Tommy Aceto
Former US Navy Seal
Founder of a nonprofit focused on healing the nervous system through neuroscience, trauma-informed care, advocacy, and education for veterans, first responders, and underserved communities.
Nick Burleson
Program Consultant, Advanced Correctional Healthcare
Nick is a seasoned corrections professional with over a decade of experience in jail operations, supervision, and training. He began his career at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, where he advanced from dispatch to Corrections Deputy and Sergeant, playing key roles in booking, classification, training, and data-driven reform efforts. A certified instructor with the Michigan Sheriff’s Corrections Training Council and the National Institute of Corrections, Nick specializes in Direct Supervision, Inmate Behavior Management, and Use of Force. A U.S. Army veteran and former Military Policeman, he served more than eight years in the Michigan Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Since retiring from WCSO, Nick has worked as a program consultant with Advanced Correctional Healthcare, leveraging his expertise in data analysis and incident response to improve correctional healthcare. He holds degrees from Michigan State University and American Military University and remains an advocate for officer wellness, mental health care, and justice-involved veterans.
John Casserly
Civil Trial Specialist
John is a Civil Trial Specialist certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He represents health care providers in the state and federal courts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. Although he has a special interest in obstetric and mental health issues, John has represented primary care providers, subspecialists, mid-levels, hospitals, nurses, and nursing homes in nearly every area of health care. John also litigates complaints before professional licensing boards.
Prior to joining Geraghty, O’Loughlin & Kenney in 2004, John served as an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney, where he prosecuted violent crimes including homicide, sexual assault, and armed robbery. Before that he represented the Hennepin County Medical Center in labor and employment law matters.
John also served for seven years on the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, and he chaired the commission’s lawyers’ committee. As Civil Rights Commissioner, John presided over trials, mediations, and motion practice for claims brought under the city’s civil rights ordinance.
Michael DeLeon
Founder, Steered Straight, Inc.
Michael R. DeLeon, a successfully acclimated ex-offender who after nearly 20 years of drug addiction and committing crime and 5 years of gang involvement, spent 12 years in state prison and half-way houses for a gang-related family homicide. Since Michael’s release from prison, he has earned 3 Associates Degrees, a Baccalaureate Degree in Business Management, with a minor in Criminal Justice and a CADC Educational Certificate. Michael is now in the process of obtaining his Master’s Degree in Addictions Counseling at Liberty University as well as pursuing his LCADC. He is also pursuing his certification from the University of Kentucky as a Tobacco Prevention Specialist.
Michael is the founder of Steered Straight, Inc. A non-profit organization formed in 2007 designed with the intention of carrying a prevention message to youth and young adults regarding the extreme dangers of adolescent drug and alcohol use, bullying, and unhealthy life-choices. He is also a national speaker on the prevention of gang-involvement and criminal activity. Michael spends his time developing Steered Straight by stressing the importance of young men and women making sound, rational decisions in their day to day lives. Michael worked with the Lifers Group and Scared Straight program while incarcerated, and then founded the Project Pride Program while incarcerated in prison. After pitching the idea for this program to then Commissioner Jack Terhune because he felt “Scared Straight” didn’t work, he worked to develop the message that consequences can be severe and life-lasting. Project Pride which is still in existence at the New Jersey Department of Corrections, is the largest prison outreach program in America.
Michael has spoken to over sixteen million students and young adults as a motivational speaker, delivering evidence-based student programs in all 50 states and abroad. In 2014, Michael became the #1 booked school presenter in America speaking at over 400 schools and facilities just that year. He has remained the #1 booked school presenter every year peaking with 708 schools and facilities in 2024.
Michael speaks and presents to youth, parents, educators, law enforcement, medical professionals and community groups throughout the country. He now presents to in excess of 1.5 million people each year. He created two additional educational arms of Steered Straight: Recovery Army and Faithing Addiction, both of which target specific audiences throughout America to educate and prevent addiction and build and support Recovery. A third educational arm provides jails and prisons multiple re-entry programs through a one-of-a-kind video series to inmates and prisoners called “One Step Away” delivered through state and federal prisons as well as county jails and juvenile detention facilities
Michael is an award-winning filmmaker and has directed and produced four documentaries on addiction, focusing on the opiate and heroin epidemic in America, marijuana legalization and Addiction and Recovery. His memoir, “Chasing Ruin, Finding Redemption” will be released in 2025. There are numerous other film and book projects underway.
Michael became the first ex-offender to be appointed to a Community College Board of Trustees of any Community College in America. He served as Board of Trustee at Cumberland Community College in Vineland, New Jersey for 6 years before moving to Tennessee in 2018.
Michael and his wife Darla were awarded the 2020 President’s Volunteer Service Award by President Trump for their ongoing volunteer efforts distributing Drug Education Materials to youth and communities throughout the country.
Michael created an effective and engaging video-based curriculum to combat the insidious vaping and THC use among adolescents that is not only illegal for them to use but is deadly. The long-term health damage is just starting to become realized and this effective curriculum is provided to youth, schools, families and communities across America.
Michael created an effective and engaging video-based curriculum to combat the fentanyl crisis America is experiencing. Fentanyl has become the #1 cause of death ages 18 to 45 and the fastest growing demographic dying from fentanyl is 14 years of age and younger. This curriculum is provided to youth, schools, families and communities across America.
Michael developed numerous other curriculum on drug education for youth, parents and educators and provides this added-value education to every school Steered Straight visits.
Sheriff Ana Franklin (Retired), CCHP
Assistant Director of Business Development and Client Services, Advanced Correctional Healthcare
Ana Franklin spent over 25 years in law enforcement before retiring in 2019. Throughout her career, she worked in corrections, K9, Patrol, CID, Special Victims, undercover vice and narcotics, and served on the Board of Directors. She has been recognized as an expert witness in clandestine labs, methamphetamine production, sex offender law, and child sexual exploitation cases. Ana was promoted to lead investigator in the Special Victims Unit, handling some of the most challenging cases involving crimes against families and children. In 2011, she became the only female sheriff in Alabama and one of only 29 nationwide, commanding over 200 employees and a jail housing more than 700 inmates, including federal prisoners. She served two terms as sheriff and successfully fought to remove a 26-year federal consent decree, restructuring the jail’s healthcare program to ensure constitutionally sound medical and mental health care. Ana is a graduate of NSA NSI, the NSI National Leadership Program, and the Southern Police Institute Command Staff and Leadership Certification. After retiring, she joined ACH in 2021 to support sheriffs and jail staff with inmate healthcare, officer wellness, and training programs. In 2022, she received ACH’s Program Consultant of the Year Award for her dedication and problem-solving across southeastern jails. Ana continues to use her expertise to improve correctional health care and support law enforcement professionals nationwide.
Brian T. Gannon
President and Managing Partner, Reminger Co. L.P.A.
Brian T. Gannon is the President and Managing Partner of Reminger Co. L.P.A. and a leader in the firm’s medical malpractice, long term care, and health care law practice groups.
For over two decades, Brian has served as a trusted advisor to healthcare providers, practice groups, outpatient centers, hospitals, and multi-facility health systems. Brian has extensive experience guiding clients all aspects of medical malpractice and dental malpractice matters, up through and including trial.
In addition to his litigation work, Brian frequently represents clients in administrative and regulatory matters, including investigations and disciplinary proceedings before the Ohio State Medical Board and Ohio Board of Nursing. His practice also includes defending medically-based Section 1983 civil rights claims.
Brian is President of the Reminger Foundation, a philanthropic organization which was founded in 2009. The Foundation supports worthy causes throughout the geographical reach of Reminger’s practice. It is supported by members of the law firm and the community alike.
Brian’s professional expertise has been recognized through numerous honors, including being named to the Irish Legal 100 in both 2019 and 2024, inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, and repeated recognition from Ohio Super Lawyers Magazine.
Kevin Henderson
Deputy Chief – Jail Administrator
Kevin Henderson is a veteran corrections leader with 35 years of dedicated service in detention operations and law enforcement. As Deputy Chief and Jail Administrator, he oversees daily facility operations, ensures regulatory compliance, and leads staff with a focus on professionalism, safety, and accountability. He has the ability to form a winning culture in organizations.
Throughout his career, Kevin has strengthened jail operations by enhancing staff training, improving supervisory structures, and advancing inmate services that support safety and rehabilitation. His leadership is marked by steady decision making, operational efficiency, and a commitment to ethical, humane standards.
Kevin works closely with law enforcement partners, court officials, and community stakeholders to promote public safety while maintaining a secure, respectful environment for staff and inmates. His decades of experience reflect a lifelong dedication to integrity, service, and continuous improvement.
Crayman Harvey
Founder, Harvey Consulting LLC
Crayman J. Harvey is a corrections leader, educator, consultant, and author with more than 20 years of experience in juvenile and adult detention operations. He has served as Director of multiple detention centers, leading facilities through periods of federal oversight, cultural change, and operational reform.
Crayman holds a formal education in criminal justice and leadership and is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He is a Certified Jail Manager (CJM) and a Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP), with extensive experience aligning operations with ACA, NCCHC, PREA, and state standards.
As the founder of Harvey Consulting LLC, he advises sheriffs, jail administrators, and justice leaders nationwide on leadership, compliance, staffing, healthcare coordination, and organizational culture. He also teaches criminal justice at the college level and provides training to correctional agencies across the country. His writing is grounded in lived experience and focused on building healthy, resilient, and accountable correctional institutions.
Liz Harris, RN, BSN, MHAL, MBA, CCHP
Executive Director, Sentinel Patient Safety Organization
Elizabeth Harris is a strategic healthcare executive and operations leader with a career spanning from frontline clinical practice to executive-level leadership. She brings more than two decades of experience improving quality, safety, and financial sustainability across hospitals, clinics, and nonprofit environments.
A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and holder of dual master’s degrees in business administration and healthcare administration leadership, Elizabeth has advanced systemwide performance improvement, enterprise risk management, and operational transformation for major healthcare systems, including Ascension, American Physician Partners, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and TeamHealth. Her leadership record includes multimillion-dollar turnarounds, implementation of shared-risk provider models, and measurable improvements in patient experience, efficiency, and safety.
At Sentinel PSO, she is building a national framework for patient safety in correctional care—developing benchmarking and data systems, correctional officer and jail administrator academies, and cross-sector partnerships that bridge healthcare and public safety. Her work integrates clinical excellence, operational discipline, and social impact, establishing a sustainable model for quality and accountability in underserved environments.
Earlier in her career, Elizabeth directed multiple nonprofit and grant-funded healthcare programs that delivered more than $95 million in free care to uninsured patients. She has successfully secured grants from HRSA, the Duke Endowment, and the Virginia Health Care Foundation, aligning mission-driven initiatives with measurable community outcomes.
Elizabeth holds an MBA and MHAL from Bellevue University and a BSN from Christopher Newport University. She maintains an active Tennessee RN license and is a member of Rotary International and the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM).
Rikki Harris
Chief Executive Officer, TN Voices
Rikki Harris is the CEO of TN Voices, a leading nonprofit advocating for affordable and effective mental health and substance use services since 1986. With over 20 years in behavioral health, Rikki’s work is deeply personal—shaped by the loss of her grandfather to suicide and her family members’ struggles with severe mental illness and opioid addiction. Under her leadership, TN Voices has expanded services statewide and nationally, earning recognition as a USA Top Workplace in 2024. Rikki was named a Titan 100 Leader in Nashville (2025) and has received multiple awards for her leadership and advocacy in Tennessee and Texas.
Johnathan Krol
Attorney
Rikki Harris is the CEO of TN Voices, a leading nonprofit advocating for affordable and effective mental health and substance use services since 1986. With over 20 years in behavioral health, Rikki’s work is deeply personal—shaped by the loss of her grandfather to suicide and her family members’ struggles with severe mental illness and opioid addiction. Under her leadership, TN Voices has expanded services statewide and nationally, earning recognition as a USA Top Workplace in 2024. Rikki was named a Titan 100 Leader in Nashville (2025) and has received multiple awards for her leadership and advocacy in Tennessee and Texas.
Alex West, A/LPC, MHSP
Set Point Counseling, Pre-Licensed Professional
Hey, I’m Alex. I was born in South Africa and moved to Kansas City, Kansas when I was 10 years old. After high school, I joined the Navy and spent 20 years as a Navy SEAL, before retiring in 2018. I have always been drawn toward helping people, and I have a core belief that every individual deserves to live the happiest and healthiest life possible.
I took my first step toward supporting the healing journey of others, in 2015, when I started the veteran non-profit One More Wave. What began as an intention to provide wounded veterans with customized surfing solutions led to so much more. The impact of being in community with others was quickly apparent, and we subsequently opened community chapters nationwide. Today, One More Wave facilitates hundreds of surfing meetups every year, where veterans can experience healing together, made possible by their connection to the water and to other humans with shared experience. In collaboration with the Hazel House Team, I hope to develop more opportunities for veterans, and others, to heal in community, through creative and intentional interventions, delivered skillfully, and through opportunities to simply connect with one another in a comfortable, supported setting.
Honey Sternberg, MS, LPC, CCHP-MH
Occupational Health Manager, Freedom Behavioral Health
Honey Sternberg is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in working with law enforcement, first responders, and their families. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Professional Counseling. Honey is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and maintains certification as a Certified Correctional Health Care Professional (CCHP-MH). For the past 10 years, she has been dedicated to facilitating suicide awareness and educating law enforcement, first responders, and community groups. Honey's expertise extends beyond her professional credentials; she has been the wife of a correctional officer for 24 years and understands firsthand the impact this profession can have on individuals and their families. With 7 years of experience in corrections, she has focused on critical response, mental health court, staff training, and individual/group therapy. For the past 4 years, she has served as the primary contact for the Critical Incident Employee Rapid Response (CIERR) program. Additionally, Honey is a certified trainer for the Fraternal Order of Police's Peer Support Program, "Power in Peers." Honey has extensive speaking experience, ranging from small groups to national stages, including engagements with the National Commission for Correctional Health, the American Jail Association, National Jail Summits, as well as in Mental Health First Aid and Power in Peers.
Paul Sternberg
Senior Officer Specialist (Retired)
Has worked at the Walls in Jefferson City, Missouri, and South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Missouri, for a total of 27 years in Corrections.
