Members

Dr. Erin Nelson the Assistant Dean of Physician Communication at the Texas Christian University Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine, where she is also the Director of the Psychological and Behavioral Science curriculum and an Associate Professor of Medical Education. Dr. Nelson is also an AssociateProfessor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix in the Departments of Psychiatry and Bioethics and Medical Humanism. Dr. Nelson is a consultant to the Phoenix Police Department and was a member of the Department’s “Baseline Killer” task force. Dr. Nelson was also a member of the First Responder Traumatic Incident Support and Response Task Force for the City of Phoenix. Among her many publications, Dr. Nelson has authored articles and chapters on topics such as firesetting and the nature and structure of correctional mental health services. Dr. Nelson has worked at state and federal correctional facilities treating mentally ill offenders across security levels.

Millie Johnson, DSL, has an extensive background in law enforcement as an officer,supervisor, instructor, and chaplain with the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. In addition to her experience in law enforcement, she has several years of experience in the field of corrections. Her credentials include more than 20 years of experience in a variety of positions in education, community development, community ministry and community outreach.

Millie is an ordained minister and serves as a worship leader and a member of the Executive Board at her church. She is a tenured professor of criminal justice at Geneva College and a part-time professor of criminal justice at Robert Morris University. Millie also serves as a national instructor with the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) program with Georgetown University. In her spare time, Millie enjoys working out, traveling and spending time with her family.

Supervisory Special Agent Cory McGookin, Jr. retired in 2022 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation after 20 years of service. During his law enforcement career with the FBI, he served in numerous leadership roles, which included leading the prestigious FBI National Academy program, Unit Chief over leadership instruction, Program Manager for human intelligence training, and Case Agent on several high-profile investigations. After years of being a master leadership instructor in the National Academy program, his promotion to leadership over all the instructors in the program and, eventually, being selected to lead the program, leaves him as the only FBI agent to ever serve in all three major roles.

Michael Tessean is the Director of the Colorado State Board of Parole. He previously served as Director of Leadership & Organizational Development for the Colorado Department of Human Services and Deputy Director of its Office of Behavioral Health. He has extensive experience in juvenile justice, mental health service delivery, and probation and parole. Earlier in his career, he served for 5 years as a probation officer. After nearly two decades of expertise at the intersection of behavioral health and criminal justice, he has led organizations through tumultuous times. An ardent believer in evidence-based practices, he has translated research into practice within programs and has been a driving force behind transformative cultural and organizational shifts. His commitment to bridging the gap between research and practice and changing organizational cultures makes him an excellent addition to the Heroes team.

Andrea Turk is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Addictions Specialist. She is the Director of Recovery Services at Jefferson Center and has over 15 years of experience working in community behavioral health settings, specializing in Substance Use Disordered treatment for those involved in the criminal justice system. Andrea’s areas of practice include crisis services, criminal justice, mental health, and substance use for adolescent and adult populations. She is a presenter on vicarious trauma, active listening, and de-escalation and behavioral health in forensics to criminal justice professionals, including Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Responders and has presented on several topics for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainings.

Matt Rivera is the Owner of k&e SOLutions, LLC, a consulting and training company specializing in corrections. He also serves as the Director of Community Safety and Well‐Being for Adams County, Colorado. Strongly committed to equity and inclusivity, he focuses on community, people, and connection when helping organizations realize lasting, systemic transformation. His 16 years of experience in local government includes jail/prison administration, criminal justice reform, human resources, social justice, DEI, and leadership. He holds a position on the Board of Directors for the Local Government Hispanic Network. Matt has compiled more than five years teaching in higher education, working as Professional Faculty for both the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management and Metropolitan State University in Denver, CO. Mr. Rivera served as Deputy Director and Chief for the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center, where he managed a 2300-bed jail thar was under Federal Consent decree. While there, he devised and executed court reforms, and helped to lower the facility’s census as a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

Greg Guiton is a retired captain and 34-year veteran of the Ocean City, Maryland Police Department. He began his career with the agency in 1984 when he was hired as police officer. He served in numerous Divisions throughout the Department and served in supervisory/management roles such as Commander of the Office of Professional Standards, Assistant Commander of the Patrol Division, Assistant Commander of the Administrative Division, and Commander of the Support Services Division in his final 6 years with the agency. Greg is a graduate of the 215th Session of the FBI National Academy and the 33rd Session of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police (S.M.I.P.). Greg has been a member of the Maryland/Delaware Chapter of the FBINAA since 2003 and served on the Chapter’s Executive Board from 2013 to 2018, serving as the Chapter President in 2016.

Emily Oosterhouse is a licensed professional counselor and substance abuse counselor in Michigan and Colorado. Emily graduated from the University of Denver with a MA in Forensic Psychology. Emily has a passion for clinical work with those involved in the criminal justice system. She has previously worked in a community corrections facility, a county jail, and provided oversight for clinicians supporting treatment courts in Colorado. In all of these experiences, Emily educated staff regarding the importance of effective behavioral health care and how to work successfully with different populations. Emily’s focus as a clinician in these roles was helping individuals reintegrate into the community and setting up appropriate behavioral health services to support success. Suicide prevention has been a major focus of her work.

Catherine Fontenot has worked in prisons or jails her entire adult life. Initially assigned as a Classification Officer at Louisiana’s only maximum-security prison, she became the first Executive Staff Officer at the Louisiana State Prison (LSP) and its Director of Classification, in addition to serving as the ACA Accreditation Manager and assisted other prisons across the state in achieving accreditation with the American Correctional Association. Ms. Fontenot was an original member of a unique and innovative program, titled Lousiaiana Department of Corrections Restorative Justice Task Force and Victim/Offender Dialoque Program. She has served as an expert witness in corrections litigation, and is a nationally recognized for her innovative leadership in prisons and jails. Ms. Fontenot served as one of the state’s youngest assistant wardens and gained her master’s degree in criminology in 2006. She has taught criminal justice and corrections at the university level, has been a warden at a local jail, and worked as a director of a reception and diagnostic unit.

Chinere (Cece) is the Assistant Commander of Special Investigations for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office in NJ, at the rank of Detective Sergeant. She has been in law enforcement for 14 years serving in various capacities such as Crime Scene Investigations, Fugitive Warrants, Patrol, Court Services, and most recently as an instructor for the Passaic County Police Academy. Cece became a National Instructor for the ABLE Project (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement)in November of 2021. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology with a minor in Psychology. She is a FBI-LEEDA trilogy recipient, with extensive training in Leadership and Crisis Intervention and Media Relations. Cece is also Community Manager for xHood, a community of Black queer people who feel empowered in their ability to build and nurture healthy families and parent happy children. She is an advocate and resource for Black and Queer Families both online and professionally. She has a passion for Leadership in Law Enforcement, personal development, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ acceptance and equality.