. Dr. Vaske is a Master Trainer for the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment and serves/has served as a consultant on multiple VTC multisite projects, as well as a research consultant on the VTC Enhancement Initiative since 2020.

Zachary Vicha
Project Director, All Rise: Justice for Vets Division

Zachary Vicha is a project director with All Rise’s Justice for Vets division. With dual licenses as a mental health and substance use counselor, he has dedicated over 10 years to working alongside diverse teams at the vital intersection of mental health and justice. He excels at bringing together diverse viewpoints to foster meaningful interactions across overlapping systems. In his previous role as a policy analyst for the Supreme Court of Ohio, Mr. Vicha provided essential training and technical assistance to 260 treatment courts across the state. As a coordinator of a local veterans treatment court, he significantly advanced compliance with best practices while fostering strong partnerships with the local VA. With his expertise in dual addiction and trauma treatment, combined with pharmacological interventions, Mr. Vicha’s blend of hands-on experience and administrative insight truly benefits those he serves.

Emily Willard
Probation Officer Summit County Adult Probation Department

Emily Willard graduated from the University of Akron in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Sociology and an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. She began her career at Oriana House, where she worked as both a Caseworker and an Intake Specialist, building a strong foundation in community corrections and client services.

In 2016, Emily joined the Summit County Adult Probation Department as a Probation Officer, managing a dual caseload in the Opiate Unit and Reentry Court. She later transitioned to working exclusively with the Reentry Court population, where she is dedicated to supporting participants in their recovery and successful reintegration into the community while promoting accountability and long-term positive outcomes.

Gary Yuratovac, Esq.
Central Clinic: Southern Ohio Forensic Evaluation Services Division

Gary Yuratovac, Esq., is currently the Program Director for Specialty Services at Southern Ohio Forensic Evaluation Services, a division of Central Clinic. Gary has a law degree from the University of Cincinnati and worked as a trial attorney in the Municipal Division of the Hamilton County Public Defenders’ Office from 2011-2016. During that time, he was assigned to be the public defender in Municipal Veterans’ Treatment Court.  Since 2016 he has worked at Central Clinic, as the Program Director for Hamilton County’s Mental Health Courts and Veterans’ Treatment Courts.  Gary works as a liaison between the criminal justice system and community mental health and substance abuse treatment providers.