EBP Champions
Evidence-Based Practices Champions are county adult probation and parole staff or stakeholders who consistently promote and support EBP in community supervision, help apply EBP with fidelity, and contribute to improved outcomes such as reduced recidivism, increased successful completions, and increased public safety.
EBP Champion Nominees
Candidates
- Any county adult probation staff or a county stakeholder working closely with the adult probation department
Criteria
- Actively support the implementation of EBP
- Model EBP skills (e.g. MI, cognitive skill-building, structured case planning)
- Coach peers and support skill development
- Promote fidelity and continuous quality improvement
- Use data to guide practice and implementation
- Collaborate across unity and with partners
- Support a positive, learning-focused culture
Who can nominate
- Any staff of a county adult probation department including self-nomination.
Approval and Recognition
- Complete the nomination form (two formats are available: fillable pdf or Word doc) and email it to Heleneplacey@ccappoap.com
- Nominations will be reviewed by the EBP Committee
- EBP Champions will be spotlighted in an upcoming PPCJI Newsletters and recognized at the annual conference or quarterly membership meetings.
EBP Champions
Scott Kerstetter, Chief Probation Officer, Union County
Scott has been a true advocate for Evidence Based Practices, not just in what he says, but in how he leads. As Chief, he has made EBP part of his department's culture by leading from the front. He doesn't ask his staff to embrace these principles while standing on the sidelines. He is an EBP trainer himself, regularly participates in training, and demonstrates through his own actions that these practices matter.
What has made Scott's leadership especially valuable is his ability to make EBP practical and relatable. He has a way of explaining the concepts through a common-sense lens that resonates with probation officers, and supervisors. Rather than presenting EBP as another initiative or requirement, he helps others understand how it improves communication, strengthens relationships, and ultimately leads to better outcomes for the individuals we supervise and the communities we serve.
His influence extends well beyond Union County. He has consistently advocated for Evidence Based Practices within our statewide association, encouraging fellow chiefs and officers to embrace these principles. His willingness to publicly endorse EBP has carried significant weight because it comes from someone who has successfully integrated these practices into his own department.
His leadership, credibility, and genuine commitment to Evidence Based Practices have helped move our state forward. He has demonstrated that EBP is not simply a training curriculum, but a practical approach to supervision that benefits officers, the courts, and those under our supervision.
The Chief’s Association is proud to recognize Scott Kerstetter, Chief, Union County as an EBP Champion.
Tara Murray, Supervisor, Montgomery County
Tara's belief in and champion of Evidence-Based Practices in her county is unparalleled. She has been a strong proponent of a risk-needs responsivity approach to supervision and has worked closely with her fellow RNA trainers and supervisors to educate staff on the proper administration of the RNA tool.
Her expertise and knowledge of risk and needs assessments have been leveraged to bolster internal practice and to continuously evaluate implementation through key performance indicators, so much so that she is responsible for leading the Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement Team. Additionally, she models an Evidence-Based Practices approach in every decision she makes: she is methodical, driven by data and information, and most importantly, considers fairness and efficacy when determining outcomes.
She has been a staunch advocate for continuous quality improvement (CQI) to promote efficiency and efficacy with Evidence-Based Practices. Prior to implementation, she and her team distributed a baseline assessment survey to supervision staff. They met with the supervision teams and introduced the concept of continuous quality improvement to educate them and dispel any misconceptions they had in preparation for the launching of CQI efforts. Through her ongoing commitment, Tara is helping to cultivate a Departmental culture that values the advancement of Evidence-Based Practices, continuous quality improvement, and the regular evaluation of community supervision strategies to promote fair and effective outcomes.
The Chief’s Association is proud to recognize Tara Murray, Supervisor, Montgomery County Probation, as an EBP Champion.