2026 Western Region Meeting
Cle Elum, WA | July 13-16, 2026
Agenda
 
 

 

Monday, July 13th (Travel Day)

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Badge Pick Up

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Welcome Reception 

 


Tuesday, July 14th

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM

Welcome & Honor Guard 

9:10 AM - 10:10 AM

Struggle Well and Pathfinders

Randall Liberty, Commissioner, Maine Department of Corrections

Chris Poulos, Executive Director, Center for Justice and Human Dignity

Johnny Fisher, Senior Guide, Boulder Crest Foundation

10:10 AM - 11:00 AM

Peer Education Model 

Alisha Tafoya Lucero, Cabinet Secretary, New Mexico Corrections Department

Bree Derrick, Director, Idaho Department of Corrections

Affie Tamuno-Koko, Assistant Deputy Director, Nursing Services/CCHCS

11:00 AM - 11:10 PM

Break

11:10 PM - 12:00 PM

Embracing Lived Experience - A Toolkit

Scott Frakes, CLA Associate (NE)

Scott Russell, Deputy Secretary, Washington State Department of Corrections

Brian Koehn, Founder & CEO, Social Purpose Corrections

Meg Bower, Founder & CEO, Trunk Branch Twig Bud, LLC

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Lunch 

1:00 PM - 1:40 PM

Administering Legal Mail in Ohio DRC prisons:  A case study 

Steve Gray, Chief Council,Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

1:40 PM - 2:20 PM

Beyond the Awards: Cultivating a Culture of Appreciation

Tim Lang, Secretary, Washington State Department of Corrections (moderator)

Jared Garcia, Commissioner, Utah Department of Corrections

2:20 PM - 2:50 PM

The Side Door: An Alternative Path to Safer, Stronger Correctional Communities

Brett Hollins, Executive Director, The Side Door Foundation

2:50 PM - 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Executive Session (Closed – DOC Staff Only)

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Reception 

 


Wednesday, July 15th

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Breakfast 

9:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Drug Interdiction and Western State Coordination (Closed – DOC Staff Only) 

Tim Lang, Secretary, Washington State Department of Corrections

Jeff Macomber, Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

James Dzurenda, Director, Nevada Department of Corrections

John Barcello, Deputy Director, ADCRR

Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration

10:20 AM - 10:30 AM

Break

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

MOUD - Clinical Overview and Operational Panel Discussion

Tim Lang, Secretary, Washington State Department of Corrections (moderator)

Dr. Catherine Smith, Addiction Medicine Director, Washington Department of Corrections, Health Services Division

Affie Tamuno-Koko, Assistant Deputy Director, Nursing Services/CCHCS

11:15 AM- 12:15 PM

Lunch 

12:55 PM - 5:00 PM 

Activities

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Reception 


Thursday, July 16th
Travel Day or Optional Field Trip to Wenatchee, WA - Reentry Center (Directors and DOC Only)