ADC Celebrates Black History Month

ADC Celebrates Black History Month

May 8, 2008

The Arizona Department of Corrections hosted its annual Black History Month on February 21. The First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix provided the setting for the luncheon, which was catered by ASPC-Perryville’s Desert Rose Café.

Black History Month dates back to 1926 and it is credited to Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, a Harvard scholar and son of former slaves. He dedicated his life to ensuring that Black history was accurately documented.

Almost six percent of the ADC workforce is made up of African Americans, occupying key positions, including administrators, investigators, correctional and parole officers and recruiters.

Local FOX 10 reporter Yetta Gibson emceed the event, which began with the national anthem sung by AA I Brenda Graham and CO II Lori Belone from ASPC-Winslow and their friend, Mary Alice Hayes. CO III Joann Gentry and Dr. Robert White, ASPC-Tucson, along with Bill and Karen Faust, provided entertainment with examples of European folk dancing. Guest speakers included Arizona Representative Cloves C. Campbell, Job Development Director Mel Hanna of the Greater Phoenix Urban League and Arizona Department of Liquor License and Control Director Jerry Oliver.

ADC Deputy Director Dona Marie Markley then presented “Dudley-Do-Right” awards to 13 employees caught “Doing the Right Thing.”

The event concluded with a rendition of the Black National Anthem sung by CO II Larry Brown, ASPC-Lewis.

(Click name to see bio)

Dental Program Manager, Dr. Michael Adu TuTu Program Services

Dr. Michael Adu TuTu, Dental Program Manager, has distinguished himself as a leader and team member in the Health Services Bureau. Dr. Adu TuTu joined ADC in December 1984 as a staff dentist at ASPC-Perryville. In May 2000, he was promoted to his current position as Dental Program Manager.

During his tenure, Dr. Adu TuTu implemented a dental procedure tool cassette system that has streamlined workflow and dental instrument accountability. The cassette system also reduced the purchase of duplicate dental instruments, an important savings for ADC and the state.

With a high dentist vacancy rate statewide, Dr. Adu TuTu also improved coverage. He can be seen early in the morning and late in the afternoon pulling his mobile office behind him, a pull cart with a plastic container, traveling between ASPC-Winslow, Douglas, Yuma, Safford – where ever he is needed – to provide dental services. In fact, this remarkable individual routinely works two to three days a week at one or more prisons seeing 20 to 30 inmates a day, in addition to performing his duties as dental program manager which include responding to inmate letters, grievance and inquiries from the Attorney General. Dr. Adu TuTu also keeps abreast of the latest dental trends and treatment. He also embarked upon a writing campaign in all his spare time, contacting licensed dentists in Arizona and introducing them to ADC as a satisfying career option.

Dr. Adu TuTu also finds time to be actively involved with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) where he serves on several leadership and accreditation advisory committees. He is recognized by the NCCHC as a Dental Subject Matter Expert for accreditation and is called upon to present at its annual conferences.

Lieutenant Eoin A. Bailey, ASPC-Perryville/Lumley Unit

Lieutenant Eoin Bailey began his employment with the Department in April 1989 as a correctional officer, promoting to sergeant and then lieutenant spanning all custody levels and male and female offenders. Today he serves at ASPC-Perryville, Lumley Unit. Lt. Bailey is selfless with him time, serving on the Department’s Tactical Service Unit for 17 years with 3 years as TSU Commander.

Lieutenant Bailey is an exemplary employee, covering shifts, completing monthly reports for his supervisors, serving as a subject matter expert on the audit team and filling in as acting captain when needed. He is often called upon for special projects. He is a quiet man, whose excellent observational skills are quick to pick up those things needing attention and whose commitment to getting the big-J job done, seeing each of those issues to completion. He is legendary for his generosity and willingness to lend a helping hand, routinely donating annual leave hours to aid other staff needing time.

In his free time, Lieutenant Bailey volunteers on State Employees Charitable Campaign events, and coordinating fundraisers to benefit fallen officers. He continually strives to better himself and has with plans to earn a degree in business management and computer technology.

Lieutenant Bailey is extremely proud of his five children. Three are pursuing degrees in nursing, journalism and general studies. One son is serving in the Special Forces Unit of the United States Army; another daughter is following in his footsteps as an ADC Correctional Officer.

Correctional Officer II Jihad H. Bilal, ASPC-Eyman/Cook Unit

Correctional Officer Jihad Bilal began his career with ADC as a Correctional Office II in October 2003 at the ASPC-Eyman Cook Unit, where he has made some remarkable contributions to public safety at work and in the community. For example, in March 2005, Officer Bilal rendered aid to a woman who had been struck by a moving vehicle at a local department store in Mesa. He acted quickly – securing the scene and administering first aid until emergency medical units arrived. He rose to the occasion again in July 2007, when accompanied by Correctional Officer Berens, they witnessed a vehicle accident on Interstate 10. He stopped and provided assistance to the four young men who were in the vehicle that had been struck. He secured the scene and administered first aid to three of the four passengers in need. His excellent communication skills and pre-medical treatment calmed the young men preventing them from going into shock. CO Bilal is a life saver and Santa, participating in the Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Tree Program for needy children.

Dentist Supervisor, Dr. Kelly Brooks, ASPC-Phoenix/Alhambra & Globe

Dr. Kelly Brooks, a superb troubleshooter, has worked at ASPC-Phoenix, Alhambra Intake Center and Globe unit as a dentist since 2001. Dr. Brooks dispenses compassionate dental care to her patients in the inmate population. She demonstrates a “can do” attitude for getting the job done, a quality prized by her peers and the population.

Dr. Brooks has served as the chair of Arizona Correctional Dental Study Board of Directors in 2005 and 2006 and is currently active in its Study Club. The correctional dental study club provides continuing education for correctional dental health personnel at ADC and other government institutions.

Her commitment to making a positive difference goes well beyond her work in the department; it is reflected in her volunteer activities with Habitat for Humanity and the free dental care she provides to the homeless.

Captain Charles Wallace Brown, ASPC-Yuma/Dakota Unit

Captain Charles Wallace Brown has had a long and varied career with the Arizona Department of Corrections. He started in 1986 as a Correctional Office II at ASPC-Douglas and three years later, promoted to sergeant. In 1995, he advanced to the position of lieutenant at ASPC-Winslow where remained for four years. His next stop was ASPC-Yuma as a newly promoted captain. In 2004, he transferred to ASPC-Lewis Prison for three years and then returned to ASPC-Yuma where is today.

At ASPC-Yuma, Captain Brown has held virtually every security post, most operations posts, and transportation and work crews on and off site. He has also worked on may special projects during his tenure including as a Subject Matter Expert identifying and defining the responsibilities of sergeants and lieutenants. He has also served on Sergeant Oral Boards and the Blue Ribbon Panel Committee on training.

Captain Brown is as resourceful as he is energetic. He helped increase productivity and lowered overtime spending by implementing a unit schedule that allocated staff to the areas in greatest need. He also designed a matrix allowing the unit to operate safely even when there is a shortage of staff. Primarily because of his efforts, overtime spending in the Dakota Unit dropped from $18,000 to less than $300.

In addition to his stellar reputation on the job, he is also an outstanding member of his community, involved over the years in many charitable and civic initiatives. He is also an active member of a motorcycle club, Law Dogs, who members are in law enforcement and assists with fund raisers supporting Senior Nutrition, the Yuma Food Bank and Disabled American Veterans.

Captain Brown has two grown sons, Marcus and Charles. In his spare time, he loves to work on home repair projects, fish, ride his Harley and watch football - especially the Washington Redskins.

Correctional Officer III Keith L. Connell, ASPC-Yuma/Papago Unit

CO III Keith Connell joined the department in 1996 as a corrections officer at ASPC-Yuma. During his career, he served in many positions including transportation, visitation, mail and property and count movement enabling him to be well rounded and grounded in the dynamics of prison operations. He continued to gain knowledge and experience in other important areas, serving as a member of the Wild land Fire Crew and as a Subject Matter Expert regarding Count Movement participating in audits throughout the state.

In February 2007, Mr. Connell promoted to the position of CO III at the Papago Unit. In this capacity, he continues to exhibit exceptional self-starting qualities taking on the facilitation of new programs. He is well on his way to accomplishing a lifelong goal – to positively impact the lives of others, one person at a time.

CO III Connell is as energetic when he’s not a work, volunteering in the community. Last year, he worked on the “Colorado River Clean Sweep,” helping to clear tons of refuse. He is also an active participant and contributor to local charities including Crossroads Mission and the Salvation Army.

COIII Connell loves to ride motorcycles, hike and read. He is a diehard fan of the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bureau Administrator Anthony Crutcher, Information Technology, Support Services Division

Anthony Crutcher serves as the department’s Chief Information Officer for our Information Technology Bureau. He joined ADC in August 2006 with over 15 years of IT and leadership experience in the private sector. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

Under Anthony’s leadership, the IT bureau is implementing many new technology platforms and products, while also improving efficiencies within the IT operations.

Over the past year, the IT team has been restructuring its staff and realigning IT resources to meet the strategic needs of the agency. Automation, of course, is critical to meet our strategic issues and it is one the bureau’s top priorities. Also, under Anthony’s leadership, infrastructure services were strengthened to provide stable, robust operations for all agency employees.

Anthony’s IT team has rolled out more new products and services this year than the previous three years combined! The list is long and includes a License reconciliation process that has netted a $48,000 savings, Nextel antenna deployments, network password self-service, ASA security installation, and new agency website and Intranet site.

When Anthony is not busy with us at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Monica, and seven-year-old, Mimi. He also enjoys reading, working out at the gym and sampling the many diverse restaurants in the valley.

Correctional Officer III Joann Gentry, ASPC-Tucson/Rincon Unit

After serving 22 years as a Social Worker in Seattle Joann and her husband, Theodore, moved to Tucson. Officer Gentry joined the Arizona Department of Corrections in August 2003 as a Correctional Officer II at ASPC-Florence. Her most recent promotion to CO III in October 2007 came with a transfer to ASPC-Tucson, Rincon Unit. Here, our ace case manager provides inmates with vocational and technical advice and referrals to services to better prepare them for release. She tackles every assignment with a positive attitude; she’s very flexible and totally committed to teamwork.

When Joann first joined ADC, a fellow officer recognized her from a band camp and immediately recruited her to serve on the Tucson Honor Guard. As a member of this service group, Joann holds the position of Piper and Pipe Instructor. Her passion for playing the pipes also extends to her participation in the Seven Pipers Scottish Society, dedicated to the preservation, performance and enjoyment of Scottish music and dance.

Her love for the Fine Arts also extends to dance. Joann dances for the Tucson Prunes, a group of dancers, 50-plus in age, who blend singing and dancing with a little comedy to create a memorable show. She also dances for the Dance Bella Vrucina Club, an international folk dance club. These dance organizations also perform at no cost for local charities.

When she is not at work or dancing and piping, Ms. Gentry volunteers at her local church.

Administrative Assistant I Brenda Graham, Program Services/ASPC-Winslow

Ms. Brenda Graham began working for the Department in November 1999 as a secretary for the Education Office at ASPC-Winslow. Her position was later reclassified to Administrative Assistant I. Ms. Graham’s previous experience as an ACJIS Operator has come in handy, as she frequently serves as the back-up AIMS/ACJIS coordinator for the prison. Ms. Graham is also a certified instructor in AIMS, and she shares this skill training and mentoring other staff.

Throughout her career, Ms. Graham has received many forms of recognition including three letters of appreciation, a peer recognition award, and most recently the Oarsmen Award for ACJIS. Ms. Graham is always at the ready to help her co-workers during routine activities, like unit quarterly searches times as well as emergencies and staff recognition celebrations and fund raisers.

Ms. Graham is also music to our ears. ADC staff has had the pleasure of hearing her sing at department and city-sponsored events. Her talents have also taken her to other places notably, Washington, D.C. at a re-opening ceremony for the Smithsonian Institution in 2006 and the opening session of the Arizona African American Legislative Conference in 2007 and 2008. Ms. Graham has also opened for singer Toni Morrison, performed for Reverend Jessie Jackson and was in the choir during the Super Bowl Football half-time performance of legendary entertainer Diana Ross. In February 2005 she also recorded her first gospel CD.

Warehouse Manager Fred Hendrix, ASPC-Florence/Business Office

Fred Hendrix joined ADC in December 2002 at ASPC-Florence. During his tenure, he converted the state warehouse from a supplies repository into a real-deal materials management center. He also installed computer software that tracks inventory items from purchase to final distribution and analyzes inventory usage and projects future needs. With 87 percent of all OOE supply costs moving through the warehouse, his systems are instrumental in maintaining effective budget controls at the complex. His work has yielded big dividends reducing inventory value carried in the warehouse by more than $200,000, freeing up funds for other critical needs.

Fred is a master at managing human resources; relinquishing four vacated warehouse positions in the interest of freeing up much-needed personnel services and overtime funds for correctional officer staffing – yet increasing capacity to deliver orders to the units with the reforms he put into place. Fred has been integral in overseeing the disposal of surplus and unusable equipment. Each month, he and his staff assist the complex property manager with documentation, preparation and delivery of property to State Surplus in Phoenix.

Over the years Mr. Hendrix has been involved in many charitable endeavors, volunteering his time to the Disabled American Veterans, Phoenix Rescue Mission and St. Mary's Food Bank.

Chaplain Joseph B. Howard, ASPC-Yuma/Dakota Unit

Chaplain Joseph Howard served proudly for 13 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a Petty Officer First Class in 1994. During his military career, he served in the engineering department of nuclear submarines, becoming the highest ranked African American member of the USS Louisville.

Earning his bachelor degree in adult education during his military service led to his next career as a special educator in high schools and junior colleges in California, Chicago, Florida and Wisconsin. In 2003, he received his master’s degree in biblical studies and in 2007 he earned his doctorate in Christian education.

Lucky for us, Chaplain Howard joined ADC in October 2007 at the Dakota Unit where he plays a principal role in religious programming. He is exceptional in his interactions with inmates helping them to assess their beliefs, actions and attitudes, always emphasizing the teaching of the gospel as a means to help them find balance and purpose in their lives.

He views his life work as continuing the oral traditions of the historic tribes of Africa, passing on life lessons from one man to others. Chaplain Howard is focused on social responsibility, and believes strongly that he is accountable to younger generations through his words and actions.

Chaplain Howard and his wife, Treva, have two adult sons and a grandson. He has passed on his love of music to his oldest son, Joseph, who performs professionally in jazz clubs in the Chicago area. Chaplain Howard has authored two published books, “This Far by Faith” and “The Call and the Cold War.” His third book, “Beyond the Walls,” will be published this summer.

Sergeant Kenneth Nabors, ASPC-Winslow Complex/Kaibab

Sergeant Kenneth Nabors of ASPC-Winslow has been a dedicated member of the Arizona Department of Corrections for 27 years. His diverse experience includes transportation officer, case manager for juvenile offenders, ACI, kitchen worker supervisor and certified staff instructor. In 2005, he promoted to Sergeant taking on the added responsibilities of supervising officers and helping them to enhance their interactions with the inmates on a daily basis and honing his officers’ communication skills with the population and their peers. Sergeant Nabors is also a staff instructor at ASPC-Winslow and the Correctional Officer Training Academy where he teaches self-defense.

Sergeant Nabors is a leader in his community as well. He was instrumental in starting a Foster Care Parent Program in Winslow and increasing the number of foster homes available for children with special needs. Sergeant Nabors also started a Pilot Program for Parents Anonymous enabling parents and their children to develop and maintain open lines of communications. Ken is also certified as a basketball referee and is a minister in his community.

Community Corrections Officer Don Verrett, Offender Operations/Community Corrections

Before joining ADC is 2001, Officer Don Verrett served with the U.S. Army for seven years as a Combat Medical Specialist. Since joining ADC he worked first at ASPC-Tucson as a CO II for 3 years before promoting to Sergeant in August 2005. Following his most recent promotion to a Community Corrections Officer in February 2006, Officer Verrett was assigned to ASPC-Florence North Unit as a member of the Fast Track facility team.

As the Fast Track unit’s Parole Officer, Officer Verrett finds release placements for the approximately 220 inmates in the program at any given time. This is particularly challenging as the average length of stay on the yard is 89 days for this population which means that great things must be done in a very short time. When not tackling his formidable caseload, he’s conducting release training classes every week for the remaining 900 inmates in the Unit who are not in the Fast Track Program. He is also the liaison between CO III and Community Corrections staff finding and fixing potential problems in the transfer of cases between the facility and the field.

His experience as a Parole Officer in Tucson, coupled with his contacts in the field has been invaluable. His insight has led to changes speeding up the release process without affecting public safety.

Officer Verrett is a huge supporter of the Pima Community food bank. Almost every Friday he is there assisting with food distribution to the needy and other charitable efforts. He is also an ADC instructor teaching CPR and victims services courses at COTA.

Officer Verrett and his wife, Diana, recently celebrated the birth of their first children, fraternal twins named Keanan and Kiana.

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