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INDIANA DEPT. OF CORRECTION
Branchville Correctional Facility
21390 Old State Road 37
Branchville, IN 47514
www.in.gov/idoc
FOR RELEASE: Upon Receipt
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Teresa (Teri) James
Community Services Director &
Public Information Officer
812.843.4204
TJames1@idoc.IN.gov
Date: March 30, 2021
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Employees of the Quarter Honored at Branchville Correctional Facility Luncheon
Branchville, Ind. - Branchville Correctional Facility Warden Frank Littlejohn and the Branchville Employee Appreciation Support Team (BEAST) recently honored five Employees of the Quarter. Each recipient was nominated with letters of recommendation, commendation and recognition for going above and beyond by their fellow co workers, supervisors and administration. The winners were treated to a pizza lunch, received a Certificate of Appreciation and are assigned preferential parking for the next three months. The Winners Are:
Custody Officer of the Quarter: Ryan Coomer. Officer Coomer, began his career with the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) in 2012. Officer Coomer was recently called upon to head the Screening and Disciplinary Hearing Board. "Coomer", according to Captain Nathan Hoffman's nomination letter " has excelled in keeping screening and Disciplinary review to a manageable level, while being short-handed." Lt. Joshua Smith noted in his recommendation letter that, "Officer Coomer's patience, attention to detail, time management, and due diligence have played a significate role in coordinating and planning daily hearings and screenings." Office Coomer is known for maintaining a positive attitude and a calm demeanor even in times of great stress. Congratulations Officer Ryan Coomer, Custody Officer of the Quarter.
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Supervisor of the Quarter: Unit Team Manager Kelly Allen. Allen's career in corrections began as a uniformed Custody Officer in 2007. Allen's path in corrections changed from Custody to Administration in 2008 when she accepted a position with Addictions and Recovery as a Recovery Counselor 4 in 2008. Allen was promoted to Recovery Counselor 3 in 2010 before transferring to Unit Team Manager in 2013. Re-Entry Coordinator Jackie Coultas's nomination letter stated, "Kelly Allen is an example of a supervisor who has stood out." As a Unit Team Manager, Allen is often sought out as a resource for Unit Team Staff, Custody, and Re-Entry Teams. Allen is instrumental in Branchville's day-to-day operations and programs. She is also a member of the Branchville Fire Department, recently completing Fire School to become an Indiana Certified Firefighter. Congratulation Kelly Allen, Supervisor of the Quarter!
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Contractual Employee of the Quarter: Dea Goad. Dea Goad is the Aramark Food Service Director at Branchville Correctional Facility. During the pandemic, Ms. Goad has had to contend with being short-staffed, unable to utilize her offender workers, and utilizing re-assigned staff and new employees to maintain food service operations for Branchville's inmate population. Ms. Goad and her small team have had to make and deliver meals when COVID-19 numbers increased at Branchville. Ms. Goad and her team successfully met this challenge. In his nomination letter, Deputy Warden Dan Mitchell stated "Ms. Goad, in a matter of days, was able to move from three-sack meals a day to providing 1,400 offenders with two hot meals." Ms. Goad was able to rally her team, who were still short-handed, offender workers, who hadn't cooked or served a meal in almost a year, and get this all up and running in a matter of days. Congratulations Dea Goad, Contractual Employee of the Quarter!
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Non-Custody Employees of the Quarter: Martin Brison and Tim Pope, Maintenance Foremen. Martin Brison began his career in Corrections in 2019 as a Maintenance Foreman. Tim Pope began at Branchville as a custody officer in 2018 before transferring to Maintenance Foreman in 2019. Both men received the Non-Custody Employee of the Quarter because they were instrumental in stopping a potential trafficking incident at the facility. Brison and Pope were working by the perimeter fence road when they spotted an unknown civilian (later identified and arrested) standing by the fence near an open outdoor area accessible to offenders. Both men were quick to act, keeping the person in their sights while contacting the Office of Investigation and Intelligence (OII) Correctional Police Officers (CPO). Brison and Pope were able to keep the CPOs informed of where the suspect had entered the wooded area to help CPO's apprehend the suspect and place him into custody pending charges. In several nomination letters for both men from OII and maintenance co-workers, their quick actions lead to the arrest of the suspect with multiple felony charges pending. Jeff Dickenson, an Intelligence Analyst with OII in his nomination letter stated, "Brison and Pope, were instrumental in stopping a large amount of drugs from entering the facility, which would have threatened the safety and security of everyone." Congratulations Martin Brison and Tim Pope, Non-Custody Employees of the Quarter!
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