Members/Committees
The State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice (SACJJ) is the statewide resource for the Governor, Legislature, and communities in the fields of juvenile justice, youth services, and delinquency prevention. The SACJJ assists in reviewing, recommending existing and new, applicable research and outcome-based juvenile accountability programs and strategies ranging from prevention and intervention to long-term detention or treatment programs for youth. In addition, the SACJJ supports in reviewing grant applications for the allocation of the Non-Participating State grant funding stream from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in collaboration with Volunteers of America Northern Rockies. The SACJJ is committed to a balanced approach increasing public safety, providing both agency and offender accountability, while affording youth opportunities to develop as responsible citizens.
Council Members
Name
District/City
Term Expiration
Abbey Kercher
1-Cheyenne
08/31/2027
Adrienne Freng, Ph.D.
2-Laramie
08/31/2026
Alan Stuber
6-Gillette
03/01/2026
Alexandra Bammel
2-Laramie (Youth)
08/31/2026
Brittany Cangialosi
2-Laramie (Youth)
08/31/2025
Chris Jones
4-Sheridan (Wyoming Girl’s School)
03/01/2026
Dale Weber
5-Worland (Wyoming Boy’s School)
03/01/2026
Damon DeBernardi
9-Pinedale
08/31/2027
Dylan Pierce
8-Glenrock (Youth)
08/31/2026
Erica Wood
6-Gillette (Vice Chair)
08/31/2027
Erika Sanchez
7-Casper
08/31/2026
Hattie Calvert
9-Riverton
08/31/2027
Jennifer Palser
4-Sheridan
08/31/2027
Kassidy Thomas
2-Laramie (Youth)
08/31/2026
Lila Konecky
2-Laramie (Youth)
08/31/2025
Logan Christie
5-Cody (Chair)
08/31/2027
Melinda Cox
9-Lander
08/31/2027
Nathaniel “Nate” Williams
1-Cheyenne (Youth)
08/31/2027
Nicole Hauser
2-Laramie
08/31/2027
Ruth Ogden
2-Laramie
08/31/2025
Sophia Gomelsky
2-Laramie (Youth)
08/31/2027
Stacy Nelson
7-Casper
08/31/2027
Ex-Officio Members
Name
Represents
Christina McCabe
WY Attorney General’s Office
Dustin Brown
WY Dept. of Education
Salli Volz
WY Dept. of Health
Jacob Edwards
WY Dept. of Family Services
Curtis Biggs
WY Governor’s Office
Shawn Sitzman
WY Attorney General’s Office: Div. of Victim Services
Maureen Clifton
WY Interstate Compact for Juveniles – Commissioner
H. James “Mike” Causey
WY Judicial Branch – Interstate Compact for Juveniles
Rep. McKay Erickson
WY State Legislature – Interstate Compact for Juveniles
Committees
Executive
Created by By-Laws and elected at first meeting of calendar year. Leadership of the council, develops vision and long-term goals, develops meeting agendas, oversees and develops amendments (as needed) to the By-Laws, drafts the Annual Report to the Governor.
Logan Christie, Chair
Erica Wood, Vice Chair
Abbey Kercher
Ruth Ogden
VACANT
Grants (Budget and Financial Review)
Created by By-Laws and elected at first meeting of calendar year.
Logan Christie, Chair
Abbey Kercher
Adrienne Freng
Damon DeBernardi
Melinda Cox
Nicole Hauser
Best Practices
Promotion of and focus on the four core protections (JJDP Compliance Monitoring). Be aware of and notify the Council of compliance visits as scheduled by OJJDP Non-Participating State grant applying entity. Identify resources and services around juvenile justice, who is utilizing best practices, and examine how these resources may be leveraged.
Stacy Nelson, Chair
Alan Stuber
Chris Jones
Hattie Calvert
Dale Weber
Damon DeBernardi
Erica Wood
Jennifer Palser
Nicole Hauser
Outreach and Youth
Responsible for raising awareness of juvenile justice issues; public relations with juvenile justice stakeholders as well as the general public; collaborate with OJJDP Non-Participating State grant applying entity; assists in outreach to youth members; planning and organization of the Council’s annual community award for best practices.
Provides an opportunity for youth members to become familiar with their role on the Council; recruit youth members; develop ways to better inform the Council about the youth perspective.
Erica Wood, Co-Chair
Brittany Cangialosi, Co-Chair
Abbey Kercher
Alan Stuber
Alexandra Bammel
Dylan Pierce
Kassidy Thomas
Jacob Edwards
Lila Konecky
Nathaniel Williams
Ruth Ogden
Stacy Nelson
Sophia Gomelsky
Data
Responsible for formulating recommendations related to comprehensive, meaningful data collection and analysis.
Adrienne Freng, Chair
Brittany Cangialosi
Damon DeBernardi
Erica Wood
Jacob Edwards
Jennifer Palser
Legislative
Ongoing tracking of any relevant state and federal legislative issues; assisting in the development of draft legislation by the council (as needed); reviews Council’s state and federal statutory obligations.
Nicole Hauser, Chair
Alan Stuber
Damon DeBernardi
Erica Wood
Ericka Sanchez
Melinda Cox
Ruth Ogden
Sophia Gomelsky
Ad-Hoc Training Committee
Comprised of members of the SACJJ and community members that will be conducting statewide trainings for juvenile justice stakeholders on grant writing, best practices in diversion, data collection within the Reroute data collection system, among others.
VACANT, Chair
Adrienne Freng
Abbey Kercher
Jacob Edwards
Jennifer Palser
Laurel Wimbish-WYSAC
Brooke Benson-WYSAC
New Members Needed
If you are considering serving on the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice, please follow the link below for the online application and apply under the "Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (Interstate Compact for Juveniles)":
2025 Meetings Dates/Locations
1/16-1/17: Cheyenne, WY
4/24-4/25: Riverton, WY
6/19-6/20: Gillette, WY
9/18-9/19: Thermopolis, WY
11/20-11/21: Laramie, WY
This Web site is funded through a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this Web site (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).