PUBLIC PROTECTION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: November 16, 2026
Subject: Community Corrections Partnership Applicants for Vacancies
Submitted For: Esa Ehmen-Krause, Chair, Community Corrections Partnership
Department: Probation
Contact: Katie Domingo, CCP Staff
Referral History:
In 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 109 (AB 109) into law, fundamentally changing California’s correctional system. The legislation aimed to reduce the costly and ineffective cycle of incarceration for lower-level offenders and parole violators by shifting responsibility for certain offenders from the state to local jurisdictions. Specifically, AB 109 transferred responsibility for individuals sentenced for nonviolent, non-serious, and non-sex offenses to local jurisdictions; established Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS); revised the parole revocation process; assigned Community Corrections Partnerships (CCP) responsibility for developing and implementing local plans; and expanded local law enforcement’s ability to manage offenders through more cost-effective approaches.
The CCP is a multi-disciplinary team established in California Penal Code 1230 as a result of AB 109. Its purpose is to advise the Probation Department on the development and implementation of a “Community Corrections Program”, as provided in the Community Corrections Performance Incentives Acts of 2009.
The membership of the Community Corrections Partnership is composed of ex-officio and appointed members with the following composition, pursuant to Penal Code Section 1230(b)(2) et seq:
The ten (10) ex‐officio members include: the Chief Probation Officer (Chair), Presiding Judge (or designee), District Attorney, Public Defender, Sheriff, Head of the County Department of Social Services, Head of the County Department of Mental Health, Head of the County Department of Employment, Head of the County Alcohol and Substance Abuse Programs, and Head of the County Office of Education.
The four (4) additional members, appointed by the Board of Supervisors are: the County Supervisor or the County Administrative Officer, or designee of the Board of Supervisors; a Chief of Police; one representative of a community-based organization with experience in rehabilitation services for criminal offenders; and one representative who represents the interests of victims.
Referral Update:
The four additional members appointed by the Board of Supervisors serve one-year terms. For 2027, County Administrator Monica Nino’s designee, Timothy Ewell will continue to serve as the County Administrative Officer member.
The Chief of Police representative is typically selected by the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs Association at its first monthly meeting of each calendar year. Historically, this position has rotated among three cities.
On September 8, 2026, the Probation Department issued a press release (Attachment A) soliciting applications to fill two vacant representative positions on the CCP. By the September 25, 2026 application deadline, the County had received five applications. One applicant subsequently withdrew from consideration on November 3. The applications, with personal contact information redacted, are included in Attachment B.
Four candidates applied for the community-based organization representative position, which requires experience providing rehabilitation services to criminal offenders: Dominick Anthony, Sherina Criswell, Brandon Evans, and Nicole Green. Jacqueline Jackson also applied for this position but withdrew her application, and is no longer under consideration.
Sherina Criswell was the only applicant who specifically applied for the crime victims' representative position.
Below are the summaries that have been provided by the applicants:
Dominick Anthony - Community-Based Representative
Dominick Anthony serves as Director of Reentry at Hope Solutions, where he oversees programs that provide housing, case management, employment, education, and supportive services to justice-impacted individuals in Contra Costa County. In this role, he works closely with Contra Costa County Probation, community-based organizations, housing providers, and other system partners to address barriers to successful reentry and improve outcomes for individuals returning to the community.
Dominick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. His professional experience includes program leadership, housing and homelessness services, staff development, community partnerships, and supporting individuals with complex barriers to housing and stability.
Dominick is interested in joining the Community Corrections Partnership to bring a community-based reentry and housing perspective to conversations regarding public safety, successful reintegration, and the effective use of resources for justice-impacted individuals. He is particularly interested in strengthening collaboration between community providers and justice-system partners and ensuring that individuals have access to the housing, employment, education, and supportive services necessary for long-term stability.
Dominick is interested in serving as the Community-Based Organization representative.
Sherina Criswell - Community-Based Representative
My name is Sherina “Rina” Criswell. I have a degree in Social Work and am completing my Addiction Studies and Counseling education at Diablo Valley College. My work focuses on helping youth, families, adults, and seniors navigate social challenges, overcome barriers, and connect with services that support stability.
My professional background includes serving as the Lead Facilitator for Community-Based Services in Contra Costa County at Seneca Family Center and five years as an overnight crisis counselor with Alameda County Crisis Support Services 988 Lifeline. I also served as the Education Team Care Coordinator with Contra Costa Health’s H3 CORE homeless mobile outreach program, supporting families experiencing homelessness throughout the county, including those connected to K-12 schools and community colleges.
I am currently finishing Fieldwork II with Contra Costa Health Reentry Services at the Martinez Detention Facility after completing Fieldwork I. I have facilitated three mental health and substance use groups serving women, the general population, and people in protective custody. I also offer homelessness services and connections to community resources following release. This experience has strengthened my collaboration with law enforcement and mental health providers and my understanding of the importance of continuing services before and after release.
My community leadership includes service in the Homeless Service Provider seat on the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, four years on the CASA of Contra Costa County Board, and service as a commissioner on the Contra Costa Commission for Women and Girls. I am also a Certified Peer Support Specialist, a certified foster/resource parent, and a graduate of the Safe Return Collective’s Collective Impact program. As the founder of Still Family Bay Area, I focus on housing, life skills, and support for transitional-age youth.
I am interested in the rehabilitation services seat because it connects directly to my work in recovery, housing, crisis intervention, and reentry. I would bring practical insight into the barriers people face and help strengthen coordination among justice partners, treatment providers, housing programs, and community organizations. I believe rehabilitation and accountability work together, and that effective reentry services can help people rebuild their lives, reduce repeated justice system involvement, and strengthen public safety while respecting victims’ needs.
Please confirm the official seat title and whether this appointment is to the full CCP or its Executive Committee. I would appreciate consideration for either seat, based on where my experience would best serve the partnership.
Brandon Evans - Community-Based Representative
I currently serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Men and Women of Purpose, a Contra Costa County-based community organization providing reentry, mentoring, workforce development, substance use disorder support, and navigation services to justice-impacted youth, young adults, and adults. My professional and community service experience has centered on creating opportunities for individuals and families impacted by the justice system and strengthening partnerships between community-based organizations, government agencies, and the communities they serve.
My commitment to this work is also deeply informed by my own lived experience. Growing up in Richmond, I experienced the juvenile justice system firsthand as a young person, including being on probation. Those experiences shaped my understanding of how involvement in the justice system can affect a young person’s education, employment opportunities, family, and future. They also showed me the importance of having trusted adults, community-based support, and meaningful opportunities available at the right time. I was fortunate to turn those experiences into a pathway toward education, public service, and community leadership, and they continue to inform how I approach this work today.
Throughout my career, I have worked across local government, workforce development, youth development, violence prevention, reentry, and community-based services. In my current role, I oversee programs and partnerships that work directly with individuals returning to the community from incarceration, people under community supervision, and families navigating barriers to stability and successful reentry. This combination of lived experience and professional experience has allowed me to understand these systems from multiple perspectives-as someone who has been impacted by them, as a community-based service provider, and as someone who has worked within local government.
I am interested in joining the CCP Executive Committee because I believe community-based organizations and people closest to these issues should have a meaningful voice in shaping the policies, investments, and strategies that impact justice-involved residents. I want to help strengthen the connection between county systems and community-based providers, improve access to effective reentry services, support successful transitions back into the community, reduce recidivism, and ensure that our investments reflect the needs and experiences of the people they are intended to serve.
I am seeking appointment to the Community-Based Organization Representative seat. If selected, I am committed to approaching the role collaboratively and transparently and to providing appropriate disclosure and recusal regarding any matter that may present an actual or perceived conflict of interest.
Nicole Green - Community-Based Representative
I am seeking appointment to the Contra Costa County Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) as the Community-Based Organization Representative with Experience in Rehabilitation Services. I bring more than 10 years of professional experience serving justice-involved individuals and approximately six years of service on the Community Advisory Board on Public Safety Realignment (CAB), including my leadership as Chair and involvement in county advisory committees focused on reentry, housing, behavioral health, and community services.
My professional background includes social work, forensic mental health, rehabilitation, reentry services, program development, and housing leadership. As Housing Director for The Gemma Project, I oversee transitional housing operations and services supporting formerly incarcerated women as they work toward stability, recovery, healing, and successful community reintegration.
My lived and personal experiences, combined with my Master of Social Work education and direct-service experience, provide me with a unique understanding of the challenges faced by justice-involved individuals and the community-based organizations serving them.
After six years of CAB service, I am ready to build upon that foundation and contribute at the next level of county leadership. My goal is to bridge community voices, direct-service knowledge, and systems-level decision-making to strengthen rehabilitation services, improve coordination, address service gaps, and promote equitable opportunities for successful reentry throughout Contra Costa County.
Sherina Criswell - Crime Victims Representative
My name is Sherina “Rina” Criswell. I have a degree in Social Work and am completing my Addiction Studies and Counseling education at Diablo Valley College. I am a trained sexual assault and rape crisis counselor, a Certified Peer Support Specialist, and a certified foster/resource parent. My work centers on helping people of all ages navigate crises, access resources, and move toward safety and stability.
My professional background includes five years as an overnight crisis counselor with Alameda County Crisis Support Services 988 Lifeline and my role as Lead Facilitator for Community-Based Services in Contra Costa County at Seneca Family Center. I also served as the Education Team Care Coordinator with Contra Costa Health’s H3 CORE homeless mobile outreach program, helping families experiencing homelessness throughout the county, including those connected to K-12 schools and community colleges.
My community leadership includes four years on the CASA of Contra Costa County Board, service as a commissioner on the Contra Costa Commission for Women and Girls, and service in the Homeless Service Provider seat on the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness. I founded Still Family Bay Area to support transitional-age youth through housing and life skills, and Not Yo Mama 415 Doula Services to provide culturally responsive support to families.
I am also finishing Fieldwork II with Contra Costa Health Reentry Services at the Martinez Detention Facility after completing Fieldwork I. I have facilitated mental health and substance use groups for women, the general population, and people in protective custody, while helping connect individuals with homelessness services and community resources following release. Working with law enforcement and mental health providers has reinforced my belief that rehabilitation, accountability, victims’ safety, and public safety must all receive careful attention.
I am interested in the Crime Victims’ Representative seat because my sexual assault and crisis counseling background has taught me the importance of listening without judgment, respecting individual choices, and helping people access support during difficult circumstances. I would advocate for victims’ voices, safety, and access to culturally responsive services to remain part of discussions about justice policies and reentry planning. I would also bring an understanding of how trauma, housing instability, and family needs can create barriers to receiving help.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
1. CONSIDER applicants for existing vacancies on the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP);
2. DETERMINE appointment recommendations for the Board of Supervisors’ consideration to fill the two seats for terms January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2027; and
3. PROVIDE any further direction to staff, as necessary.
Fiscal Impact:
None.