As IACFP begins a new year, it moves forward with a new executive committee of the board and three new board members. Our president, Emma Regan, noted in her Foreword for this edition of the IACFP Bulletin that during the first meeting of the board in 2025, "we focused on the development of our new IACFP strategy. Key to this strategy will be:
- A strong focus on Continual Professional Development (CPD) for our members.
- Enhancing our international Mental Health Leadership Network.
- Fulfilling the potential of our IACFP Bulletin with an emphasis on engaging practitioner and student writers.
- A focus on IACFP modernisation, governance and organisational resilience.
- Continuing to find ways to ‘Help the Helpers’.”
The discussion among board members was dynamic and their commitment to action(s) that serve the members of IACFP was evident. During this virtual meeting, all board members were fully engaged, whether it was midnight, 6 a.m., or 5 p.m. where they were joining the meeting from. That’s commitment!
I'd like to introduce you to the executive committee of the board. They are:
President Emma Regan (Ireland)
Dr. Emma Regan is a Clinical Psychologist and Director of Care and Rehabilitation with the Irish Prison Service (IPS). She began working for the IPS in 2012, beginning as a prison psychologist, then national Head of Psychology Services for eight years, and more recently Director with responsibility for Primary Healthcare, Psychology, and Prison Services for people in custody including Education, Work and Training, Chaplaincy, Integrated Sentence Management, Incentivised Regimes and Resettlement. Prior to this, Dr. Regan spent 10 years in the United Kingdom. There, she specialised in forensic mental health, working for the NHS and private sector in low, medium and high secure forensic psychiatric hospitals. She has also worked in community private practice.
Dr. Regan completed her initial Degree in Psychology with Organisational Science from the University of Ulster in 2001, her Masters in Forensic Psychology from the University of Kent in 2003 and her practitioner Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey in 2008. She also received a Diploma in Area Studies (Business and Psychology) from Queens University, Charlotte, North Carolina in 1999/2000.
President-Elect Jessica Borg (New Zealand)
Jessica Borg is the Chief Psychologist/Director Programmes at the Department of Corrections since October 2019. As the Chief Psychologist, Jessica has strategic responsibility for the design, development, implementation and monitoring of psychological services and rehabilitation programmes and interventions. Jessica has worked for Corrections for 17 years holding both frontline and National Office roles as a Senior Clinical Psychologist. Jessica’s previous role was Manager High Intensity Psychology Programmes and prior to this the Manager Medium Intensity Programmes. These roles involved the oversight of the high intensity and medium intensity suite of programmes, training of Programme Facilitators and Psychologists, integrity monitoring of programmes, and evaluation and psychological research to continually improve programme design and psychology practice. Jessica has delivered rehabilitation programmes and interventions in her frontline roles, completed numerous reports to the New Zealand Parole Board and the Courts for several years before moving into leadership roles. Prior to joining the Department of Corrections, Jessica worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Jessica has a special interest in the human rights field and prior to becoming a Psychologist she completed a MA in Human Rights sponsored by the European Union. This experience and psychological practice over the years has cemented a strong desire to see effective and just outcomes for the people we work in the Correctional and Forensic settings.
Past President Melvin Hinton (United States)
Dr. Melvin Hinton is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and currently is the Chief of Mental Health Services for the Illinois Department of Corrections. Dr. Hinton has twenty-four years of clinical experience working in correctional settings including Cook County Department of Corrections, California Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Lake County Jail in Waukegan, Illinois. Additionally, Dr. Hinton is currently an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis University in Joliet, Illinois teaching Introduction to Forensic Psychology and Introduction to Crisis Intervention to undergraduate students. Dr. Hinton has also taught as an Adjunct Professor at Chicago State University, Western International University, and has guest lectured at the University of Michigan, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and Olive-Harvey College in Chicago. Dr. Hinton currently serves as Immediate Past President of the International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology (IACFP) and has served on the executive board of The Chicago School Education System, as well as the chair of the Health and Rehabilitation section of the Illinois Psychological Association (IPA). Dr. Hinton completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and obtained his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. The most important positions held by Dr. Hinton are husband and a father to his fourteen-year-old son.
Treasurer Silvia Martinez (Argentina)
Silvia Edith Martinez is a lawyer. She earned the designation as a Specialist in Criminal Law from the Torcuato di Tella University and received a Masters in Criminal Law from Torcuato di Tella University. Ms. Martinez is an Inter-American Public Defender who has appeared before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Currently, she is serving on the Inter- American Human Rights Commission designated for the period 2013/2016 and 2016/2019. She has been a Public Defender in Criminal Issues in the Argentine Republic from April 27, 1993 to the present. Ms. Martinez also serves as an Associate Professor of Criminal Law at the School of Law of the Buenos Aires University. She has held this position since 1995. Silvia is considered a Regional Expert of the EuroSociAL Program of the European Union. Previously, she served as the Head of the Prisons Commission from October 2005 to September 2013. Ms. Martinez is the author of several publications on Prisons and Human Rights.
Secretary Joel Dvoskin (United States)
Joel A. Dvoskin, Ph.D., ABFP is a clinical and forensic psychologist, licensed in Arizona and certified in Forensic Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is the former Acting Commissioner of Mental Health for the State of NY, where he directly supervised 31 adult, children’s, and forensic psychiatric hospitals. Prior to that, he served for more than a decade as Associate Commissioner and Director for Forensic Services for the NY State Office of Mental Health, where he directly supervised three freestanding forensic psychiatric hospitals, three forensic units in adult (civil) psychiatric hospitals, mental health services for the NY State Department of Correctional Services, and the nation’s first statewide community forensic mental health system. During his tenure, his office created the first statewide jail and police suicide prevention projects in the US. He also served as Chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Behavior Health and Wellness for the State of Nevada, which expanded crisis and acute psychiatric resources for the people of Nevada. Dr. Dvoskin is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Former President of two APA Divisions, including the American Psychology-Law Society and Psychologists in Public Service. He served on the APA Policy Task Force on Reducing Gun Violence, the APA Blue Ribbon Commission on Ethics Processes, and (currently) on the APA Amicus Curiae Advisory Panel. He previously served on the adjunct faculty of the University of Arizona Law School, and currently teaches at the University of Arizona Medical School. In 1995, Dr. Dvoskin served on the White House Task Force on the Future of the African American Male. He has served as a Federal Court Monitor over correctional and mental health facilities and systems in Washington, New Mexico, Michigan, Colorado, and Montana, and frequently serves as an expert for the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and various state Protection and Advocacy Systems. He often serves as an expert witness and consultant for state mental health and criminal justice agencies. Dr. Dvoskin worked as a pro bono consultant with the New Orleans Police Department on an innovative program to prevent police misconduct called EPIC (Ethical Policing is Courageous), and Project ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement), which have received national acclaim. In 2022, he co-founded Heroes Active Bystandership Training. Dr. Dvoskin has served as a consultant to criminal justice and mental health agencies in more than 40 states, and the design consultant for numerous hospital, prison, and jail architectural projects.
New Board Members
As noted in Dr. Regan’s Foreword, three new individuals have begun terms as at-large board members. They are Shelley Brown, Mariana Martin, and Abigail Tucker. Their bios and quotes as they begin their terms of service are below:
Shelley Brown (Canada)
Dr. Shelley Brown is a professor of forensic psychology within the Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. Shelley’s program of research aims to improve rehabilitative services including assessment, custodial, and probation practices for justice impacted people with a special focus on girls and women in conflict with the law. Shelley studies complex trauma, violence, strengths, risk assessment and desistance among justice-impacted girls and women, and more recently, among under-represented genders and sexual minorities. She enjoys working with various collaborators from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto Canada, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, Canada, Orbis Partners, Ottawa, Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, the Department of Sociology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan and the Centre for Effective Public Policy, United States. Shelley has published various articles, reports, book chapters and books about criminal conduct in general, as well as works specific to justice-impacted girls and women. One of her more recent publications includes the edited book: The Wiley Handbook on What Works with Girls and Women in Conflict with the Law: A Critical Review of Theory, Practice, and Policy (Brown & Gelsthorpe, 2022). Shelley teaches courses in criminal behaviour, gender and crime, and supervises an active team of undergraduate and graduate students engaged in gender responsive corrections-based research. Shelley is committed to advancing gender responsive evidence-based practices.
"I agreed to accept the nomination to the IACFP Board because after 20 years in academia, I felt it was time to step out of the classroom and engage more directly with the people and systems who are the true change makers in the field of correctional and forensic psychology. However, if I am being honest, who can say no to Dr. Frank Porporino?!"
-Dr. Shelley Brown
As a board member, I hope to bring a critical gender lens to conversations about forensic and correctional psychology. For the last 20 years, my research has focused on the needs of justice impacted girls and women. As such, I aim to advocate for gender responsive evidence-based policies and programs. I also see my IACFP membership as an opportunity to bridge research and practice, ensuring that gender-responsiv e rehabilitative programs are informed by the latest evidence and truly serve those who need them most." -Dr. Shelley brown
Mariana Martin (Namibia)
Mariana Martin brings over 14 years of experience in corrections, having served in both operational and managerial capacities. She currently leads the Rehabilitation and Reintegration sub-department of the Namibian Correctional Service, where she oversees the strategic planning, implementation and monitoring of key services, including Case Management, Psychosocial Programmes, Education and Vocational Training, Mental Health and Special Needs Offender services, Community Supervision, and Community Service Orders. Her role also encompasses the provision of training related to these services.With an academic foundation in Clinical Psychology (M.A. Clinical Psychology), Ms. Martin has served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Namibia, teaching psychometric testing. She has also been a visiting expert at the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Tokyo, Japan, where she delivered sessions on systematic measures to support perpetrators of violence against women and children in Namibia, as well as the individualized treatment of perpetrators of gender-based violence. Ms. Martin contributed to the development of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Handbook on the Classification of Prisoners (2020). Additionally, she currently serves as a member of the Programme Committee of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA), further demonstrating her commitment to advancing correctional practices globally.
"As the Head of Rehabilitation and Reintegration in Namibia, I understand the vital role that evidence-based correctional psychology plays in improving rehabilitation and reintegration outcomes. When I was nominated to serve on the International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology (IACFP) Board, I saw it as an opportunity to partake in global discussions that shape good practices in this field.
Furthermore, correctional services across Africa face numerous challenges, including offender mental health issues, resource constraints, and the need for more tailored rehabilitation programmes. I viewed this role as a chance to bring to light the unique challenges facing the African region, with the hope that strategies to address them come to light through engagements and collaborations with experts in the field.
By seving on the board, I also contribute to the regional representation, ensuring that African correctional systems have a voice in international discussions, and that policies, research and practices promoted by the IACFP, adaptable, and relevant to diverse correctional contexts." -Mariana Martin
"As an IACFP Board member, I aim to meaningfully support the association's transformational goals and promote initiatives that enhance the work of practioners in African correctional systems. Additionally, I hope to bridge connections between these professionals and their global counterparts, fostering shared learning and innovative solutions." -Mariana Martin
Abigail Tucker (United States)
Abigail S. Tucker, Psy.D., ABPP, is a licensed psychologist in Denver, Colorado, board-certified in Police and Public Safety with the American Board of Professional Psychology. She works directly with correctional staff, emergency responders, veterans, victims of crime, and behavioral health providers. Dr. Tucker is an adjunct faculty member at Colorado State University Global and Nova Southeastern University, focusing on Emergency Responder and Military Psychology. Dr. Tucker is a national training instructor for the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project and co-founder of Heroes Active Bystandership Training. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Loyola College, Maryland, and an M.S. and Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Her diverse experience includes post-doctoral training in forensics at Eastern Shores Psychological Services and roles as Chief Clinical Officer at Community Reach Center in Westminster, Colorado, Chief Strategy Officer at Polara Health in Prescott, Arizona, and as a Psychologist at KidsPeace, in Orefield, Pennsylvania.
"I accepted the nomination to serve on the board because I believe psychology has a vital role in corrections—not just in supporting justice-involved individuals but also in equipping professionals working in correctional settings and strengthening communities. Serving on this board is an opportunity to contribute to meaningful change." -Abigail Tucker
"I hope to bring a collaborative spirit, evidence-informed insights, and a commitment to ethical, effective care. My work in an active bystandership training for correctional professionals has fueled my belief that when we bridge psychology and corrections to work with and learn from each other, everyone benefits." -Abigail Tucker
