AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION AND BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE AWARDS

AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION AND BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE AWARDS

Three Georgia Department of Corrections Staff Recognized

FORSYTH, Ga. – Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) Commissioner Tyrone Oliver announced today the recognition of three GDC staff members by the American Correctional Association and Bureau of Justice Assistance for their exemplary contributions to the field of Corrections. 

GDC staff were recognized in the following categories:

• Lieutenant Karen Hartley - Officer of the Year
• Special Agent Quan Jackson - Employee of the Year
• Tonya Kemp, R.N. - Nurse of the Year

“We are so proud of each of these individuals for this prestigious recognition,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver.  “It is great to see that others outside of GDC notice the commitment, integrity and collaboration displayed each and every day by all the dedicated staff who work in the corrections field.”

Lieutenant Karen Hartley has faithfully served the agency for eight years, beginning her career in 2014 as a Correctional Officer. She has served as a Shift Officer, Split Shift Officer, and Sergeant and was recently promoted to Lieutenant.

Special Agent Quan Jackson began his career with the GDC in 2016 as a Correctional Officer and has been a dedicated team member throughout his tenure.  He served as Correctional Officer II, TACT Squad member, CERT Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, CERT Lieutenant, and Captain.  He transferred to the Office of Professional Standards in 2022 and was recently promoted to the rank of Special Agent II.

Tonya Kemp is a registered nurse who has applied her skills with the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) since 1994. She has served as a Chronic Illness Nurse, Director of Nursing and Health Services Administrator.  In 2018, Mrs. Kemp joined the Office of Health Services to establish an audit tool, process, and team that would provide robust oversight of the delivery of physical health services.

For more information about the American Correctional Association, please visit https://www.aca.org/.  For more information about the Bureau of Justice Assistance, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/.

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About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising approximately 47,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 9,000 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit http://www.gdc.ga.gov .