2022 Tennessee Elder Justice Conference Faculty and Guests
The Honorable Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
Bill Lee is a seventh-generation Tennessean and the 50th Governor of Tennessee. He was raised in Franklin, where he still resides today with his wife, Maria, on his family’s farm. He’s the proud father of four adult children and eight grandchildren. After attending Williamson County Schools, Governor Lee attended Auburn University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, he returned home to Franklin to join the family business his grandfather started in 1944, a comprehensive mechanical construction service company. He became president of Lee Company in 1992. Since becoming Governor in 2019, Governor Lee has focused on several priorities including quality education, economic development, public safety, and supporting families, all with a particular focus on the accelerated transformation of rural Tennessee. The Governor and First Lady are people of strong faith. They are active in Grace Chapel Church and in numerous faith-based ministries, which have taken them all over the world to serve people in need, including to Africa, Haiti, Central America, and the Middle East.
The Honorable Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
Bill Lee is a seventh-generation Tennessean and the 50th Governor of Tennessee. He was raised in Franklin, where he still resides today with his wife, Maria, on his family’s farm. He’s the proud father of four adult children and eight grandchildren. After attending Williamson County Schools, Governor Lee attended Auburn University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, he returned home to Franklin to join the family business his grandfather started in 1944, a comprehensive mechanical construction service company. He became president of Lee Company in 1992. Since becoming Governor in 2019, Governor Lee has focused on several priorities including quality education, economic development, public safety, and supporting families, all with a particular focus on the accelerated transformation of rural Tennessee. The Governor and First Lady are people of strong faith. They are active in Grace Chapel Church and in numerous faith-based ministries, which have taken them all over the world to serve people in need, including to Africa, Haiti, Central America, and the Middle East.
Del Holley, Chair, Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability
General Holley received his Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Auburn University in 1988 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee, College of Law, in 1991. He has been licensed to practice law in Tennessee since October 1991 and was admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in April 1992.
General Del Holley has been employed by the Knox County District Attorney General’s Office since July 1, 1994. General Holley serves as Parliamentarian for the East Tennessee Council on Aging and Disability. He has been a member of Knox County ElderWatch and served as chairperson of the East Tennessee ElderWatch Executive Committee from 2004 to 2006. He helped plan and lead numerous community and professional education events sponsored by ElderWatch. General Holley served as a member of the steering committee for the East Tennessee Regional Senior Summits held in 2008 and 2009. Those events, co-sponsored by County Mayors, Sheriffs and District Attorneys General representing 17 East Tennessee counties, were attended by over 4,000 seniors from across the region. He served as chair (2012-2013) and secretary (2013-2014) of the Tennessee Vulnerable Adult Coalition (TVAC), a group spearheading a statewide effort to combat elder abuse and other offenses perpetrated against vulnerable adults. In 2015, General Holley received the John J. Duncan, Sr. Award (Professional) given annually by the Board of the Senior Citizens Information and Referral Service in Knoxville to recognize outstanding effort in the area of senior advocacy. He is also frequently invited to speak to law enforcement, community, and church groups to train and educate persons about the criminal justice system.
Outside the office, General Holley is an active member of The United Methodist Church and serves in leadership positions in his congregation and at the district, conference and jurisdictional level. He is a member of the Knoxville Bar Association; the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference; an alumnus of the national College of District Attorneys; and a graduate of Leadership Knoxville (Class of 2007). General Holley’s wife, Jennifer, is a physical therapist. They have two children, Leah and Benjamin, and live in South Knoxville.
General Holley received his Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Auburn University in 1988 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee, College of Law, in 1991. He has been licensed to practice law in Tennessee since October 1991 and was admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in April 1992.
General Del Holley has been employed by the Knox County District Attorney General’s Office since July 1, 1994. General Holley serves as Parliamentarian for the East Tennessee Council on Aging and Disability. He has been a member of Knox County ElderWatch and served as chairperson of the East Tennessee ElderWatch Executive Committee from 2004 to 2006. He helped plan and lead numerous community and professional education events sponsored by ElderWatch. General Holley served as a member of the steering committee for the East Tennessee Regional Senior Summits held in 2008 and 2009. Those events, co-sponsored by County Mayors, Sheriffs and District Attorneys General representing 17 East Tennessee counties, were attended by over 4,000 seniors from across the region. He served as chair (2012-2013) and secretary (2013-2014) of the Tennessee Vulnerable Adult Coalition (TVAC), a group spearheading a statewide effort to combat elder abuse and other offenses perpetrated against vulnerable adults. In 2015, General Holley received the John J. Duncan, Sr. Award (Professional) given annually by the Board of the Senior Citizens Information and Referral Service in Knoxville to recognize outstanding effort in the area of senior advocacy. He is also frequently invited to speak to law enforcement, community, and church groups to train and educate persons about the criminal justice system.
Outside the office, General Holley is an active member of The United Methodist Church and serves in leadership positions in his congregation and at the district, conference and jurisdictional level. He is a member of the Knoxville Bar Association; the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference; an alumnus of the national College of District Attorneys; and a graduate of Leadership Knoxville (Class of 2007). General Holley’s wife, Jennifer, is a physical therapist. They have two children, Leah and Benjamin, and live in South Knoxville.
Paul Greenwood, Deputy District Attorney San Diego, Retired,
CEO Greenwood Law Corp.
Newly retired Deputy District Attorney Paul Greenwood was a solicitor in England for 13 years. After relocating to San Diego in 1991 he passed the California Bar and joined the DA's office in 1993. For twenty-two years Paul headed up the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit at the San Diego DA’s Office. In 1999, California Lawyer magazine named Paul as one of their top 20 lawyers of the year in recognition of his pioneering efforts to pursue justice on behalf of senior citizens. He has prosecuted over 750 felony cases of both physical, sexual, emotional and financial elder abuse. He has also prosecuted ten murder cases, including one death penalty case. In March 2018 Paul retired from the San Diego DA’s office to concentrate on sharing lessons learned from his elder abuse prosecutions with a wider audience. In October 2018 he was given a lifetime achievement award by his former office.
Paul now spends much of his post retirement time consulting on elder abuse cases and providing trainings to law enforcement and Adult Protective Services agencies across the country and internationally. He is also involved as the criminal justice board member of National Adult protective Services Association.
In 2021 Paul formed his own legal corporation, Greenwood Law Corp in order to develop a two-pronged mission of providing trainings for law enforcement and offering his experience as a consultant/expert witness in elder abuse civil and criminal litigation. Paul earned his law degree [LL.B Hons] at Leeds University Yorkshire UK in 1973. He passed the UK Barrister Bar Finals in 1978; and then the UK Solicitor Professional Exams in 1981 when he was admitted to the Supreme Court of England & Wales as a solicitor. In 1991 Paul passed the California Bar and was admitted to the State Bar of California as an attorney in December 1991.
Commissioner Greg Gonzales, Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions
Greg Gonzales is the 18th commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, who began serving in this role in 2005, and was reappointed by Governor Bill Lee. He has served in the Department since 1986. In this position, Gonzales serves as Tennessee’s chief regulatory officer of all state-chartered depository and licensed non-depository financial institutions. Additionally, he has served as assistant commissioner and general counsel for the Department.
Commissioner Gonzales served on Governor Lee’s Economic Recovery Group, a public- private partnership that prioritized connection, collaboration, and communication across industries, the medical community and state government to safely reboot Tennessee’s economy. Gonzales is a past Chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), which is the professional organization of state banking commissioners in the United States. Commissioner Gonzales, for a number of years, served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Money Transmitter Regulators Association (MTRA), an organization of a majority of the states that regulate funds transfer companies. He served as Chairman of the State Liaison Committee that incorporatesthe
state supervisory perspective into the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). The FFIEC affects regulatory guidance on all depository financial institutions in the United States. He serves on the U.S. Treasury’s Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group. Commissioner Gonzales currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission and the Tennessee Collateral Pool Board.
Commissioner Gonzales was born in Cookeville, Tennessee and graduated Cum Laude in Cursu Honorum with a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University in 1980. Gonzales served as a research assistant in 1980 to Sir Patrick Cormack, a Conservative Party member of the British Parliament. He earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1984.
Greg Gonzales is the 18th commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, who began serving in this role in 2005, and was reappointed by Governor Bill Lee. He has served in the Department since 1986. In this position, Gonzales serves as Tennessee’s chief regulatory officer of all state-chartered depository and licensed non-depository financial institutions. Additionally, he has served as assistant commissioner and general counsel for the Department.
Commissioner Gonzales served on Governor Lee’s Economic Recovery Group, a public- private partnership that prioritized connection, collaboration, and communication across industries, the medical community and state government to safely reboot Tennessee’s economy. Gonzales is a past Chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), which is the professional organization of state banking commissioners in the United States. Commissioner Gonzales, for a number of years, served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Money Transmitter Regulators Association (MTRA), an organization of a majority of the states that regulate funds transfer companies. He served as Chairman of the State Liaison Committee that incorporatesthe
state supervisory perspective into the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). The FFIEC affects regulatory guidance on all depository financial institutions in the United States. He serves on the U.S. Treasury’s Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group. Commissioner Gonzales currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission and the Tennessee Collateral Pool Board.
Commissioner Gonzales was born in Cookeville, Tennessee and graduated Cum Laude in Cursu Honorum with a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University in 1980. Gonzales served as a research assistant in 1980 to Sir Patrick Cormack, a Conservative Party member of the British Parliament. He earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1984.
Stacey J. Langford, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer,
Tennessee Bankers Association
Stacey Langford joined the Tennessee Bankers Association in January 2013 and currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. In this role, Stacey oversees member relationships within the association including 172 Tennessee-operating banks and 200 Associate Member companies and endorsed partnerships. Stacey leads TBA’s education and communications departments, along with serving as one of the Association’s state lobbyists. Prior to joining TBA, Stacey spent six years with the Arizona Bankers Association as Vice President, Member Services. Stacey holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
Tennessee Bankers Association
Stacey Langford joined the Tennessee Bankers Association in January 2013 and currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. In this role, Stacey oversees member relationships within the association including 172 Tennessee-operating banks and 200 Associate Member companies and endorsed partnerships. Stacey leads TBA’s education and communications departments, along with serving as one of the Association’s state lobbyists. Prior to joining TBA, Stacey spent six years with the Arizona Bankers Association as Vice President, Member Services. Stacey holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
Kimberly S. Bohannon, Chief Innovation Officer,
Tennessee Credit Union League
Kim is responsible for the compliance, education, and communication programs for the state trade association for credit unions. Kim is a certified Credit Union Compliance Expert, Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist, and a member of the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators. Kim is a committed advocate for the prevention and detection of elder financial exploitation. She has presented testimony to the Governor’s Elder Abuse Task Force regarding the impact of elder financial exploitation in Tennessee and has brought this issue to light by speaking at the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators Annual Conference and the Tennessee Elder Justice Conference. In 2016, she represented financial institutions as a guest panelist on the PBS show Aging Matters, which explored the elder abuse crisis. She currently serves on the board of directors for Inheritance of Hope.
Tennessee Credit Union League
Kim is responsible for the compliance, education, and communication programs for the state trade association for credit unions. Kim is a certified Credit Union Compliance Expert, Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist, and a member of the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators. Kim is a committed advocate for the prevention and detection of elder financial exploitation. She has presented testimony to the Governor’s Elder Abuse Task Force regarding the impact of elder financial exploitation in Tennessee and has brought this issue to light by speaking at the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators Annual Conference and the Tennessee Elder Justice Conference. In 2016, she represented financial institutions as a guest panelist on the PBS show Aging Matters, which explored the elder abuse crisis. She currently serves on the board of directors for Inheritance of Hope.
Lance Robertson, Director, Healthcare Guidehouse, Former Assistant Secretary, Administration for Community Living
The Honorable Lance Robertson is the former US Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator of the HHS Administration for Community Living (ACL) from 2017-2021. He has long been a champion of Adult Protective Services and oversaw the federal government’s support for this critical program’s work as part of the ACL portfolio. He also chaired the Elder Justice Coordinating Council. For the decade prior, he ran Oklahoma’s State Unit on Aging. He spent twelve years as an Administrator at Oklahoma State University. He is a US Army Veteran.
The Honorable Lance Robertson is the former US Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator of the HHS Administration for Community Living (ACL) from 2017-2021. He has long been a champion of Adult Protective Services and oversaw the federal government’s support for this critical program’s work as part of the ACL portfolio. He also chaired the Elder Justice Coordinating Council. For the decade prior, he ran Oklahoma’s State Unit on Aging. He spent twelve years as an Administrator at Oklahoma State University. He is a US Army Veteran.
Julie Schoen, JD, Deputy Director, National Center on Elder Abuse
Julie Schoen brings her passion for all aspects of aging issues to her role as Deputy Director of the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. She is an attorney with a strong background in Medicare Advocacy who is now having impact in the area of Elder Abuse. Like you, she hopes to build public awareness by collaborating with experts in the field. She is an active board member of the Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN) and the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA). Julie’s influence in the aging field has been well documented in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and USA Today as well as frequent guest appearance on KFWB, Talk Radio, Money 101. Before joining the NCEA team at USC, Julie devoted the first 20 years of her career as the director of the Health Insurance Counseling Advocacy Program and the CA Senior Medicare Patrol.
Julie is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Madison and has lived in Orange County for the past 30 years with her husband Jim and daughter Emily.
Julie Schoen brings her passion for all aspects of aging issues to her role as Deputy Director of the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. She is an attorney with a strong background in Medicare Advocacy who is now having impact in the area of Elder Abuse. Like you, she hopes to build public awareness by collaborating with experts in the field. She is an active board member of the Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN) and the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA). Julie’s influence in the aging field has been well documented in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and USA Today as well as frequent guest appearance on KFWB, Talk Radio, Money 101. Before joining the NCEA team at USC, Julie devoted the first 20 years of her career as the director of the Health Insurance Counseling Advocacy Program and the CA Senior Medicare Patrol.
Julie is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Madison and has lived in Orange County for the past 30 years with her husband Jim and daughter Emily.
Patricia M. D’Antonio, Vice President, Policy and Professional Affairs
Patricia M. "Trish" D'Antonio, BS Pharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, is GSA’s vice president of policy and professional affairs. In this role, she is responsible for managing the Society’s relationships with other organizations in the aging arena, leading major Society programs and projects, and developing a strategy for future growth of the National Academy on an Aging Society (GSA’s nonpartisan public policy institute). She is also the project director for the Reframing Aging Initiative, a long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. She previously served as the executive director of the DC Board of Pharmacy and program manager for the Pharmaceutical Control Division, where she was responsible for the regulatory and policy development for the practice of pharmacy in the District, inspection and investigation of regulated facilities, and served as liaison to the FDA, DEA, and other federal and state organizations that promote safe handling of medications. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Controlled Substance Authorities, a non-profit organization that works to provide a continuing mechanism through which state and federal agencies and stakeholders can work to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of state and national efforts to prevent and control drug diversion and abuse.
Prior to working with the DC Department of Health, D'Antonio served as director of professional and educational affairs with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, a professional membership association representing pharmacists who practice in geriatrics. While there she was responsible for advancing initiatives to educate pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in geriatric pharmacotherapy and the unique medication-related needs of the older adult. D'Antonio received her Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and received her Master of Science in health finance and Master in Business Administration with a concentration in health care from Temple University in Philadelphia. She completed a residency in administration and finance at The Philadelphia Geriatric Center and is a board-certified geriatric pharmacist.
Patricia M. "Trish" D'Antonio, BS Pharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, is GSA’s vice president of policy and professional affairs. In this role, she is responsible for managing the Society’s relationships with other organizations in the aging arena, leading major Society programs and projects, and developing a strategy for future growth of the National Academy on an Aging Society (GSA’s nonpartisan public policy institute). She is also the project director for the Reframing Aging Initiative, a long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. She previously served as the executive director of the DC Board of Pharmacy and program manager for the Pharmaceutical Control Division, where she was responsible for the regulatory and policy development for the practice of pharmacy in the District, inspection and investigation of regulated facilities, and served as liaison to the FDA, DEA, and other federal and state organizations that promote safe handling of medications. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Controlled Substance Authorities, a non-profit organization that works to provide a continuing mechanism through which state and federal agencies and stakeholders can work to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of state and national efforts to prevent and control drug diversion and abuse.
Prior to working with the DC Department of Health, D'Antonio served as director of professional and educational affairs with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, a professional membership association representing pharmacists who practice in geriatrics. While there she was responsible for advancing initiatives to educate pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in geriatric pharmacotherapy and the unique medication-related needs of the older adult. D'Antonio received her Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and received her Master of Science in health finance and Master in Business Administration with a concentration in health care from Temple University in Philadelphia. She completed a residency in administration and finance at The Philadelphia Geriatric Center and is a board-certified geriatric pharmacist.
Renee Bouchillon, Adult Protective Services Program Director, TN Department of Human Services
Renee Bouchillon has worked in the protective services field for almost 20 years, and currently serves as the Director of Adult Protective Services (APS), with responsibility of statewide operations of the APS program. She has held several different positions throughout her APS career which include being promoted to APS Field Supervisor, APS Program Coordinator, and APS Program Supervisor. While Program Supervisor for Middle TN she was additionally appointed to fill the role of Acting Director for Adult Protective Services. Renee is very active with community partners and enthusiastically participates on several councils and boards. Renee holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University & a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from MTSU.
Renee Bouchillon has worked in the protective services field for almost 20 years, and currently serves as the Director of Adult Protective Services (APS), with responsibility of statewide operations of the APS program. She has held several different positions throughout her APS career which include being promoted to APS Field Supervisor, APS Program Coordinator, and APS Program Supervisor. While Program Supervisor for Middle TN she was additionally appointed to fill the role of Acting Director for Adult Protective Services. Renee is very active with community partners and enthusiastically participates on several councils and boards. Renee holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University & a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from MTSU.
Robert "Bob" Blancato, National Coordinator of the Elder Abuse Coalition
Robert “Bob” Blancato is President of Matz, Blancato and Associates, a public and government relations firm. He spent 17 years on the staff of the U.S. House Select Committee on Aging and has participated in four White House Conferences on Aging, including as the Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging. With over 30 years of deep experience in the field of aging and public service, he is executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs and the National Coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition.
As a volunteer, Bob serves on the Board of the National Hispanic Council on Aging. From 2016 to 2018, he chaired the American Society on Aging (ASA). He is a former volunteer State President of AARP Virginia and served six years on the Board of the National Council on Aging. He is a former president of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. In 2019, he was appointed by HHS Secretary Alex Azar to the National Advisory Council on Rural Health and
Human Services. Bob was named to the ASA Hall of Fame in 2020. He was knighted by the Republic of Italy in 2011.
Robert “Bob” Blancato is President of Matz, Blancato and Associates, a public and government relations firm. He spent 17 years on the staff of the U.S. House Select Committee on Aging and has participated in four White House Conferences on Aging, including as the Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging. With over 30 years of deep experience in the field of aging and public service, he is executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs and the National Coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition.
As a volunteer, Bob serves on the Board of the National Hispanic Council on Aging. From 2016 to 2018, he chaired the American Society on Aging (ASA). He is a former volunteer State President of AARP Virginia and served six years on the Board of the National Council on Aging. He is a former president of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. In 2019, he was appointed by HHS Secretary Alex Azar to the National Advisory Council on Rural Health and
Human Services. Bob was named to the ASA Hall of Fame in 2020. He was knighted by the Republic of Italy in 2011.
Bill Benson, National Policy Advisor
Bill Benson is Managing Principal in Health Benefits ABCs, an organization offering health and aging policy, educational and strategic planning consulting services. Benson has worked on health and aging issues for 38 years including in various leadership positions in the U.S. Congress. He served in senior appointee positions at the U.S. Administration on Aging including as Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging prior to starting a consulting practice in 1998. Earlier in his career he spent 10 years with the California Department of Aging including serving as California’s State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. For the past 10 years he has been a consultant to CDC’s Healthy Aging Program. He is works closely on preventive services with SPARC and its Vote & Vax Initiative. HBABCs writes Critical Issue Briefs for CDC on a variety of public health and aging matters and produces podcasts on the same topics. HBABCs consults with AoA’s National Technical Resource Center for the nation’s Senior Medicare Patrol programs. HBABCs provides strategic planning, facilitation services, and technical writing and conducts evaluations for national, state and local organizations. For the past 12 years Benson has hosted First Person, a weekly series of conversations with Holocaust survivors before live audiences at the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum.
Bill Benson is Managing Principal in Health Benefits ABCs, an organization offering health and aging policy, educational and strategic planning consulting services. Benson has worked on health and aging issues for 38 years including in various leadership positions in the U.S. Congress. He served in senior appointee positions at the U.S. Administration on Aging including as Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging prior to starting a consulting practice in 1998. Earlier in his career he spent 10 years with the California Department of Aging including serving as California’s State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. For the past 10 years he has been a consultant to CDC’s Healthy Aging Program. He is works closely on preventive services with SPARC and its Vote & Vax Initiative. HBABCs writes Critical Issue Briefs for CDC on a variety of public health and aging matters and produces podcasts on the same topics. HBABCs consults with AoA’s National Technical Resource Center for the nation’s Senior Medicare Patrol programs. HBABCs provides strategic planning, facilitation services, and technical writing and conducts evaluations for national, state and local organizations. For the past 12 years Benson has hosted First Person, a weekly series of conversations with Holocaust survivors before live audiences at the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum.
Jessica Cleveland, MPA, Assistant Director of Special Projects, Office of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP), Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration
Jessica Cleveland brings expertise in project management and evaluation, coalition building, and strategic planning to her role as Assistant Director of Special Projects for OCJP. Having previously served as the Program Manager and Technical Assistance Coordinator for Tennessee’s Family Justice Center (FJC) Initiative over eight years, Jessica provided training, created operations tools, facilitated partnership negotiations, and mentored agency Directors and their staff. In that time, the number of FJCs in Tennessee increased from two to thirteen, with the Coordinated Community Response (CCR) model successfully applied in those FJC communities, facilitating additional collaborative, high-profile initiatives, including Fatality Review Teams, Lethality Assessment Protocol, Sexual Assault Response Teams, and more. These community-driven
interventions are shown to produce systems-level improvements in victim safety and offender accountability. They also provide a framework for diverse groups of practitioners to use limited resources more efficiently, build trust and communication among and between agencies, and improve long-term sustainability.
Jessica has worked closely with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault service providers, Law Enforcement agencies, Attorneys General, Civil-Legal service providers, and community leaders across the state to enhance collaborative best
practices for Tennessee. This knowledge informs her current work writing discretionary federal grants for the state, developing outputs and outcomes for the myriad projects OCJP funds, facilitating OCJP’s annual strategic planning process, and designing high-priority special projects in partnership with other state agencies.
Jessica takes pride in extending a customer-focused approach to each project, training, and interaction, providing assistance and guidance with an emphasis on professionalism, courtesy, and respect.
Jessica Cleveland brings expertise in project management and evaluation, coalition building, and strategic planning to her role as Assistant Director of Special Projects for OCJP. Having previously served as the Program Manager and Technical Assistance Coordinator for Tennessee’s Family Justice Center (FJC) Initiative over eight years, Jessica provided training, created operations tools, facilitated partnership negotiations, and mentored agency Directors and their staff. In that time, the number of FJCs in Tennessee increased from two to thirteen, with the Coordinated Community Response (CCR) model successfully applied in those FJC communities, facilitating additional collaborative, high-profile initiatives, including Fatality Review Teams, Lethality Assessment Protocol, Sexual Assault Response Teams, and more. These community-driven
interventions are shown to produce systems-level improvements in victim safety and offender accountability. They also provide a framework for diverse groups of practitioners to use limited resources more efficiently, build trust and communication among and between agencies, and improve long-term sustainability.
Jessica has worked closely with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault service providers, Law Enforcement agencies, Attorneys General, Civil-Legal service providers, and community leaders across the state to enhance collaborative best
practices for Tennessee. This knowledge informs her current work writing discretionary federal grants for the state, developing outputs and outcomes for the myriad projects OCJP funds, facilitating OCJP’s annual strategic planning process, and designing high-priority special projects in partnership with other state agencies.
Jessica takes pride in extending a customer-focused approach to each project, training, and interaction, providing assistance and guidance with an emphasis on professionalism, courtesy, and respect.
Randy Nichols, District Attorney General, Knox County TN, Retired,
Special Counsel, Knox County Sheriff’s Department
On August 29, 2014, District Attorney General Randall E. Nichols retired after twenty- two years of service to Knox County. General Nichols stands as the longest-serving Attorney General in Knox County history, and his dedication to the pursuit of fairness, justice and community service is marked by his accomplishments during his long and successful tenure as top prosecutor. General Nichols graduated from UT College of Law in 1973, and in 1976, he became an Assistant District Attorney General under General Ron Webster. After serving in that capacity for three years, Nichols partnered with Ralph Harwell to establish a law practice specializing in criminal law. Then in 1988, Governor Ned Ray McWherter appointed Nichols to serve as Judge of Criminal Court, Division I, a seat that Nichols was elected to in the next election.
Thereafter in 1992, Judge Nichols was appointed to fill the position of Knox County District Attorney General, which had been suddenly vacated by the death of General Ed Dossett. Randall Nichols was re-elected for two more full terms in 1998 and 2006 making him the longest-serving District Attorney General in Knox County's history.
Randall Nichols acted as Knox County’s chief prosecutor, but his service and leadership was not limited to his presence in the courthouse. Ever the community leader, Nichols was instrumental in the development of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse prosecution. Early in his tenure as District Attorney General, Nichols created specialized units to combat domestic violence and child abuse offenders. In 2013, he was recognized for his accomplishments in a ceremony that included the naming of the Randall E. Nichols Family Justice Center in his honor.
Nichols also took pro-active steps to stunt the growth of crime at its source. He was instrumental in the creation of a “Truancy Program” in the Knox County Juvenile Court, through which he sought to curb the lack of student and parent participation in the school system. His hope for the Truancy Program was that it would improve the younger generation’s chance at a meaningful and productive future. General Nichols also pushed for the creation of a Safety Center for Knox County in an effort to prevent crime by providing resources to those suffering from mental illness and addiction.
Following his retirement, he was named by the Knox County Sheriff as the Special Counsel and continues to serve in this capacity.
Lieutenant James R. Hatler, Martin TN Police Department
Lt. James Hatler has been employed with the Martin Police Department since November 1995. He began at the rank of Patrol Officer after graduating the Tennessee Law Enforcement Academy in 1996. He worked as a patrol officer until June of 2000 when he was promoted to the rank of Patrol Lieutenant. He served in the Patrol Division for a total of twelve years until he was assigned to the position of Criminal Investigator in 2007. Since 2007 Lt. Hatler has been serving in the Martin Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division. He has been tasked with assisting in the supervision and training of investigators. Lt. Hatler has worked cases of violent crime including death investigations and sexual assaults. In 2012 Lt. Hatler completed Session 30 of the National Forensics Academy with the University of Tennessee (UT) Knoxville. He also completed Session 6 of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations State Academy in 2017. Lt. Hatler graduated from the South Eastern Leadership Academy with UT Chattanooga in 2021 and graduated with Session 281 of the FBI National Academy in 2022. Lt. Hatler’s current duties are investigating cases involving the sexual and severe physical abuse of children.
Lt. Hatler oversees compliance of the sex offenders who reside within Martin TN that are required to register with the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry. He also is involved in working cases concerning seniors and other especially vulnerable victims with in the City of Martin TN. Lt. Hatler works along the members of the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and has served on their advisory board.
David B. Rausch, Director, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Director Rausch was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1986 and his Master of Science in Justice Administration in 2001, both from the University of Louisville. He has over 33 years of law enforcement experience. He was enlisted and served in the United States Army Military Police Corps from 1986 to 1990, where he attained the rank of Sergeant. He served for 25 years in the Knoxville Police Department from 1993 to 2018, his last 7 years as Chief of Police. He served 10 years on the KPD SWAT team. He retired from KPD when he was appointed as the 9th Director for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation by Governor Bill Haslam in 2018.
He is a graduate of several prestigious law enforcement leadership training programs to include; the 105th Administrative Officers Course of the Southern Police institute, the FBI TLEEDS program, the FBI 218th National Academy, the Police Executive Research Forum 40th Senior Management Institute for Police, the FBI 36th National Executive Institute, the FBI Leadership in Counter Terrorism (LinCT) program, the United States Army War College Commandant’s National Security Program, and the 27th Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange Delegation to Israel. He is a graduate of Leadership Knoxville, Leadership Nashville, and Leadership Tennessee.
Director Rausch has served in leadership roles for numerous community and professional service organizations to include; the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, Leadership Knoxville, the Knoxville Change Center, the Trinity Health Foundation, the Volunteer Ministry Center Knoxville, the Knoxville Metro Drug Coalition, the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, the Memphis/Shelby County Crime Commission, and the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center. He currently serves as the 4th Vice President for the IACP, where he will advance annually through the chairs to serve as President in 2025. The IACP is the largest law enforcement leadership organization in the world with over 31,000 members from 168 countries.
He has trained law enforcement professionals throughout the country on critical topics from basic skills to advanced leadership. He assisted the U.S. Department of State as a developer and trainer on their Tactical Commanders Course in addressing Terrorism for senior leaders of the Jamaican Constabulary Forces in Kingston, Jamaica.
Director Rausch has served as an advisor to legislators on the local, state, and federal level, including Governors Haslam and Lee of Tennessee, Congress members, Senators, and Executive Staff members to the Obama, Trump, and Biden Presidential administrations. He has helped draft, support, pass and defeat significant legislation at all levels of government that impact the safety of communities. He has testified in front of Congress on preparing for and preventing Domestic Terrorism. He served as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, where he was appointed by U.S. Attorney General William Barr in January 2020. He currently serves on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security State and Local Intelligence Counsel representing IACP as an advisor to the Undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Honorable Matthew Stowe, District Attorney, District 24
Gen. Matthew Stowe first ran for District Attorney General in 2014. He said his motivation was that he felt “the criminal justice system was failing crime victims,” and he wanted “to make a difference.” He sought to accomplish this by fighting for tougher sentences for violent crime victims and upholding the Constitution. As District Attorney, Gen. Stowe has fought fervently to protect the elderly, vulnerable adults and children by seeking justice on their behalf. As head of the 24th Judicial District Drug Taskforce, Gen. Stowe oversees the fight to stop the flow of drugs into the district. His office always seeks to balance treating defendants with compassion while also holding them accountable for their actions. “Serving as the voice of the people in the courtroom is the highest possible honor,” Gen. Stowe said. Over the past three years, Tennessee’s District Attorneys General have worked with lawmakers to craft better laws with tougher penalties to combat elder abuse.
Gen. Matthew Stowe first ran for District Attorney General in 2014. He said his motivation was that he felt “the criminal justice system was failing crime victims,” and he wanted “to make a difference.” He sought to accomplish this by fighting for tougher sentences for violent crime victims and upholding the Constitution. As District Attorney, Gen. Stowe has fought fervently to protect the elderly, vulnerable adults and children by seeking justice on their behalf. As head of the 24th Judicial District Drug Taskforce, Gen. Stowe oversees the fight to stop the flow of drugs into the district. His office always seeks to balance treating defendants with compassion while also holding them accountable for their actions. “Serving as the voice of the people in the courtroom is the highest possible honor,” Gen. Stowe said. Over the past three years, Tennessee’s District Attorneys General have worked with lawmakers to craft better laws with tougher penalties to combat elder abuse.
Joanne Sheldon, Assistant District Attorney, Elder Abuse Unit, District 4
S. Joanne Sheldon is an Assistant District Attorney with the 4th Judicial District of Tennessee, which includes Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier counties in East Tennessee. A native of Sevierville, Tennessee, ADA Sheldon holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Carson Newman College at Jefferson City, cum laude, a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a Master of Arts in Gerontology from the University of Southern California, a Certified Nursing Assistant through training with Ballad Healthcare, and will begin her Graduate Certificate in Clinical Addiction Counseling Studies from East Tennessee State University this Summer. Prior to returning to prosecution in 2011, ADA Sheldon engaged in the private practice of law for approximately eight (8) years handling contested domestic law cases, elder law, estate planning and, primarily, criminal defense, during which time she was “Death Certified” by the Tennessee Supreme Court to handle capital cases. In addition to criminal defense at the state level, ADA Sheldon practiced federal defense as a member of the Federal Defense Panel, being sworn in before the Eastern District of Tennessee, the 6th Circuit Court of Federal Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio and was sworn in person before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Currently, ADA Sheldon serves on the Elder Abuse Committee with the District Attorney General’s Conference and is working with the Committee and the Community of the 4th Judicial District in establishing new laws to protect our elderly and vulnerable adults. ADA Sheldon served on the Planning Committee for the Tennessee Elder Justice Conference and is also a member of the Department of Justice’s Elder Abuse Task Force. In 2018 ADA Sheldon was accepted as a member of the Tennessee Vulnerable Adult Coalition (TVAC) and was elected to the position of Vice Chair. TVAC is a proactive group of partners across Tennessee focused on raising awareness of the various forms of abuse committed against vulnerable and older adults.
In Fall 2018, ADA Sheldon was elected to the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Federation for Aging (TFA) TFA’s purpose is to enhance the general welfare of older Tennesseans and to promote civic, educational and social measures relating to the special interests of older Tennesseans. Continuing, in December 2018 ADA Sheldon was elected to the Board of Directors as Member at Large for East Tennessee Elder Justice Coalition (ETEJC). ETEJC functions to empower consumers by advancing prevention through awareness, education and community-based activity. In February 2017 ADA Sheldon transferred her obligations of CPIT for Cocke County, a position held since 2011, in order to focus on VAPIT for the 4th District and was asked to lead the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit created by General James B. “Jimmy” Dunn which covers all four (4) counties in the District. At the local level, ADA Sheldon is a member of Sevier ElderWatch, Newport ElderWatch and RCORP-ET (Rural Communities Opioid Response Program for East Tennessee).
S. Joanne Sheldon is an Assistant District Attorney with the 4th Judicial District of Tennessee, which includes Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier counties in East Tennessee. A native of Sevierville, Tennessee, ADA Sheldon holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Carson Newman College at Jefferson City, cum laude, a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a Master of Arts in Gerontology from the University of Southern California, a Certified Nursing Assistant through training with Ballad Healthcare, and will begin her Graduate Certificate in Clinical Addiction Counseling Studies from East Tennessee State University this Summer. Prior to returning to prosecution in 2011, ADA Sheldon engaged in the private practice of law for approximately eight (8) years handling contested domestic law cases, elder law, estate planning and, primarily, criminal defense, during which time she was “Death Certified” by the Tennessee Supreme Court to handle capital cases. In addition to criminal defense at the state level, ADA Sheldon practiced federal defense as a member of the Federal Defense Panel, being sworn in before the Eastern District of Tennessee, the 6th Circuit Court of Federal Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio and was sworn in person before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Currently, ADA Sheldon serves on the Elder Abuse Committee with the District Attorney General’s Conference and is working with the Committee and the Community of the 4th Judicial District in establishing new laws to protect our elderly and vulnerable adults. ADA Sheldon served on the Planning Committee for the Tennessee Elder Justice Conference and is also a member of the Department of Justice’s Elder Abuse Task Force. In 2018 ADA Sheldon was accepted as a member of the Tennessee Vulnerable Adult Coalition (TVAC) and was elected to the position of Vice Chair. TVAC is a proactive group of partners across Tennessee focused on raising awareness of the various forms of abuse committed against vulnerable and older adults.
In Fall 2018, ADA Sheldon was elected to the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Federation for Aging (TFA) TFA’s purpose is to enhance the general welfare of older Tennesseans and to promote civic, educational and social measures relating to the special interests of older Tennesseans. Continuing, in December 2018 ADA Sheldon was elected to the Board of Directors as Member at Large for East Tennessee Elder Justice Coalition (ETEJC). ETEJC functions to empower consumers by advancing prevention through awareness, education and community-based activity. In February 2017 ADA Sheldon transferred her obligations of CPIT for Cocke County, a position held since 2011, in order to focus on VAPIT for the 4th District and was asked to lead the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit created by General James B. “Jimmy” Dunn which covers all four (4) counties in the District. At the local level, ADA Sheldon is a member of Sevier ElderWatch, Newport ElderWatch and RCORP-ET (Rural Communities Opioid Response Program for East Tennessee).
