2024 Western Regional Meeting Agenda 

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Welcome Reception

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Welcome and Introductions

• Dan Shannon, Director, Wyoming Department of Corrections 

• Brian Gootkin, Director, Montana Department of Corrections

9:15 AM - 10:00 AM

Executive Session (Closed - DOC Staff Only)

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Cutting Edge Decisions for Offender Success

• Coltan Harrington, Field Services Administrator, Wyoming Department of Corrections

10:50 AM - 11:00 AM

Break

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Brian Gootkin, Director, Montana Department of Corrections

• Cynthia Wolken, Deputy Director, Montana Department of Corrections

• Scott Modell, Co-Founder, Collaborative Safety, LCC

• Noel Hengelbrok, Co-Founder, Collaborative Safety, LLC

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM - 1:50 PM

Behavioral Health: Legislative Restructuring Instead of Medical Mental Health

• Heather Babbitt, Deputy Director, Wyoming Department of Corrections

1:50 PM - 2:35 PM

Medical Parole: Creating community placements for medical parolees (MTDOC)

• Cindy McGillis-Hiner, Health Services Bureau Chief, Montana Department of Corrections

• Cynthia Wolken, Deputy Director, Montana Department of Corrections

• Natalie Smitham, Chief Financial Officer, Montana Department of Corrections

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM

Staff-led Restrictive Housing Project at the Montana State Prison

• Beau Baltezar, Lieutenant, Montana Department of Corrections

• Don Christensen, Lieutenant, Montana Department of Corrections

• Brian Leighton, Sergeant, Montana Department of Corrections

• Scott Mcneil, Associate Warden, Montana State Prison/Security

• Barbara Pierce, Director of Justice Initiatives, Crime and Justice Institute

• Sara Smathers, Program Compliance Manager, Montana Department of Corrections

3:20 PM - 3:30 PM 

Break

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Recidivism to Desistance: Moving from measurements of failure to celebrating success 

• Brian Gootkin, Director, Montana Department of Corrections

• John Daugherty, Central Services Chief, Montana Department of Corrections

• Gregory Schneider, Research Analytics Bureau Chief, Montana Department of Corrections

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Reception