Board of Directors
Ashley Bauman Payne
Ashley Bauman Payne is the president of AJFO. She also serves as the co-chair fo the AJFO biennial conference. She is the president of Bauman Consulting Group, a criminal justice consulting firm offering engaging training workshops, expert technical assistance, supportive coaching services, and innovative products and resources. She has extensive experience working with agencies to redesign their approaches and implement evidence-based practices. Previously, Ashley worked as a research associate at the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute studying women’s pathways to criminal behavior and correctional rehabilitation. During that time, she co-authored two gender-responsive risk and needs assessment tools: the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment and the Gender-Informed Needs Assessment. She is also the author of Pathways to Change: Individual Casework for Criminal Justice-Involved Women and Steps to Success: A Re-Entry Workbook. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati with dual master’s degrees in criminal justice and business administration and is a board-certified coach. She has been published in professional journals and written many technical reports for government agencies.
Angel Camacho
Angel serves as the vice-president and conference co-chair of AJFO. She is currently employed with Maricopa County Adult Probation, supervising a Justice-Involved Women Caseload- Intensive probation with Maricopa County, in Arizona. She has been working with a women’s caseload for over 3 years.
The Justice-Involved Women’s(JIW) caseloads were developed in Maricopa County to supervise and monitor females to help focus on their female-centric needs and driving behaviors that may be interrupting their progress on probation. This is done by utilizing a trauma-informed approach and providing resources to each unique individual. Angel double majored and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Grand Canyon University. She decided to continue her education and obtained her graduate certificate in Forensic Psychology. Angel completed her Women Risk Needs Assessment training in August of 2022 and was recently trained to facilitate and train on the WRNA as of January of 2024. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, camping, and volunteering for Big Brother Big Sisters, a non-profit mentoring organization.
Tami Nims
Tami Nims is the treasurer of AJFO. She is a Parole and Probation Officer in Lane County, in Eugene, Oregon. She been with the county for over a decade and has spent over eight years with a women’s caseload. Tami founded the women’s unit which has tripled in size since the start. Before being in Lane County, Tami served in another county in Oregon for 16 years, giving her over 26 years of experience in the field. Tami truly loves working with women in the criminal justice system and helping them improve their lives.
Cynthia Chase
Cynthia is the secretary of AJFO. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 25 years’ experience in juvenile and criminal legal system reform as a Social Worker, Probation Officer, Corrections Director of Programming, and the Executive Director of the gender-responsive women’s reentry program The Gemma Project. Cynthia has been recognized as a dedicated leader and tireless advocate in her work at the intersection of justice and gender. As a subject matter expert, Cynthia has worked to improve systems and outcomes for marginalized individuals at the city, county, and state level. Cynthia has also created and advocated for policy change as a City Council member and Mayor of Santa Cruz California. Cynthia is committed to creating more equitable and just outcomes for women, families, and communities because when women lead, individuals and communities thrive. Chase lives in Oakland, California with her husband, Howard. She has three dogs, three chickens, and a tortoise named Melon.
Kristy Lashober
Kristy has been a fierce advocate for re-entry and people reform since her release from Federal Prison in 2017, advocating to provide new opportunities for second chances. Her successful fight to remove the criminal history box on all college applications, in the state of Oregon, was realized in 2020. That same year, Kristy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Innovation and Leadership at Southern Oregon University, graduating summa cum laude.
Kristy recently published her first best-selling book, Perfectly Flawed - Uncovering Your Greatest Purpose. Her book is a raw, interactive, reflective reading experience, revealing the complexity of the human spirit in all of its glory, pain, and compassion. Through creative prompts, she gently coaxes the reader to observe their own story so they begin to see exactly why their life is what it is today.
Kristy founded The Freedom Exchange Project, where she connects and has conversations with men and women impacted by the criminal legal system, to amplify their voices. Kristy has a certificate in Community Storytelling, is a Certified Peer Support Specialist, and is a member of the Faces of Women Imprisoned Speakers Bureau. Kristy is member of Unlock Higher Ed, and is the Pre-Release Coordinator and Policy Advocate at Operation Restoration. Kristy is an alumnus of Just Leadership USA - Leading with Conviction fellowship program in 2023. Kristy is passionate about bridging communities and cultures so that people have opportunities to realize their ultimate potential.
Pamela Winn
Ms. Winn is known as "The Face of Dignity For Incarcerated Women” and is an activist from Atlanta, GA. Ms. Winn is the single mother of two sons who studied Biology at Spelman College, obtained three post-secondary degrees in Nursing, and worked more than 10 years as a Registered Nurse specializing in Women’s Health before serving a 78-month federal sentence for a white-collar crime while pregnant. During her incarceration, she was shackled, causing her to fall and miscarry, then placed in solitary confinement. Rather than diminishing her spirit, Pamela allowed the separation of her family, a miscarriage, revocation of her nursing license, and closing of her businesses that she experienced while in prison to empower her. Ms. Winn is the founder of RestoreHER, a policy advocacy reentry organization led by and for justice-involved women of color, based in Georgia.
Judith McCusker
Judith McCusker serves as the Director of The Learning Institute at Community Solutions, Inc. Creating a culture of learning for internal employees at CSI is a passion of Judith’s. Her passion also extends to training and quality assurance consulting throughout the country with several non-profit and government agencies regarding increasing the use of Evidence-Based Practices.
For the past 20 years, The Learning Institute has been committed to evaluating and delivering gender-responsive programming to female populations of all ages, in both the Criminal Justice and Child Welfare systems. Under her leadership, Judith continues that commitment.
Before her work at CSI, Judith held leadership roles as a Director at a domestic violence agency and a YWCA program working with women to obtain employment skills. Furthermore, she has experience as a Drug and Alcohol Prevention Specialist, family therapist, teacher, and QA coach. Judith’s experience further extends to training in and/or evaluating child welfare facilities, juvenile detention centers, and prisons.
Tenesha Williams
Tenesha A. Williams previously served as the Classification and Programs Supervisor with the Alabama Department of Corrections Women’s Services supervising multiple departments within the agency to ensure compliance with gender-responsive approaches. She assisted in the implementation of the Women’s Risks and Needs Assessment (WRNA), effective correctional case management, and evidence-based programming. She served on the Women’s Services Strategic Planning Committee, the Women’s Services Classification Manual Committee, coordinated site visits to include the 2020 Urban Institute and partners site visit (Incarcerated Women’s Project) which explored trauma-informed care approaches by various state departments of corrections and is a member of the American Correctional Association.
Ms. Williams received her Master of Science in Counseling from Faulkner University and is a dedicated trainer for Women’s Services in Safety Matters, Gender-Responsive and PREA practices, WRNA, Correctional Case Management, and Correctional Behavior Mental Health. She has been with the Alabama Department of Corrections for 13 years and strives to positively influence the lives of women offenders and build supportive networks within the community. Ms. Williams is committed to collaborating with incarcerated women on their innovative journey and believes in effective communication and consistency for successful reentry. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and coaching volleyball for teenage girls for a non-profit organization.