Sheriff
Essex County, MA

Kevin F. Coppinger became Essex County Sheriff in January 2017 and is currently in his second term in office. 

Sheriff Coppinger has close to 40 years of law enforcement experience in Essex County. He started his career as a police officer in Lynnfield, before joining the Lynn Police Department in 1985. After coming up through the ranks, he was named Chief of Police in 2009 and held that position until he was sworn in as the Essex County Sheriff in 2017.

One of his first priorities was to increase training opportunities for staff, at all levels, to ensure the safety of all who work, visit, or reside within correctional facilities. His mantra for all employees is “Honesty. Integrity. Respect.”  Sheriff Coppinger credits the hard work, service, and professionalism of his employees for the successes seen in Essex County.

Society today demands that correctional facilities strive to address the root causes of crime, including Substance Use Disorder, Mental Illness, and other contributing behaviors while an individual serves out their sentence.  Essex County offers a wide range of related programs, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for those fighting addiction; the Correctional Opportunities for Personal Enrichment (COPE) program offering an innovative option for those needing mental health services; and the Supporting Transitions and Re-entry (STAR) program which is a new community-based program in partnership with dozens of local partners to help  individuals remain free of the justice system.

Sheriff Coppinger holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the Northeastern University and a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College.  He is also a graduate of the 203rdSession of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy in Quantico, Virginia as well as the FBI-LEEDA Program. 
 
Sheriff Coppinger is an active member of the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Sheriffs’ Association, Essex County Chiefs of Police Association, Police Executive Research Forum, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy Associates.  He is a member of the Massachusetts Police Training Committee, as well. Coppinger is also an Advisory Board member for the North Shore Community College’s Criminal Justice Program; Violently Injured Police Officers Organization (VIPO); and UTEC, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the success of today’s youth. 

Captain, MOUD Program Supervisor
Essex County, MA

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.

Sheriff's Office Director, Behavioral Health Division
Chesterfield County, VA

Kerri Rhodes is a licensed mental health clinician in Virginia with 30 years of experience, personally touched by the opioid epidemic and fueled by the loss of her son, Taylor. With a powerful message and rapidly growing platform, Kerri is challenging and changing how America treats and addresses mental health, trauma, substance use disorder, and how pain is managed. Kerri has spent the last 29 years working in community mental health, schools, the justice system, and private practice. She brings to bear that experience and expertise, in addition to the lessons Taylor taught her, as she educates and empowers. She shares her message and those tools that would have helped Taylor in his battle. Her platform has reached schools, prisons, healthcare, and national leaders. The invitations to speak, collaborate, and teach are growing and have included Weill Cornell Medicine, Shatterproof, Discovery Channel Plus, Senator Patrick Kennedy, Psychology Today, the National Safety Council, and The Executive Office of the President. Kerri is currently the Director, Behavioral and Mental Health Division in the Chesterfield County Jail and works with the H.A.R.P program, which helps to heal those incarcerated with substance use and mental health issues. 

Sheriff
Chesterfield County, VA

Sheriff Leonard oversees one of the largest Sheriff's Offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia, serving a region of 430 square miles with a population of over 380,000. The Chesterfield Sheriff’s Office is composed of a force of over 340 employees with an annual budget in excess of $35M. His responsibilities primarily include the Security Division providing 24/7 security of 400 inmates at the Chesterfield County Jail (an additional 500 inmates at Riverside Regional Jail), the Court Services Division, which operates 17 courtrooms in Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and sees over 600,000 people pass through every year, and Civil Process which handles nearly 90,000 papers annually.

Sheriff Leonard began his law enforcement career with the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office, where he served as a deputy in the Jail, Juvenile Courts, and Transportation divisions before transitioning to the Chesterfield Police Department in 1982, where he became a patrolman. He rose through the ranks within the police department to the position of Major in command of all uniformed operations before his retirement in 2012 with 30 years of service. In 2013, Sheriff Leonard began his career with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, and on February 1, 2014, was appointed Sheriff by the Chief Circuit Court Judge of Chesterfield County. The citizens of Chesterfield County later elected Sheriff Karl S. Leonard in a special election and subsequently in a general election.

Sheriff Leonard received his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Buffalo State University and his master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police at Suffolk (MA) University.

Sheriff's Office Inmate Programs Manager
Chesterfield County, VA

Bailey Hilliard is the Inmate Programs Manager at the Chesterfield County Jail (CCJ). She has her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Ohio State University. Bailey oversees the operation of the Helping Addicts Recover Progressively (HARP) Program and all other rehabilitative programming within CCJ. Capitalizing on a professional background in substance abuse programming, mental health programming, and re-entry services, Bailey is responsible for the monitoring, growth, and development of programming at CCJ. She supervises two program Deputies, the Re-Entry Coordinator and the Grant Assistant, as well as all volunteers and facilitators at the facility. All of the work Bailey does is to help return happy, healthy, and productive members of society to their homes.

Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Chesterfield County, VA

Mrs. Joy Bogese has been a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist for 6 years. She is currently employed by the Chesterfield Sheriff’s Office and works with the HARP program as well as with the Chesterfield Police Department. Joy is a product of the HARP program, where she spent over 2 years in the role of mentor. As part of Joy’s role with the Sheriff’s Office, she works with current HARP participants and those who have been released. She does ride-alongs with the Chesterfield Police Department each week, where she is able to connect with officers and engage with individuals who are struggling with active substance use disorder to provide peer support and resources and services. Mrs. Bogese is also a CIT instructor and sits on several committees and task forces in the county.

Chief Medical Officer
Franklin County, OH

Dr. Jimmy D. Fernandez serves as the Chief Medical and Interim Behavioral Health Officer of Armor Health, where he leads efforts to improve the quality and safety of healthcare in correctional settings. He trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Miami, FL, and holds an MBA with specialization in Health Sector Management. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Physicians (FACP) and the American College of Correctional Physicians (FACCP), reflecting his dedication to advancing excellence in medicine and correctional health.

At Armor, Dr. Fernandez has guided the integration of medical, psychiatric, and behavioral health services into a unified model of care. Under his leadership, Armor has achieved measurable improvements, including reducing avoidable hospital admissions to rates far below community benchmarks. His initiatives include expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder, strengthening suicide prevention programs, embedding behavioral health into daily medical practice, and developing reentry planning that supports continuity of care after release.

Dr. Fernandez is passionate about ensuring that incarcerated individuals—often among society’s most vulnerable—receive care that is safe, evidence-based, and focused on long-term recovery and reintegration. 

Special Sheriff
Essex County, MA

Sheriff
Franklin County, OH

Sheriff Dallas Baldwin is a retired Lieutenant with the Columbus Division of Police after serving for 28 years on the force and an additional 10 years as reserve.  As a patrol officer, Sheriff Baldwin worked throughout the city of Columbus - with particular focus on the Ohio State University campus area, west side, and the short east.  He also served as a detective on the Robbery Squad, and as a member of the SWAT team.
 
In 1990, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, working patrol, SWAT, and the Narcotics Unit.  In 1995, Sheriff Baldwin was promoted to Lieutenant, and assigned to the west side. In addition, he worked with the Strategic Response Bureau and served on the Ethics Board.