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Tim Decker was appointed as the Director of the Missouri Division of Youth Services in January 2007. For the past 26 years he has served in a variety of leadership positions with the Missouri Department of Social Services and the Greater Kansas City Local Investment Commission (LINC); one of Missouri’s innovative public/private community partnerships focused on citizen engagement, local governance, natural helping networks, and neighborhood-based services.

Tim previously served as a program manager and administrator with the Division of Youth Services from 1984 – 1993. During this time, the agency was engaged in major system transformation toward more humane, therapeutic, developmental, and effective approaches to juvenile justice. Tim managed programs throughout Missouri’s continuum of care including community, moderate and secure care facilities; serving as an Assistant Regional Administrator in the Northwest Region.

Tim worked from 1994-1995 with the Missouri Family & Community Trust statewide system change initiative; and has served as a social worker, therapist, and treatment coordinator with agencies in the private non-profit sector. Tim was certified as a national trainer for Families and Schools Together from 1999 - 2007, exemplary model prevention program with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Tim earned his degree in Social Work and Psychology in 1982 from Park University in Parkville, Missouri and completed the Institute for Education Leadership Education Policy Fellowship Program in 2007.

Tim serves as a frequent presenter on topics such as juvenile justice reform, results-based accountability, family and community engagement; and organizational leadership, management, and culture change.

John Gomez is the Director of the Colorado Division of Youth Corrections (DYC), which is a Division within the Colorado Department of Human Services. John was appointed Director of DYC in February 2005. He began his 20-year career in State service as a Senior Analyst with the Colorado General Assembly’s Joint Budget Committee, where he worked for more than six years. In that capacity, John was afforded a unique view of State Government, and worked on budget and policy issues related to the Department of Corrections, the Judicial Department, Public Health programs, and numerous Human Services programs, including the Division of Youth Corrections. In July of 1996, John moved to the Department of Human Services’ Budget Office, where he managed the DYC budget. In March of 1998, he was appointed Associate Director for the Division of Youth Corrections and since that time, has been instrumental in overseeing many program improvements in the Division, and has effectively advocated for resources to serve the DYC detained and committed populations. As Director, John has led a major reform effort in the State’s commitment system, leveraging evidence-based principles and practices, and developing a sophisticated continuum of treatment services that has helped produce a dramatic decrease in the Division’s commitment population, as well as significant savings to the State’s General Fund budget. John is currently Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the National Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators.

Lisa J. Bjergaard is the Director for the Division of Juvenile Services in North Dakota. DJS is the state's juvenile corrections agency, and is organized under the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. DJS operates both institutional and community corrections.

Lisa joined the North Dakota Division of Juvenile Services as a case manager in 1989 and in 1993 became the Regional Manager for the eastern half of North Dakota. In 2006, Lisa was named Director.

Sharon Harrigfeld is the Director of the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections. She has worked in the juvenile justice field for thirty years beginning her career monitoring jails and lockups for compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.

She has her Master’s Degree in Counseling and has been in private practice working with adolescents and adults with addiction issues. In addition, she has run private non-profit organizations addressing the substance abuse needs of adults and adolescents and worked in a residential treatment facility.

She has worked closely with state and county agencies to assist in the funding of juvenile detention facilities and development of plans that address the Balanced and Restorative Justice Model. In her position as Director, she works closely with POST Council, other state agencies, probation officers, detention facility staff and local providers to assist in building a successful system for our youth, families and communities.