Georgia Parole Review Fall 2021/Winter 2022 | Page 2

Parole Board Recognizes Employees

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles' inaugural awards for community impact customer service, innovations, and employee of the year were announced in 2021. Employees were recognized at the agency’s first “in-person” town hall meeting conducted since the beginning of the pandemic.

About 100 employees attended the meeting at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth. Another 65 employees participated in the meeting virtually.

Awards and recipients were:

Katherine "Katie" Turner Employee of the Year Award  - Craig Flint, Chief Investigator, Clemency

Innovations Award - Human Resources, Eris McKennon & Persis Johnson

Community Impact Inreach Customer Service Award - Quana Simpson, Field Services

Community Impact Outreach Customer Service Award - Gerald Bazell, Criminal Investigator, Clemency

Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, Terry Barnard, delivered remarks to agency staff.

“It’s fitting that we select outstanding employees and that they receive proper recognition for their actions, contributions, and accomplishments,” stated Chairman Barnard.

“We also wanted to thank the staff for their commitment to public safety through their extraordinary efforts during the pandemic. Our employees are who make this agency great and help ensure our communities are safer,” he added.

Remarks were also made by new Board Vice-Chair Jacqueline Bunn and Board Members Brian Owens, David Herring, and Meg Heap.

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Executive Director of Parole Chris Barnett told staff that he was proud to lead the day-to-day operations of such a strong public safety agency.

The  Katherine “Katie” Turner Employee of the Year Award

 is given to an employee who consistently performs above and beyond what is required.

The  Innovations Award

 is given to an employee who thinks outside of the box. The employee finds alternate, better, and more efficient ways of completing tasks or assignments.

The  Community Impact Inreach Customer Service Award  is given to an employee who has positively impacted the agency by volunteering, caring, and completing tasks for fellow employees.  

The Community Impact Outreach Customer Service Award is given to the employee who consistently shows compassion and concern for the people and communities around them.