Dr. James Warwick, Director of CJ program, Dr. Jeffrey Ralph, Dr. Jason James, Dissertation Committee Chair, Dr. Ed Guthrie, Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Dr. Kieshia Martin, Program Director Philadelphia & Delaware Counties

One of the core values of JusticeWorks is to be life-long learners (someone once said there is a huge difference between having 10 years of experience and having one year of experience repeated 10 times!).  We have a tuition reimbursement plan, sponsor internal and external trainings and conference participation and encourage staff to keep up with changes in our field.

I’d like to celebrate two respected members of our team who took it upon themselves to work assiduously, and for many years, to achieve a terminal degree in their field and obtain a doctoral degree!

Dr. Kieshia Martin, Program Director Philadelphia & Delaware Counties, recently walked at a graduation ceremony awarding her a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University.  Kieshia’s dissertation was An Evaluation of Juveniles Serving Life in Pennsylvania Pre and Post Act 33 of 1995.  Interestingly, we are now talking with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections about helping provide re-entry services to ‘juvenile lifers’ when they are released.

Dr. Jeffrey Ralph, had a trifecta this week: celebrating his eighth anniversary with JusticeWorks, celebrating his birthday and on his birthday, with his wonderful wife Mary & precious daughter McKenna looking on, successfully defending his thesis to his doctoral committee.  Jeff will receive a Doctorate of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University in Delaware.  His dissertation was Essential Components of an Undergraduate Restorative Justice Course: Qualitative Perspectives from Industry and Academia.

Both Kieshia and Jeff have jobs with expansive responsibilities and extensive travel.  Both had the time-consuming joy of recently having a baby in addition to their work obligations!  And, both had the discipline and diligence to continue their studies and research in order to fulfill the requirements of receiving a doctorate.

Please join me in congratulating both of these consummate professionals… their increased skills and professional stature will only serve to benefit JusticeWorks.

Best regards,

Dan