2016 Employee Appreciation Banquet Award Winners Michigan Department of Corrections

2016
Michigan Department of Corrections
Employee Appreciation Banquet
Award Winners
Special Edition
May 2016
Director’s Award
S
he was among the first at the Michigan
Department of Corrections to join a new
statewide task force committed to protecting
Michigan’s children from Internet predators.
Last year, following 80 hours of intensive
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Agent
Danelle Pigott and MDOC Director Heidi Washington
training, she became the MDOC’s first
certified forensic examiner.
This week, Danelle Pigott, an agent with the
Internet Crimes Against Children task force,
was recognized with both a Professional
Excellence Award and the Director’s Award
for her work to protect some of the state’s
most vulnerable residents.
“I can’t begin to express my surprise at such
an honor,” Pigott said. “I’m so proud of the
work I do, and I can truly say I love my job.”
The Internet Crimes Against Children task
force, or ICAC, is a collaborative effort
between Michigan State Police and the
Michigan Department of Corrections that
aims to find and prevent cyber crime.
The MDOC’s seven ICAC agents are
highly trained and are embedded with law
enforcement units across the state to assist
in high-tech investigations of offenders.
The task force primarily targets child
victimization crimes, but can also assist
in investigating other cases that involve
electronic devices.
Pigott’s certification to become a forensic
examiner will allow the department
to perform intensive examinations of
electronic devices suspected of being used
by offenders for computer crimes while
under MDOC supervision. It will also
allow the department to move forward with
investigations without having to wait for
another investigator to become available,
helping law enforcement agencies solve
crimes faster.
Pigott said she owes her success to the
department’s administration, which has
supported her efforts, and to her partners at
Michigan State Police.
She said she hopes her skills and training
can be used to their utmost capacity to assist
every MDOC employee or law enforcement
officer who needs help.
She said she plans to continue to learn and
grow in her career.
“I’m extremely grateful,” she said. “I was
proud and accomplished to attain my
certification, but nothing ends there. There’s
always more to strive for... There’s always a
next or new goal to achieve.”
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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Special Edition
May 2016
Corrections Officer of the Year
A
s a role model for new corrections officers, Craig
Altoft is well-respected among his Michigan
Department of Corrections colleagues.
Altoft, a corrections officer at Michigan Reformatory,
was named the 2016 Corrections Officer of the Year in
Michigan Reformatory Warden Carmen Palmer
and Corrections Officer of the Year Craig Altoft
February for his commitment to both the safety of his
colleagues and prisoners, and his drive to serve as a
mentor to new officers.
He was honored for the achievement during the
Employee Appreciation Banquet.
The Michigan Correctional Officers’ Training
Council, a group comprised of representatives from
the MDOC, Michigan Corrections Organization, law
enforcement and higher education, selected Altoft
after interviewing candidates on Feb. 8.
Altoft took charge when a fellow officer was wounded
by a prisoner at Michigan Reformatory in Ionia
in December and helped ensure he was safely
transported out of the facility to an area hospital.
His calm demeanor and knowledge of policy and
procedures have helped ensure the safety of both staff
and prisoners, and he has also served as a positive role
model for new officers.
Altoft began his career at Deerfield Correctional
Facility in 1994 and joined Michigan Reformatory in
2009.
Altoft was a member of the Emergency Response
Team at Deerfield Correctional Facility, before its
closure in 2009, and has continued to serve as a
weapons trainer and mentor to new staff at Michigan
Reformatory.
Corrections Officer of the Year finalists
Corrections Officer Paul
Jensen, of Ionia
Correctional Facility, is
a 16-year veteran of the
department and a 2011
recipient of the Director’s
Professional Excellence
Award in addition to other
honors.
Corrections Officer Jeff
Vanderkooy, of Muskegon
Correctional Facility, is
an 8-year veteran of the
department.
He is consistently one of the
first officers to respond to
calls for assistance and also
helps the community through
involvement in the Law
Enforcement Torch Run.
Corrections Officer Paul
Schneider, of Thumb
Correctional Facility, is
a 21-year veteran of the
department, who has
displayed great patience and
professionalism with youthful
prisoners that has earned him
the respect of both inmates
and staff.
Corrections Officer Rita Wise,
of Women’s Huron Valley
Correctional Facility, is a
nearly 20-year veteran of the
department. She has assisted
in the training of new officers
and has implemented art and
room standards programs for
prisoners.
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
3
Special Edition
May 2016
Corrections Officer of the Year nominees
• Tony Datto — Baraga Correctional Facility
• Timothy Donahue — Carson City
Correctional Facility
• Stanley Dowell — Parnall Correctional
Facility
• Daniel Etelamaki — Marquette Branch
Prison
• Robert Lincoln — Richard A. Handlon
Correctional Facility
• Bradley Martin — Central Michigan
Correctional Facility
• John Mills — G. Robert Cotton
Correctional Facility
• Jonathan Morley — St. Louis Correctional Facility
• Mark Fenn — Detroit Reentry Center
• Daun Muller — Transportation
• Michael Gadzinski — Macomb
Correctional Facility
• Dean Pavey — Woodland Center
Correctional Facility
• Bradley Gorman — Cooper Street
Correctional Facility
• Raymond Penney — Lake County
Residential Reentry Program
• Tahachi Hardrick — Special Alternative
Incarceration Facility, Men
• Scott Pollins — Lakeland Correctional
Facility
• Gwendolyn Henderson — Detroit
Detention Center
• Angela Pratt — Saginaw Correctional
Facility
• Larry Henley — Alger Correctional
Facility
• Dessaray Rose — Bellamy Creek
Correctional Facility
• Isaiah Hope — Kinross Correctional
Facility
• Michael Schimmelpenny — Chippewa
Correctional Facility
• Jonathon Hugle — Absconder Recovery
Unit
• Peter Smith — Pugsley Correctional
Facility
• Bobby James — West Shoreline
Correctional Facility
• Michael Warner — Gus Harrison
Correctional Facility
• Deborah Johnson — Special Alternative
Incarceration Facility, Women
• Joe Wilkerson — Charles E. Egeler
Reception and Guidance Center
• Brent Labadie — Newberry Correctional
Facility
• Alonzo Williams — Earnest C. Brooks
Correctional Facility
• Timothy Lemire — Oaks Correctional Facility
• Scott Wilson — Ojibway Correctional
Facility
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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Special Edition
May 2016
Parole/Probation Agent of the Year
N
ewaygo County Parole and Probation Agent
Brandon Bengelink isn’t one to hesitate in helping
others.
He has assisted car accident victims, staying on the
scene until emergency responders arrived, and deescalated a serious situation that could have resulted
in injuries to himself or others while helping another
agent with home calls.
It was for these actions, as well as his honesty, integrity
and commitment to public safety, that he was named
the department’s 2016 Agent of the Year.
Bengelink is always willing to accept new challenges
and is well-respected by the MDOC’s community
partners including law enforcement and court staff.
Bengelink said he enjoys that no two days are alike
working in the field.
“No day is the same,” Bengelink said. “You get to
interact with courts, judges and attorneys and there’s
not one home call that’s the same.”
Bengelink supervises a mixed caseload that includes
both probationers and parolees, sex offenders and
individuals who require intensive supervision.
He said he has found that many times parolees and
probationers under his supervision just need someone
they can talk to while trying to work through issues.
“We’re here to help,” Bengelink said. “A lot of these
offenders need someone they can talk to because
they don’t have someone to talk to. I almost feel like a
counselor at times.”
Bengelink said he would advise new agents not to be
afraid to ask questions, and to never lose their drive to
learn.
He said he is still shocked that he was recognized with
the award, as there were many excellent and worthy
agents standing alongside him.
He said winning the Agent of the Year award has
motivated him to raise the bar for himself and set new
goals.
• Michael Arkens — Marquette County
Parole and Probation Office
• Crissa Blankenburg — Ingham County
Probation Office
• Stephen Salladay — Wexford County
Parole and Probation Office
• Cathie Dutton — Branch County Parole
and Probation Office
• Ken Werner — Ogemaw County Parole
and Probation Office
• Lisa Hendricks — Jackson County
Probation Office
Field Operations Administration Deputy Director Russ
Marlan and Agent of the Year Brandon Bengelink
Parole/Probation Agent of the Year nominees
• Fabian LaVigne — Saginaw County Parole • Denice Reeves-Cook — Pontiac Probation
Office
Office
• Thomas Arand — Lapeer County Parole
and Probation Office
• Walt Wysopal — Saginaw County Parole
Office
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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Special Edition
May 2016
Professional Excellence Award winners
Roy Doades has worked for the MDOC since 1994 and is a
corrections medical officer at Woodland Center Correctional
Facility. He has worked as a trainer at the facility and has been
actively involved in new recruit training since 1996, where he
has recently served as platoon leader. He actively engages new
recruits and is well-respected by staff and prisoners alike.
Denise Dutoi is a parole agent with the Genesee County Parole
Office who joined the MDOC in 2001. She currently supervises
a mix of specialized cases and was recently named the
designated gang agent for the office. She has maintained close
relationships with local partners in criminal justice and was
instrumental in instituting compliance checks for sex offenders.
Tori Ellison has more than 28 years of service with the state
and is the budget development manager with the Budget,
Accounting, and Projections Division of the Budget and
Operations Administration. She is the department’s agency
implementation liaison for Project SIGMA, the state’s enterprise
resource management and accounting system. She adapts well
to challenges and is focused on the department’s success.
Timothy Flanagan has worked for the Office of the Parole Board
since 2010, and has served as the lifer/clemency coordinator
and programming coordinator. He has participated in a
variety of efforts to improve operations and has demonstrated
commitment to reducing programming wait lists. He is
considered a subject matter expert for the Parole Board.
Blaise Glennie joined the MDOC in 1996 and is a corrections
program coordinator at Thumb Correctional Facility. He
implements, organizes and administers recreational inmate
programs and activities for more than 1,240 adult and youth
prisoners. Through his athletic programs, he has motivated
prisoners to excel and set goals for themselves.
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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Special Edition
May 2016
Professional Excellence Award winners
Cedric Griffey is a deputy warden at Thumb Correctional
Facility and has worked for the MDOC since 1989. He has
shown a genuine desire to help youthful and HYTA offenders.
He has fostered relationships with judges who sentence HYTA
prisoners and works with them to achieve the best possible and
appropriate outcome for the individual.
Kyle Kaminski joined the MDOC in 2014 as the legislative liaison
and hit the ground running. He has learned all facets of the
department and goes above and beyond every day. He has forged
positive relationships both internally and externally, which have
been key to the department’s success in advancing its agenda. He
is the go-to person, not only for the executive office, but for the
executive policy team and our budget and finance staff as well.
Doug Kline is a corrections resident representative at Carson
City Correctional Facility, who oversees the prisoner grievance
process. He has assisted Central Office staff with an ongoing
court case and was able to organize the many different
documents coming in from correctional facilities across the
state. He is always willing to help others when needed.
Jeanice McConomy has been a state employee for nearly 18
years and has served as a field agent for the MDOC since 2007.
During her career as an agent, she has supervised the special
needs population and in 2015 took on the additional challenge
of supervising registered sex offenders with special needs. She is
focused on helping offenders succeed on parole.
Gerald Mitchell is a 21-year veteran of the MDOC and is a
registered nurse at the Charles E. Egeler Reception and Guidance
Center. He keeps a positive attitude and has performed well
under the most rigorous and challenging conditions. He has a
high level of integrity, serves as a role model for others and has
proven to be a knowledgeable resource for staff.
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Special Edition
May 2016
Professional Excellence Award winners
Eric Petaja is an inspector at Baraga Correctional Facility,
who started his career with the department in 1993. He has an
excellent rapport with staff, administrators, and law enforcement
agencies. He has a distinct ability to monitor security operations
and ensures any deficiencies are handled appropriately. He
also displays a strong commitment to thoroughly completing
investigations.
Kimberly Root began her career with the MDOC in 2000 and is
a departmental analyst in Correctional Facilities Administration
Transportation. She has been instrumental in tracking
transportation assets and costs and is the only analyst in the
section responsible for finances related to the area. She is always
looking for more efficient and effective ways of doing business.
Destinie Shipman has more than 26 years of experience with
the department and currently serves as a manager in the
Procurement, Monitoring & Compliance Division.
She has adapted well to challenges and changes in job functions,
and always shows initiative. She is detail-oriented, thorough and
inclusive and was heavily involved in the creation of the EPIC
unit.
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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Special Edition
May 2016
Professional Excellence Award winners
Tracy Swan is a 16-year veteran of the department, who
currently serves as the liaison agent with the Waterford and
White Lake police departments. She displays a high level
of integrity, has a strong work ethic and treats offenders
respectfully. She is also well-respected and highly valued by the
police agencies she works with.
Patricia Willard is a registered dietician with more than 20
years of service to the MDOC. She has transitioned from her
role as a multi-facility registered dietician to the Procurement,
Monitoring and Compliance Division, while still ensuring
prisoners receive nutritional meals. She continues to provide
leadership in revising the state menu, which has required
extensive work in reviewing nutritional requirements.
Daryl Reinsch is a parole and probation agent at the Antrim
County Parole and Probation Office. He started his career
with the MDOC in 1980 and currently oversees GPS and is a
sex offender caseload specialist. He holds offenders to a high
standard, is viewed as a resource among his colleagues and is
well-respected by local partners in criminal justice.
John Rodgers joined the department in 1997 and currently serves as a supervisor
with Michigan State Industries’ laundry operations at Thumb Correctional Facility.
He has sometimes singlehandedly operated the laundry facility when short staffed,
and has worked up to 100 hours in a week without complaint. He maintains an
upbeat attitude and leads by example.
Rodgers and his wife were recently involved in a serious accident that prevented
them from attending the award ceremonies. Please keep them in your thoughts as
they recover from their injuries.
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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Special Edition
May 2016
Thank you to all of our dedicated employees
This year’s award ceremony
would not have been
possible without the hard
work and commitment of
MDOC employees across the
state.
Nearly 400 people attended
the Employee Appreciation
Banquet at the Kellogg
Hotel and Conference
Center in East Lansing,
and many were there in
support of family, friends or
colleagues.
Gov. Rick Snyder also
stopped by to speak with
employees and thank them
for their service.
He addressed attendees at
the start of the event and
presented a proclamation
declaring May 1-7 as
Correctional Officers Week.
Noah Nagy, acting deputy
warden at the Detroit
Reentry Center, served as
master of ceremonies for the
evening banquet.
Bellamy Creek Correctional
Facility Chaplain Dan
Thompson opened the event
with an invocation and
Jackson County Probation
Agent Robert Halsey sang
the national anthem.
The MDOC was excited to
be joined by the Michigan
Corrections Organization for
this year’s award ceremonies.
Awards were presented
by MDOC Director Heidi
Washington, Deputy
Directors Ken McKee,
Jeri-Ann Sherry and Russ
Marlan, and Michigan
Corrections Organization
President Tom Tylutki.
Congratulations and best
wishes to all of the MDOC’s
award winners, finalists and
nominees.
Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success
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