Grants Administrator
Essex County, MA

Leah Harrington is a seasoned public safety and grants administration professional with over 28 years of experience serving the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, most recently as Assistant Superintendent and Grants Administrator at the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. Throughout her career, Leah has specialized in building strategic partnerships, securing outside funding, and managing complex programs that advance community safety and rehabilitation.

She has successfully procured, administered, and overseen more than $20 million in federal, state, and local grants, supporting initiatives such as mental health collaborations, opioid recovery programs, reentry and vocational training, and body-worn camera implementation. Her expertise spans proposal development, fiscal compliance, contract management, policy writing, and internal auditing. Beyond financial stewardship, Leah has directed inmate programs, supervised community corrections centers, and developed evidence-based services addressing substance abuse, education, and workforce readiness. Leah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and a Master of Science in Administration from Boston College. She is dedicated to leveraging her expertise to strengthen organizations and expand access to vital community resources. 

Jail Administrative Lieutenant
Kittitas County, WA

Lieutenant Edward Buntin has been with the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office Jail for almost 21 years.  He is the Administrative Lt. who oversees accreditation, clerical, training, recruiting, community engagement, programming, 1115 Waiver reentry team, contracts, and grant procurement and management.  Over the last couple of years, Lt. Buntin has also had the opportunity to work with the BJA/DOJ and various partners on projects surrounding MOUD/MAT and other programming in carceral facilities, including parts of the Building Bridges 2 Initiative and the development of the Guidelines for Managing Substance Withdrawal in Jails.  He continues to serve as a faculty member in Minnesota and Oregon, focusing on SUD in Jail ECHO Programs.  Lt. Buntin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education from Central Washington University and has completed his Middle Management Certification with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, as well as the Emerging Leadership Certificate from the National Command & Staff College. 

Special Sheriff
Essex County, MA

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.

Interim Director, Chief Operating Officer
Franklin County, OH

Melissa Pierson brings over 30 years of experience in criminal justice and grants administration, with a career spanning leadership roles at the Common Pleas Court, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and currently as Interim Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs. 
She holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Dayton and is certified as a trainer in Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE), SAMHSA’s Trauma Informed Care, and Mental Health First Aid. Melissa also served as an Adjunct Instructor for Tiffin University for over six years and is currently pursuing certification as a Certified Government Financial Manager®.
Throughout her career, Melissa has been instrumental in advancing smart justice initiatives within Franklin County. Her contributions include the launch of the first Rapid Resource Center, the implementation of pre-release medication-assisted treatment in the jail, the Bridge Respite program, and the Pathways to Healthy Living pre-release initiative – all aimed at improving public safety and outcomes for justice-involved individuals through innovative, evidence-informed practices.

Chief Deputy of Corrections
Franklin County, OH

Chief Deputy Geoff Stobart is the Chief Deputy of Research, Development, and Major Projects for the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Columbus, Ohio. With a career spanning over 27 years, Chief Stobart has gained wide and deep experience within the Sheriff's Office. Prior to his taking his current position,  he managed the Office’s largest division and was responsible for the custody and care of more than 2,000 inmates in two jails and for the security of all individuals working and visiting in Franklin County government buildings. He has been assigned to every Division of the Office spending time in Patrol, Community Relations, Internal Affairs, and Investigations.

Chief Stobart obtained a Graduate Certificate in Management Development from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations of Cornell University and is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command. He serves on the Franklin County Re-Entry Coalition, and the Franklin County Criminal Justice Planning Board. 

Middleton Jail Superintendent
Essex County, MA

Aaron W. Eastman has served as Superintendent of the Middleton House of Correction (MHOC) and Jail for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department (ECSD) since 2017. He began his career with ECSD in 2000 as a Correctional Officer progressing steadily through various positions that expanded his skills and leadership, now with 25 years of experience in law enforcement. Starting his career as a Correctional Officer, he has come up through the ranks and was first named Superintendent in 2016. He has a strong background in care, custody, and today he is responsible for all day-to-day operations to include all correctional and law enforcement duties for over four hundred staff and eight hundred inmates. He was also a reserve Police Officer in Gloucester MA.

 Dedicated to the care and custody of those incarcerated at MHOC, Superintendent Eastman is responsible for all day-to-day operations of over 400 staff and 800 inmates. His priority is reducing Use of Force (UOF) incidents through de-escalation techniques, Critical Incident Training (CIT), and defensive tactics training. These efforts have led to a 32.5% reduction in UOF incidents from 2022 to 2023. Superintendent Eastman’s team-centered approach to training and education has created a safer environment for both staff and inmates alike.

Superintendent Eastman holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Curry College and a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Springfield College. He is a certified Massachusetts Counsel Against Discrimination (MCAD) Investigator and Trainer; a Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun Instructor through the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee; and an active member of several professional organizations, including FBI-LEEDA Program, American Correctional Association, Internation Association of Chiefs of Police, and American Jail Association. 

Continuous Quality Improvement Manager, Common Pleas Probation
Franklin County, OH

Sara Shields has worked for the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Adult Probation Department since 2001. In her current role as the Continuous Quality Improvement Manager, she helps ensure the department adheres to evidence-based practices, oversees the department’s MAT program, and serves as a liaison with staff and external stakeholders. She is a lead trainer for the Probation Officer Training Program through the Supreme Court of Ohio and teaches classes to new probation officers. Sara has a M.A. in Sociology and a B.A. in Criminology from Ohio University.