Committee Information
APAI’s operational body consists of an Executive Committee which includes the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, U.S Regional and International Vice Presidents. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are elected; all remaining positions are appointed.
Executive Committee
| President | Jonathan Ogletree | – | Topeka, Kansas |
| Vice President | Kecia Rongen | Chair, Washington Indeterminate Sentence Review Board | Olympia, Washington | Treasurer | Francis Abbott | Executive Director, Louisiana Board of Pardons & Committee on Parole | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Secretary | Chris Barnett | Executive Director, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Immediate Past President | David Blumberg | Chair, Maryland Parole Commission | Baltimore, Maryland |
Regional Vice Presidents
| Northeastern USA | MaryJane Ainsworth | Executive Director, Vermont Parole Board | Vermont |
| Central USA | Scott Widmer | Vice-Chair, Ohio Parole Board | Columbus, Ohio |
| Southern USA | Benita Murphy | Chairperson, West Virginia Parole Board | Charleston, West Virginia |
| Western USA | Jennifer Shaffer | Executive Officer, Board of Parole Hearings | California |
| International | Sylvie Blanchet | Executive Vice-Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada | Canada |
| International | Alistair Spierling | Manager, New Zealand Parole Board | New Zealand |
Northeastern USA — Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Rhode Island, U.S. Parole Commission and all U.S. Military Parole Boards.
Central USA — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.
Southern USA — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Virgin Islands and West Virginia.
Western USA — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
International
APAI Committees
Professional Development
To determine and approve all official APAI education.
| Jennifer Shaffer, Chair | California |
| David Blumberg | Maryland |
| Jessica Dillard | Texas |
| Kecia Rongen | Washington |
| Rita Rocker | Georgia |
| Ladeidra Jones | Kentucky |
| Sylvie Blanchet | Canada |
| John Bailey | Oregon |
| Gene Demello, Jr | Hawaii |
Crime Victims
To elevate the awareness of crime victims issues in the post conviction processes and to ensure that the professional development opportunities offered, facilitated and supported by the Association contain sufficient content relative to victims and survivors of crime and their role in the parole and reentry process. One of the current assignments of the Victims Committee is to develop a Model Protocol for paroling authorities to ensure victim participation in the parole process.
| Libby Hamilton, Chair | Texas |
| Francis Abbott | Lousiana |
| Lorie Brisbin | — |
| Monica Howk | Nevada |
| Kerri McNeil | Washington |
| Brittney Thorndyke | Idaho |
| CJ Perez | Kansas |
| Heather Artist | Iowa |
Membership
To promote and encourage a strong, viable and sustainable membership.
| Sylvie Blanchet | Canada |
| Scott Widmer | Ohio |
| Benita Murphy | West Virginia |
| Jennifer Shaffer | California |
| Alistair Spierling | New Zealand |
| MaryJane Ainsworth | Vermont |
Public Relations/Communications
| Francis Abbott, Chair | Louisiana |
| Zane Duncan | Tennessee |
| Steve Hayes | Georgia |
| Kecia Rongen | Washington State |
Standards/Resolutions
To Promote the Use of Best Practices in Parole
| Christopher Barnett, Chair | Georgia |
| Mark Keating | Kansas |
| Dan Fetsco | Wyoming |
| Benita Murphy | West Virginia |
| Chris Cirrito | Texas |
