Corrections Experts:

• Dennis E. Watkins
• James L. Cooper
• Robbie D. Church
• William J. Patrick
• Loy S. Hayes
• Stephen C. Tussey
• Janice E. Sorenson
• Dennis R. Bidwell
• Jim Warner
• Quincy Heck
• David M. Rardin
• Jerome F. Graber
• Thomas Gora

Dennis E. Watkins

Dennis served in various food service positions during his more than 26-year career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Recognized for both his personal initiative and leadership skills, Dennis has expertise in food service management, purchasing, program and policy development, and an extensive knowledge of government and industry requirements and specifications of food, systems and equipment. Dennis personally developed two conceptual designs for prison/jail food service operations that included all equipment specifications.      

James L. Cooper

Jim served as a correctional officer, assistant commissary manager, cook foreman, assistant food service administrator, food service administrator, assistant director of a national food service management training facility, and regional food service administrator before retiring from the Federal Bureau of Prisons after more than 25 years of service. Jim subsequently served for more than four years in probation and court services in Illinois. During his BOP career, Jim was one of only two mentors selected bureau-wide to train new food service administrators. An American Corrections Association certified food professional, Jim has extensive background in all aspects of food service operations, including writing specifications for equipment and food to implementing and developing policies and procedures.

Robbie D. Church

Robbie began his career as a correctional officer but spent the bulk of his 29-year career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the health and safety field, including the last 11 years as the bureau’s national safety and environmental health administrator. In that capacity, Robbie worked closely with other federal agencies to develop safety and environmental health emergencies policies and procedures. Robbie developed a training program for safety that was recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as one of the best in all federal agencies. Robbie also served on the Correctional and Detention Life Safety Committee for the National Fire Protection Association. 

William J. Patrick

Mr. Patrick has more than 30 years experience in Corrections.  He is a retired Warden from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) and has experience in the administration and management of minimum, medium and high security institutions.  His experience at the Regional and Central offices afforded him the opportunity to work with a number of foreign, state, county, and local correctional systems in the planning and operation of their programs.  Additionally, as a registered architect, Mr. Patrick has had over 15 years of experience overseeing the FBOP building program which included the development of architectural programs, construction, and staffing of correctional facilities.  Mr. Patrick’s experience with the development and construction of new facilities as well as operational experience offers an unusual insight into correctional programs.

Loy S. Hayes

Loy began his corrections career as an engineer but, during his 26 years of Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) service, he alternated between facilities management positions at the institution, region and central office levels and serving as an associate warden and the last eight years as a warden. In his Administration Division roles as chief of facilities development and deputy assistant director, Loy oversaw a more than one billion dollar expansion of FBOP building program. In 1997, Loy began a second career for the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) where he served as a warden and later as Vice President for Human Resources, Quality Assurance and Staff Development before retiring again in 2003. Loy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1969 and a Masters Degree in Correctional Management from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida in 1977. 

Stephen C. Tussey

Janice E. Sorenson

Jan served as a nurse, clinical nurse supervisor, assistant health services administrator, health services administrator, regional health services administrator, and assistant national health services administrator before retiring as national health services administrator for the Federal Bureau of Prisons after more than 20 years of service. As national health services administrator, Jan was responsible for BOP medical, dental and mental health programs. She developed and monitored policies and developed and implemented a managed care system for federal prison healthcare units. Jan has extensive knowledge of Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, American Corrections Association, and Occupational Safety and Health Associations, and Centers for Disease Control standards. Jan represented the BOP at the 95th Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives. Jan is a registered nurse who also has a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Dennis R. Bidwell

Dennis served as a correctional officer, case manager, case management coordinator, executive assistant, superintendent of industries, associate warden, warden, deputy regional director and retired as the senior deputy assistant director for the Correctional Programs Division after 25 years of service with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In this last capacity, Dennis supervised national program administrators, as well as policy development and monitoring of more than 100 national policies in the areas of inmate classification, institution security, psychology, drug treatment, religious programs, female offender programs, sentence computations, and the prisoner transportation system. Dennis received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Eastern Michigan University and completed the Program for Senior Managers in Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Jim Warner

Jim was a correctional officer, lieutenant, special operations response team leader, captain, chief of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and a regional correctional services administrator before retiring from the Federal Bureau of Prisons after 26 years of service. He was later a deputy warden for the GEO Group. During his BOP career Jim coordinated the Bureau’s Bus Operations and Armed Escort Training Programs and instructed Basic Correctional Techniques to entry level employees and received numerous awards and recognition for his leadership and management abilities which included a national award as Trainer of the Year for Training Centers, Manager of the Year and the prestigious Regional Director Award for the Northeast Region.

Quincy Heck

Quincy served as a physician’s assistant, assistant health services administrator, health services administrator, and regional health services administrator before retiring from the Federal Bureau of Prisons as the health services administrator for an entire complex of prison facilities after 20 years of service. Quincy was the first healthcare special operations response team physician’s assistant at the United States Penitentiary, Marion, Illinois. As a regional health services administrator, Quincy supervised all aspects of the joint medical and correctional healthcare programs for 16 Federal prisons and one Federal Medical Center and helped ensure their compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, Standards of the American Correctional Association, the Center for Disease Control, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Quincy also received national recognition for his contributions in saving healthcare cost.

David M. Rardin

David was a correctional officer, recreation supervisor, lieutenant, executive assistant to the warden, discipline hearing officer, jail administrator, correctional services administrator, associate warden at two high security facilities, warden at a medium and high security facility, and deputy regional director. David served four years on the Federal Bureau of Prisons Executive Staff as a regional director before retiring with 28 years of service. As regional director, David was responsible for a 637 million dollar budget, 18 federal prisons and 2 community corrections centers employing over 6,000 staff and confining more than 27,000 inmates. David earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Eastern Illinois University.