APAI Officer Elections Will Open May 3, 2024
President and Treasurer position will be filled.
As the annual conference approaches, it is time to think about the upcoming officer nominations and elections. The official election will take place during the Annual Training Conference. Elected officers are announced at the Annual Business Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. The business meeting will be held in conjunction with the Annual Awards Luncheon.
The APAI Constitution states that elected officers shall serve two-year terms and may not serve for more than two elected consecutive terms in the same office. The office of President and Treasurer shall become vacant on even numbered years, while the office of Vice President and Secretary shall become vacant on odd numbered years (2024). Newly elected officers will assume their duties of office on July 1, 2024.
The APAI bylaws state,
“The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association, speak on the behalf of the Association, and preside over all meeting of the Association. The President shall appoint Regional Vice Presidents and serve on the Executive and Finance Committees. The President shall oversee the activities of all officers, function as the liaison between the Executive Director and the Executive Committee, and be responsible for the coordination of communications between the Association membership and other criminal justice professionals and organizations.”
The bylaws also state,
“The Treasurer shall oversee all financial affairs of the Association and provide information and support to the Finance Committee. The Treasurer and Executive Director shall submit an annual budget containing personnel, operating and related fiscal information to the Executive Committee for approval a minimum of sixty days prior to consideration. The Treasurer shall present the Executive Committee approved Association budget to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting. The spending of funds not approved in the current budget shall require the authorization of the Treasurer, President, Vice President and Executive Director. The Treasurer shall perform such other tasks as the President may assign.”
President Nominee
Name
Jonathan Ogletree
Title
President, Association of Paroling Authorities International
Chair, Kansas Prisoner Review Board
Parole Board/Releasing Authority and Years Served
Kansas Prisoner Review Board / 14 years
Previous Experience
Jonathan Ogletree has been with Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) since November 1989. He has held multiple positions with the department throughout the years, to include correctional officer, unit team manager and director of the Shawnee County Re-entry Program
Previous Service with Professional Organizations
APAI Professional Development Committee, APAI Regional Vice President for Central Region, APAI Vice-President and APAI President
Treasurer Nominee
Name
Francis M. Abbott
Title
Executive Director
Parole Board/Releasing Authority and Years Served
Louisiana Board of Pardons & Committee on Parole / 5.5 years
Degrees
Associates in Business, Baton Rouge Community College
Previous Experience
Francis started his career with the State of Louisiana working fro Prison Enterprises in 2008. There he worked with men and women to provide job skills training in various correctional facilities. In 2009 he was selected to participate in the National Institute of Corrections’ Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) Training Program as member of the National Correctional Industries Association (NCIA) CI Team. As an OWDS, Abbott was responsible for conducting trainings with Probation & Parole, Corrections staff and community stakeholders to address the issues of retuning citizens gaining meaningful employment around the state of Louisiana and later nationally through a collaboration between the NIC and NCIA to promote professional development in CI. In 2013 he left PE to work at one of the most notorious prisons in the United States, Louisiana State Penitentiary better known as Angola. There he would manage one of the most innovative program in corrections today the Corrections Reentry Court Workforce Program. This multifaceted program addresses the educational, vocational, social and moral needs of its participants through mentoring provided by offenders with long term sentences and assists participants by connecting them with resource in the communities to which they will return.
Previous Service with Professional Organizations
Current APAI Secretary and Chairman of the APAI Public Relations/Communications Committee
Other Relevant Biographic Information
National Institute of Corrections - Offender Workforce Development Specialist
Wilkinson County Christian Academy Board Treasurer (Sep. 2013 - Sep. 2020) and Secretary (since 2013)
What three issues do you believe are most important to the field of parole/early release?
Member engagement through creating conversation about topics affecting the discretionary release process.
Grow membership by trying to develop training for ancillary staff.
Educating the public and other stakeholder about our work.
How do you propose to promote APAI’s vision, to be the recognized voice for the highest professional standards of responsible parole/releasing practices?
Continue to grow social media presence and services provided to members. Strategically partner with other professional associations for collaboration.
Why do you believe you are the best candidate for this position?
I am passionate about the work we do and believe that through promotion of our work and education of our members we can positively affect public safety.
