District 10R Probation & Parole Officer II Shannon Tilley supervises veterans in the Greene County Veterans Treatment Court.

Tilley served in the U.S. Army active duty and reserves for more than 15 years. She learned Polish at the Defense Language Institute on the Presidio of Monterey and used her skills to serve as a signals intelligence voice intercept operator. She also was sent with the First Calvary Division to Operation Desert Storm.

Why she serves:

"After serving in the Army, I feel an obligation to continue service to my country and state because of all the benefits I’ve received living in this country. When you experience what it is like in other countries, specifically for women, the drive to continue to help others is even more strongly ingrained into your psyche. I can’t even imagine a different course of action."

Correctional Officer I Kevin Wilson serves at Boonville Correctional Center.

Wilson retired from the U.S. Navy after 20 years of service, which he began at age 19. He served on many ships: USS Saginaw (LST 1188), USS America (CV 68), USS Iowa (BB 61) and USS Anzio (CG 68), all with a port in Norfolk, Virginia. He also served at the Naval Station Norfolk, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Station, and the Naval Technical Training Center in San Antonio.

Why he serves:

"The reason I've made a career out of serving others is because I enjoy it. Because I've had the pleasure in my life of other people helping and serving me, I thought it would be great to return the favor to others. I feel it is a privilege to serve in the U.S. Navy — something I will never forget."

Office Support Assistant Marlys Joe works at Western Reception, Diagnostic & Correctional Center.

Joe joined the U.S. Army in her 30s, attained the rank of sergeant, and worked as a biomedical technician, repairing medical equipment used during deployments. After leaving the military because of an injury, she joined the corrections team.

Why she serves:

"One of the things that I am most proud of is helping others, even if they do not know it — whether it is providing safe medical equipment to keep soldiers around the world alive or working in DOC to enter client information that helps case managers and probation and parole staff to understand who these men are and create a program for the client to be a successful part of the community when they are discharged. I understand that there is a circle of commitment between these two jobs that I’ve had, and for me it is very profound.The feeling I had for serving my country is the exact same as serving my community."

Northeast Correctional Center Warden Dan Redington served on active duty as a submarine navigational electronic technician in the U.S. Navy for four years before joining the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Why he serves:

"I have always loved corrections. Coming in right after the military, the structure and the teamwork reminded me of the military, and I have always liked that. I also feel that we are making a difference in society by taking individuals and working with them to turn out good citizens going back out into the community."

Correctional Training Officer Paul Koessel joined the department in 1994 and served as a probation and parole officer until 2017, when he joined the Eastern Region Training Center team.

In 2004, Koessel joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves and now serves as reserve command senior chief at Sector Upper Mississippi River St. Louis. He has served in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in Port Arthur, Texas, and in five major flooding events from North Dakota to Louisiana. Last month Koessel completed the Senior Enlisted Leadership Course at the Coast Guard Academy, where he earned the Alex P. Haley Award for Academic Excellence.

Why he serves:

"I absolutely love my job as an academy instructor and enjoy bringing a career full of experience, strength and hope to new employees of the department." 

James Smith is a recreation officer at South Central Correctional Center.

Smith served in the U.S. Naval Submarine Force and Naval Reserves from 1981 to 1993.

During his service, he earned a dolphins pin, in recognition of submarine qualification, as well as a Navy Achievement Medal, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, a Good Conduct Medal, Naval Reserve Meritorious Service, a National Defense Service Medal, a Navy Sea Service Ribbon and a National Defense Medal.

Why he serves:

"I have always enjoyed working as a team and for a team I am proud of — and to help preserve all the rights and freedoms that others have given their life for."

Off the clock, Smith, 58, is an athlete who competes in the Missouri Senior Games each year in basketball, swimming, and track and field. He has earned gold medals for free throws, around the world, jump rope and dribble.

David Adkison is a physical plant supervisor at Chillicothe Correctional Center.

Adkison enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1978. He served as an aviation machinist mate on the USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) and earned his aircrew wings flying search-and-rescue operations as a crew chief on a UH-IN helicopter. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserves in 1982, affiliating with Patrol Squadron Six Seven at Naval Air Station Memphis. He served as a T56 power plant technician, a full system quality assurance representative, a chief petty officer, a maintenance control chief, a patrol squadron, a maintenance senior chief, an A-wing senior enlisted leader and, ultimately, a maintenance master chief. Adkison deployed to Kuwait for three tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. He retired in September after 34 years of service, having earned more than a dozen military honors.

Martha Powell has worked as a correctional officer for the Missouri Department of Corrections for more than 20 years, currently serving at Southeast Correctional Center.

Powell served in the U.S. Army as a flight operations coordinator, keeping flight records for pilots and sending flight orders to other military bases. She was stationed in several posts throughout the United States as well as in Korea.

Why she serves:

“I have enjoyed the job. I have had some conversations with offenders to try to let them know that even though you are in prison, there can still be a positive side of life. I really try to talk to the younger inmates. I would like to think that I have had a positive impact on some of them. I am looking forward to continuing my career in corrections.”

Gina Rains joined the department in 2009 and currently serves as a corrections program specialist at Tipton Correctional Center.

Rains began her career with the U.S. Air Force in 1986 as a pneumatic specialist on B-52G models. She has served as an education specialist, vehicle operator/dispatcher, and military equal opportunity specialist, with assignments in Arkansas, Florida, California, England and South Korea. She served as superintendent for equal opportunity at Whiteman Air Force Base in 2000 and was promoted to master sergeant in 2004. Her awards include a Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Air Force Achievement Medal, an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, a National Defense Service Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a Korean Defense Service Medal.

Why she serves:

"I have chosen a path to serve others as my faith teaches us we should live our lives in continual service to others. I am also a Virgo, and we get great satisfaction and fulfillment when we are able to help others!"

Probation & Parole Officer II Michael Pearey serves District 10N.

Pearey served in the U.S. Army for 24 years, starting as a private in 1996 and ending as a captain at Fort Leonard Wood. He held jobs in the Signal Corps, Finance Corps and Military Police Regiment, and his military career includes two tours in Korea, one tour in Germany and two tours in Iraq. When he retired in 2020, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.  

Why he serves:

"I have enjoyed coaching, mentoring, and training personnel while serving to protect and defend America, and now I have been given the opportunity to serve at the state and local levels."

Jeremy Neugebauer is an investigator at Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Neugebauer joined the U.S. Air Force in 2001 and served as an intelligence analyst for four years. During his time in the military, he supported both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Why he serves:

"I enjoy working toward making our institutions safer and more secure for the well-being of both staff and offenders."

Cara Harms is a correctional training officer at the Central Region Training Center.

Harms joined the U.S. Army in 1989. She served for more than five years as a combat military police officer and a garrison military police officer before joining the Department of Corrections.

Why she serves:

"I believe my military career has helped me in being successful over all of these years. I love working for the State of Missouri, because I know we are making a difference in people’s lives, and I love being part of something bigger."

Probation & Parole Officer Bailey Carroll serves District 19.

She also serves as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. She currently is part of the 295th Ordnance Company based in Lincoln, Nebraska, and she drills monthly in St. Joseph. She has completed two tours in the Middle East, serving in Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait.

Why she serves:

"I chose to serve because I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. The Army is a way for me to give back to those who have given so much to me. Knowing that I had a part in making America a safer place for future generations makes me proud. I come from a military family spanning three generations. I plan on serving my 20 years and enjoying retirement. I wouldn’t change it for the world!"

Michael Lawzano is an investigator in the Office of Professional Standards.

Lawzano joined the Missouri Army National Guard in 1985 with the goal of completing military police training. He became a Hannibal police officer and also served as a military police staff sergeant in the National Guard for 23 years, earning multiple achievement awards.

In 2003-04, Lawzano was chosen from a pool of several thousand military police officers to establish and supervise day-to-day operations in the first Baghdad Major Crimes Unit in Iraq. He served as an area supervisor in Italy, an assistant shift supervisor in Iowa and a shift supervisor in Missouri. He also has been assigned to Panama and Belize.

Why he serves:

"I enjoyed serving in the Missouri National Guard and the comraderie of the men and women I served with."

Probation & Parole Officer Stephen Wright works in the transitional housing unit at Eastern Reception, Diagnostic & Correctional Center.

Wright joined the U.S. Army in 1988 and served in Germany, Kansas, Georgia, Alaska and Florida. He was deployed to Iraq three times and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal with an oak leaf cluster, along with numerous other awards and honors. He retired in 2015 after 27 years of service.

Probation & Parole Officer Julia Gorton serves District 10R.

Gorton joined the U.S. Navy in 2006. After a year of training in Pensacola, Florida, she was sent to a destroyer in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for three years. She was deployed to the Arabian Sea twice to protect oil rigs for Iraq and was deployed to the coast of Somalia for anti-piracy operations. She also served in Virginia Beach and San Antonio, where she worked at the National Security Agency. She joined the Department of Corrections in May 2021 after earning a degree in criminal justice.

Why she serves:

"I knew it would be a great opportunity to help the community at large."

Power Plant Supervisor II Tony Lee oversees power plant operations at Moberly Correctional Center.

Lee served as a military police officer from 1984 to 1987, guarding chemical munitions and nuclear weapons.

Why he serves:
"I find fulfillment in my job because I believe that 'success is not measured by the material things we possess but by the lives we touch.'”

Willis Booze is a correctional officer at Western Missouri Correctional Center.

He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1981 to 1987, in the security police. He began his career providing security for aircraft and became a staff sergeant manning the security control tower monitoring alarm systems. He served in the United Kingdom and Germany and then completed his service in Abilene, Texas.

Why he serves:

"I chose a career in corrections just this past July, after working in a factory for so many years, when we moved to Missouri from Minnesota."

Adam Barker is a corrections case manager at Tipton Correctional Center.

He served active duty in the U.S. Army for more than seven years and then served in the National Guard for two years while commissioning through the ROTC program. He served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and his unit was one of the first to invade Iraq during the Iraq War.

Why he serves:

"I initially joined the military for the financial and educational benefits it provided but quickly developed a patriotic mindset that I still carry today. My time in the service has benefited my correctional career by developing a team philosophy, leadership skills and a strong sense of duty. I am a proud veteran who still upholds the Army values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. Hooah!"

Ryan Morts, a 22-year corrections staff member, is a parole officer at Fulton Reception & Diagnostic Center.

Morts served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army National Guard for 15 years and then served as a security force member in the U.S. Air Force National Guard for five years. He was deployed overseas twice before retiring in 2013.

Why he serves:

"I have always wanted to help make a difference in the world. Serving my country has allowed me to do something bigger than myself. I was able to travel around the world and see places that I would have never been able to travel to on my own."

Ben Brister is a probation and parole officer in District 10.

Brister served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1989 to 1993 as a heavy equipment operator, serving in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield. After leaving the military, he worked as a police officer and then became a probation and parole officer, a job he has done in both Texas and Missouri since 1998.

Why he serves:

"I knew I wanted to be involved in a career that makes a difference and serves the community."

Craig Wheeler, a member of the corrections team for 19 years, is a factory manager in the Missouri Vocational Enterprises metal plant at Moberly Correctional Center.

Wheeler was an infantry soldier and Vulcan crew member in the U.S. Army, serving in Texas, Georgia, Alaska, Colorado, Germany, Korea, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He earned "top gun" honors for U.S. Army Europe in 1990 in Todendorf, Germany. He retired in 2005 after 18 years of duty because of health conditions tied to his service during Operation Desert Storm.

Why he serves:

"I love to help other people to succeed. The best part of my job is seeing offenders that have never had a job before get hired and watch them learn, gain confidence in themselves and finally realize they really are worth something after being told otherwise their whole lives. They go home and call in to the shop, excited to tell me they have a job and how they enjoy it. They thank me and the other metal plant staff for giving them a chance to prove they can do it. This is the way I can give back to my community, by molding productive citizens out of our offenders so they can be an important part of our neighborhoods."

Service runs in the Wheeler family. Craig's son, Sergeant Dakota Wheeler, earned the Director's Award of Valor.

Jake Ragan works as a first-shift correctional officer at Eastern Reception, Diagnostic & Correctional Center.

Driven to help his community, Ragan has served in the U.S. Army and has worked as a firefighter and emergency medical technician.

Why he serves:

"I have made a career out of serving people. I have always felt like I had a duty to ensure the safety of people and a duty to make a difference in the world. Serving people has always been a great honor, and I will continue to serve and continue to make a footprint of my memory into all I come across!"

Brian Fisher is a senior specialized trades worker at Boonville Correctional Center.

Fisher served as a boiler operator in the engineering unit in the U.S. Navy in the early 1990s. He lived on a ship for several years, traveling to Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Egypt.

Fisher started his career with the Missouri Department of Corrections in 2002 as a correctional officer and then was promoted to sergeant. He took a job in maintenance in 2020 and now serves as a stationary engineer (boiler operator).

David White is a probation and parole officer in District 29.

He joined the U.S. Army in 1975 and served four years as a cannoneer, gunner and special weapons technical assembler with C Battery 3/18th Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After a 22-year break in service, he enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard and served with D Battery 1/129th Field Artillery in Independence. He earned the titles Enlisted Soldier of the Year in in 2003 and Missouri State Soldier of the Year 2006. He deployed with the 1/128th Field Artillery for Operation Noble Eagle to Fort Eustis, Virginia, with D Battery to Operation Katrina to assist the security operations in Jefferson Parish, and with B Battery 1/129th Field Artillery to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He served as first sergeant for B Company 35th Infantry Division in St. Joseph before retiring in 2017.

He worked with the Missouri Division of Youth Services as youth specialist group leader and service coordinator before joining the Department of Corrections in 2013.

Why he serves:

“My employment within our state has given me incredible opportunities to help people in a variety of ways, while getting to develop life-long friendships with truly committed associates.”

Douglas Nickelson is an intelligence analyst at Potosi Correctional Center.

Nickelson served in the Missouri National Guard from 1986 to 1989 and then joined the U.S. Air Force as a member of the security police, retiring in 2009. He has served in New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, Missouri, Nevada and Korea. He completed two deployments and one assignment in Korea, two deployments to Saudi Arabia and one deployment to Iraq.

Why he serves:

"I made a career out of the military because I owe a debt of gratitude to men and women who went before me and stood guard on the Wall of Freedom, and I felt that the best way I could pay them back was to follow in their footsteps. I chose a career with the Department of Corrections after retiring from the USAF. After a lifetime of serving in the military protecting the people of the United States, I felt it was time to serve the people of Missouri."

Allen Hughes, a 20-year Department of Corrections staff member, is a corrections training officer at Southeast Correctional Center.

Hughes served in multiple countries during his tour of duty with the U.S. Army. He also served as a uniformed law enforcement officer before joining the corrections team.

Why he serves:

"I have spent virtually my entire life in service to my country, my state and the citizens of numerous foreign countries around the world. I believe sincerely that we are all created to serve in some capacity and that it is our decision to choose whether to accept this responsibility. I chose to accept this responsibility at an early age because I realized that there are and always will be those who suffer in some way, as well as those who simply cannot do for themselves."

Probation & Parole Officer II Rowe Arends serves District 22.

From 1988 to 1991, Arends served in the U.S. Navy on active duty on the USS Briscoe (DD 977) in Norfolk, Virginia. He then joined the U.S. Navy Reserves, serving from 1991 to 1996.

Why he serves:

"I have always tried to see the ability of people to do well and succeed in life and am dedicated to providing them with the resources to do just that. I have a motto I live by and boldly share: 'Change the heart, and you can change the mind, which will change the person.'” 

Lana Byram joined the department in 2010 as a correctional officer and now works as an institutional activity coordinator at Northeast Correctional Center.

Byram served on active duty in the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1988 and then served in the Missouri National Guard from 2007 to 2013.

Why she serves:

"Corrections, in many ways, has mirrored my experience in the military. I do not have coworkers; I have a family."

Christopher Kirby is a sergeant at Ozark Correctional Center (OCC) and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. OCC Correctional Officer I Jonathan Hubbard had this to say about Kirby's commitment to service:

"COII Kirby has always shown the values of teamwork, honor and leadership. His positive attitude and a passionate drive instilled by the United States Marine Corps help ensure mission success no matter the issue. He goes above and beyond to help out with things around the institution that need tending, such as reorganizing flower beds and repairing a birdhouse. He has even risked his own safety to put out a small fire in the captains' shack. Never wanting others to have to pull his weight, he has even completed shifts after being contaminated with pepper spray. Since becoming a supervisor, he exemplifies the values that he expects from his people and truly leads by example. With steadfast and unwavering determination, he fights every day to make this department better just as he fought to make the world a better place with the Marine Corps."

Probation & Parole Officer II Michael Durbin, a 25-year employee of the Missouri Department of Corrections, works in the substance use treatment program housing unit at Western Reception, Diagnostic & Correctional Center (WRDCC) in St. Joseph.

He joined the U.S. Army at age 24 and served four years active duty, during which he was stationed in Germany and also served as a Bradley Systems Mechanic/63 Tango 10 in Operation Desert Storm. Corizon mental health nurse practitioner Sami Yerganian had this to say about Durbin's dedication to his work:

"Mike enjoys his job working in treatment. He goes out of his way to assist his co-workers and has been said to be an excellent example of professionalism and teamwork. He strives to make sure the offenders on his case load are treated fairly and receive the release dates they are entitled to. Mike is genuinely interested in knowing that offenders can apply what they’ve learned from the treatment program to their everyday lives going forward. His dedication to serving others is evident in the exemplary way he performs his duties."

Ed Bestgen, regional administrator for the Probation and Parole North Central Region, knows how to tackle a project head on.

When he joined the planning team for a pilot program designed to equip probation and parole officers to safely and effectively make arrests, Bestgen immediately immersed himself in in the project. He provided knowledge, research and direction. He led team meetings and elicited input. He coordinated training, uniforms, equipment and vehicles. He even assembled the reports and recommendations that inform policy and implementation.

Throughout the project, he ensured all team members were invested and had a voice. His leadership and dedication not only set a high standard for staff but also help keep staff safe as they work in the community.

Founded in 1991, Coyote Hill works to give each child in its care a safe, loving home environment. The Christian organization operates through three areas of ministry: foster care licensing and support services, a foster care community of homes outside Columbia, and an equine program for veterans and children in foster care. Last year the organization expanded to Jefferson City, opening a community foster home that serves up to six children.

To volunteer or become a foster parent, contact Coyote Hill.

Prison Seminaries Foundation has honored the Missouri Department of Corrections with the 2021 Department of Corrections Director of the Year Excellence in Moral Rehabilitation Award. Enhancing spiritual programming for offenders, we've partnered with Hannibal-LaGrange University to launch the Freedom on the Inside prison ministry program at Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC), where 20 offender-students are earning bachelor’s degrees in Christian studies in preparation for becoming peer ministers to fellow Missouri state prison residents. During the 2021 Moral Rehabilitation Conference in Fort Worth Texas this month, JCCC Deputy Warden Billy Dunbar accepted the award from Prison Seminaries Foundation founder Burl Cain, a former Louisiana State Penitentiary warden.

Give Missouri kids with incarcerated parents happier holidays this year by participating in the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Christmas program. Incarcerated parents register their kids and let donors know what they need for Christmas, and volunteers shop for, purchase and wrap the gifts. Want to get your team involved? Register now to "adopt" area kids for Christmas. You can also make a monetary donation at PrisonFellowship.org.

Two offender organizations at Potosi Correctional Center (PCC) are doing their part to support babies and parents in the community, through donations to Caring Hearts Pregnancy Resource Center/Medical Clinic. PCC Restorative Justice participants donated 33 handmade baby blankets, and PCC hospice program volunteers donated $1,000 collected through an offender-led fundraiser. The center provides prenatal and parenting classes, referrals, counseling, baby supplies and more to Potosi area families.

Throughout the state, staff and volunteers involved in the Read With Me program are building better dads. Recently the Ozark Correctional Center team has seen growing interest in the program, in which volunteers record incarcerated Missouri men reading books to their children and then mail each child a CD of the recording along with the printed book, at no cost to the family. The program helps to make stronger connections between kids and their dads while also supporting literacy. At OCC, about 25 men read books to their kids three times a month, thanks to the volunteers and staff who make it possible.

The quilting program at South Central Correctional Center, where offenders are making a personalized quilt for each foster child in Texas County, has captured the national media spotlight in recent months. Restorative Justice quilting has been featured in St. Louis Public Radio, the Washington Post, podcasts such as the Mo & Katy Show, and other local and state media outlets.

Since then, Restorative Justice reentry programs have received nearly $30,000 in donated funds, materials and supplies — plus more than 100 additional pledges and 363 inquires into how to make a donation. These donations help support quilting programs throughout the state, yielding more quilts for the community.

Who is my P.A.C.T. member?

P.A.C.T. members are located in each Division of Adult Institutions facility as well as throughout each Probation and Parole Region and central office complex. To find a P.A.C.T. member near you, you can view the team roster on the K: Drive in the P.A.C.T. folder or contact a supervisor for assistance. Our P.A.C.T. members have at least one year of MODOC service and are free from pending disciplinary matters. Many team members have lived experience involving a life crisis or other potentially traumatic event.

Do I have to get approval to talk to a P.A.C.T. member?

No. Speaking with a P.A.C.T. member is voluntary, and you do not need permission. The only reason you would need prior approval is if you need temporary relief from your work assignment in order to use P.A.C.T. services.

To learn more about P.A.C.T., refer to policy D2-15.8 or contact: Meckenzie Hayes, LCSW, Manager of Trauma-Informed Employee Care at 573-526-3021 or  Meckenzie.hayes@doc.mo.gov.

• Employment applications are now being accepted and processed in the simpler, streamlined program ApplicantPro.
• A new ad campaign underway through Learfield Communications features video, audio, digital and print ads across multiple media platforms throughout the state. Keep an eye out for your teammates!
• Expanded partnerships with local chambers of commerce and job centers are boosting our visibility and extending our reach.
• Our presence at career fairs and hiring events held throughout the state gives recruiters face-to-face contact with job seekers.
• Individual facilities are trying out creative recruitment strategies — everything from pool parties to vehicle magnets.

We're working hard to recruit and retain staff and to make our department a great place to work. Actively listening to coworkers helps create a safer and more welcoming environment. 

YOU CAN PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING.

• Be attentive and focused.
• Ask questions, and get clarification.
• Demonstrate your understanding by summarizing and repeating back what has been said.