Assistant Superintendent
Essex County, MA

Mr. Jason W. Faro has served with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office since 1998, rising through the ranks from a correctional officer to his present position of assistant superintendent. He is currently responsible for the day-to-day operations of the newly formed Specialized Reentry Services Division. Mr. Faro currently manages all services that involve medication-assisted treatment, offender diversion programming, and pretrial reentry services. Mr. Faro holds a BS in criminal justice and political science and an MS in human services. He is a graduate of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department Basic Training Academy, Middleton, Massachusetts and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, US Border Patrol Academy Class 284, Artesia, New Mexico. He also regularly acts as adjunct faculty at local colleges instructing on subjects of criminology, corrections, and treatment within correctional settings. 

Sheriff's Office Medical Director
Chesterfield County, VA

Dr. Georges Mantovani Gay, MD, is an experienced Internal Medicine physician with a focus on Hematology and Medical Oncology. With over 34 years of experience in healthcare, he currently serves as the Medical Director for the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, where he has championed public health initiatives for the past 20 years. Dr. Gay has been instrumental in launching the HARP program, aiding over 3,500 individuals in addiction recovery, and has secured millions in grants to expand mental health services and Buprenorphine/Methadone treatment in the jail. His dedication has been recognized with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award. Additionally, he shares his expertise as the Medical Advisor for the Medical Assisting Program at the Medical Careers Institute in Richmond, Virginia, empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals. Dr. Gay also serves as a board member of SAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environment) Inc., whose mission is to engage our community in working together to prevent and reduce substance abuse.

MOUD Officer
Ward County, ND

Ashley Clouse is a dedicated corrections professional currently serving as the MOUD (Medications for Opioid Use Disorder) Officer at the Ward County Detention Center. Since beginning her career in 2017, Ashley has held multiple roles within the field — including Corrections Officer, Corporal, and Deputy — demonstrating a deep commitment to the safety, rehabilitation, and well-being of those in her care. Ashley completed her Peace Officer Training through Lake Region State College and has continuously built a reputation for professionalism, integrity, and compassion in her work. In recognition of her outstanding service, she was honored as the 2022 North Dakota Correctional Officer of the Year and received the Courage Award from the Ward County Detention Center in 2023. With a strong focus on supporting individuals struggling with substance use disorders, Ashley plays a key role in implementing and managing MOUD programs, helping to create pathways to recovery and reduce recidivism within the facility. 

Medical Director
Essex County, MA

Dr. Christopher Gudas has worked since 2020 as Medical Director for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department MOUD and Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). In that time, he expanded treatment by helping to establish a medically supervised withdrawal program in collaboration with the medical department and expand treatment options to include long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB). He also established a jail rotation for Addiction Medicine Fellows from Brigham and Women’s Hospital Addiction Medicine Fellowship to expose fellows to treatment challenges “behind the wall.” Additionally, he works at three other County treatment programs and is a primary investigator for a study involving the use of LAIB in pre-trial patients. He has previously worked in residential treatment, in-home treatment, office-based addiction treatment, and tele-health settings. He is passionate about the use and expansion of MOUD in correctional settings to improve outcomes, reduce recidivism, and save lives. 

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. 

Clinical Supervisor, MOUD Program
Essex County, MA

Samantha Rheaume has six years of clinical experience working as a vendor for the Essex County Sheriff's Department in various roles, currently serving as the Clinical Supervisor of the MOUD Program. She holds a Masters of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Cambridge College and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of MA. Her experience includes community settings responding to trauma and incarcerated individuals struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.  

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. 

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.