CCS Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Chesterfield County, VA

Mel Force is a certified and registered Integrated Forensic and Older Adult Peer Recovery Specialist. She has been in long-term recovery in the local community since 2015, following her release from Riverside Regional Jail, and has been a Peer Recovery Specialist since 2018. Her professional peer history has included working as a Peer Recovery Navigator for a treatment provider, managing local recovery houses, and her current position is the Forensic Peer Recovery Support Specialist for Chesterfield Community Corrections Services. Mel was one of the first Peer Recovery Specialists hired in a community corrections office in Virginia to support supervised individuals with substance use disorder. She works alongside officers to help navigate the supervision process while encouraging recovery and providing resources. She loves collecting data research to support change and the progress of peer support in the correctional setting. Some notable professional accomplishments include developing the FPRS Focus Team of Chesterfield, membership in NAADAC, the CSUA Task Force, the PSA Assessment Committee, the Chesterfield Reentry Council, and the CCS Tactical Planning and Implementation Team.

Peer Recovery Supervisor
Ward County, ND

Kevin is currently the program director for MARCO, having been a board member since its inception in 2018. Kevin is a state-certified Peer Support Specialist and has a passion for recovery and helping others recover.
Kevin's experience stems from the changes he has made in his own life as a result of finding recovery. He loves sharing his experiences and believes that if he can help even one person, his struggles were worth it.

Judge
Franklin County, OH

Judge Paley served on the Columbus City Council from 2009 to 2015, when she was elected as Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court. Judge Paley serves on the Probation Committee, the Rules and Policy Committee, the Finance and Budget Committee, and the New Courthouse Committee. Judge Paley strives for alternatives to jail and has helped several first-of-their-kind programs, including CAP IT (a domestic violence program for the LGBTQ community), as well as MAT (a medication-assisted treatment program) at the courthouse.

Prior to assuming office, Judge Paley served as a commissioner for the Columbus Civil Service Commission. She has served on numerous boards of directors and held leadership positions with many organizations, including the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the Neighborhood House, the National Council of Jewish Women, Dynamic Leadership, Inc., the Columbus Area Labor Management Committee, and the Legal Task Force of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence. Judge Paley holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The Ohio State University and a Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School. She lives in Columbus with her husband Brian and six cats. Judge Paley enjoys the arts and spending time with her large immediate and extended families.

Reentry Navigator
Franklin County, OH

Judge Paley served on the Columbus City Council from 2009 to 2015, when she was elected as Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court. Judge Paley serves on the Probation Committee, the Rules and Policy Committee, the Finance and Budget Committee, and the New Courthouse Committee. Judge Paley strives for alternatives to jail and has helped several first-of-their-kind programs, including CAP IT (a domestic violence program for the LGBTQ community), as well as MAT (a medication-assisted treatment program) at the courthouse.

Prior to assuming office, Judge Paley served as a commissioner for the Columbus Civil Service Commission. She has served on numerous boards of directors and held leadership positions with many organizations, including the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the Neighborhood House, the National Council of Jewish Women, Dynamic Leadership, Inc., the Columbus Area Labor Management Committee, and the Legal Task Force of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence. Judge Paley holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The Ohio State University and a Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School. She lives in Columbus with her husband Brian and six cats. Judge Paley enjoys the arts and spending time with her large immediate and extended families.

Reentry Navigator
Franklin County, OH

Roger (Josh) Chapman has been a certified Peer Recovery Supporter for the past six years, providing peer-based services to individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. He currently serves as a Re-Entry Navigator/Peer Supporter with the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy & Programs (OJPP), where he delivers comprehensive, wrap-around support to individuals involved with the Franklin County jail system—both pre- and post-release.
Drawing from his own lived experience with addiction, incarceration, and overcoming the many barriers faced during early recovery, Roger offers a unique and authentic perspective that resonates with those he serves. His insights, experiences, and access to vital community resources have proven invaluable to justice-involved individuals working to rebuild their lives after incarceration. 

Pretrial Supervisor
Chesterfield County, VA

Mrs. Melissa Woodard is a Pretrial Investigation Supervisor at Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Community Corrections and Pretrial Services, with over 22 years of experience working with justice-involved individuals living with Substance Use Disorder. Her previous positions include serving as a Probation Officer for the Center of Risk Reduction (CORR), a sentencing alternative for medium to high-risk clients, as well as local probation and pretrial work. She is an alumnus of Longwood University (Go Lancers!) and is a trainer in Effective Practices in Correctional Settings (EPICS).  Melissa is passionate about helping people find the best version of themselves and believes that you need to be the change you want to see in the world.

Local Probation Supervisor
Chesterfield County, VA

Mrs. Anna Hefferon is a Probation Supervisor for special programs at Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Community Corrections and Pretrial Services, with over 17 years of experience working with justice involved individuals. Her previous positions include working as a Pretrial Officer for an intensive program for pretrial clients living with a Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorder and, a reentry case manager for individuals being released from the Richmond City Jail. She holds a Master of Criminal Justice degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Anna holds the position of Secretary for the Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association (VCCJA) and is a trainer in Effective Practices in Correctional Settings (EPICS).  Anna lives by the wise Dr. Seuss quote “Unless SOMEONE like YOU CARES a whole AWFUL LOT, nothing is going to get BETTER, IT’S NOT”. 

CCS Director
Chesterfield County, VA

Gary Hughes is the Director of the Chesterfield County Community Corrections Program, where he oversees Local Probation, Pretrial Services, the Center of Risk Reduction, Dual Treatment Track, and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center.  Previously, he served as Director of Community Corrections for Henrico County for three years.  Additional experience included six years as a Probation Services Supervisor for Chesterfield County Community Corrections. Prior to his appointment as a supervisor, he worked for four years as a Local Probation Officer in the Domestic Violence Unit at Chesterfield. He started his career as an Adult Probation Officer for Maricopa County in Phoenix, Arizona. His experience in the Criminal Justice field spans over 27 years. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Criminal Justice.