Michael Tessean
Director of the Colorado State Board of Parole
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.
