Journeys of change | Karen Hellman | TEDxPerryvilleCorrectional 2018

As the Division Director for Inmate Programs and Re-Entry for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Karen is familiar with change. Growing up, she never thought she’d work in prison, but LOVES her job, mostly because of the change she gets to witness – and help create. She is all too familiar with the sentiment that if nothing changes, nothing changes and knows the in order for change to happen, you must have, not only the mindset but also the skillset. This goes both for inmates and the Arizona Department of Corrections. “Change is like lightening in a bottle when it happens. I see it happen and see it happen often. In order to create positive change, you need to provide opportunities to both change the mindset and the skillset. Mindset plus skillset equals change a true second chance.” Karen is the Division Director for Inmate Programs and Reentry at the Arizona Department of Corrections. In this capacity, she oversees Education, Counseling and Treatment Services, Religious Services, Arizona Correctional Industries, and Community Corrections. In 1996 she graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with Masters in Forensic Psychology and began working at the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. Karen also worked in the ALPHA Program at the Maricopa County Sherriff’s Department. She joined ADC in 2004 and has held a variety of positions related to addiction treatment before moving into the role she now occupies.