DCJ Director Denise Peña
Denise Peña is the Director of Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice (DCJ), overseeing a nearly $117 million budget and 400+ employees. She guides the agency to fulfil its vision of community safety through positive change by providing supervision and services for over 10,000 justice-involved adults, youth, and victims annually.
With over 25 years experience working in the criminal justice field, Denise has provided leadership for a wide range of services to clients, their families and crime victims. Previous to being appointed DCJ Director in May 2024, Denise served for over 2 years as DCJ Deputy Director, supporting the department’s Research and Planning team, contracting, budgeting, facilities and other department-wide efforts.
Peña previously served as a Senior Manager in the department’s Adult Services Division where she oversaw the Women and Family services Unit, the Domestic Violence Unit, East Records and Administration, Programs Unit, East Generic and Gang and African American Program. In addition to managing a large diverse workforce, she was also a lead Parole-Probation Officer (PO), participating in the development and implementation of the Parole Officer Training (PTO) program, hiring of new POs, developing and managing budgets; managing contracts, leading quality and change management; and consulting other departments and outside agencies to improve coordination and outcomes.
Before coming to the Department of Community Justice, she worked as a victims advocate in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
As a member of OACCD (Oregon Association of Community Corrections Directors), she was the liaison for FVSN (Family Violence Supervision Network) for 8 years as well as the legislative subcommittee.
Since 2025 she has served on the National Association of Probation Executives (NAPE) Board of Directors as the Western Region representative. She is nationally recognized for her work including with the Voices for Justice Award by the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI) and the Joe Kegans Award for Victim Services in Probation and Parole from the American Probation and Parole Association.
Denise holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies.
Deputy Director Suzanne Brown-McBride
Suzanne Brown-McBride serves as Deputy Director for Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice, where she supports agency-wide operations and strategic initiatives to strengthen public safety, promote equity, and improve outcomes for people impacted by the justice system. She brings extensive experience in organizational management, policy development, and workforce support across the public and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining Multnomah County, Suzanne worked as a consultant, partnering with government agencies, philanthropy, and community-based organizations to design equitable systems, enhance cross-sector collaboration, and implement sustainable, data-driven reforms. She has also held leadership roles at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. Her work is grounded in a commitment to collaborative leadership and building systems that support both the people delivering services and the communities they serve.
Juvenile Services Director Kyla Armstrong-Romero
Dr. Kyla Armstrong-Romero is the Juvenile Services Director for the Department of Community Justice, focused on ensuring that the decisions and programs are rooted in the community it serves. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Kyla’s trajectory toward a career in public service stemmed from childhood adversity. Kyla earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in Sociology, a Master of Science degree in Criminology and Ph.D. in Human Services with an emphasis on Public Service Leadership. Prior to joining DCJ as the Juvenile Services Division Director in December 2022, Kyla worked for the Colorado Department of Human Services and served a four-year elected term as the President of the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education. Kyla also serves as an assistant professor teaching a myriad of courses in the Criminal Justice Department of the Metropolitan State University of Denver. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending quality time with family.
Adult Services Director Tira Hubbard
Tira Hubbard is the Adult Services Director for the Department of Community Justice. She has over 25 years of professional experience in person-centered services, originally in victim advocacy before transitioning to the field of Community Corrections in 2008. Before joining Multnomah County in November 2024, Tira was Adult Services Deputy Director for Jackson County, Oregon. A first-generation college graduate (Bachelor’s degree in Criminology, Southern Oregon University), Tira’s career choices have been driven by a passion for empowering those whose voices have not been heard. In 2018, she was nominated for and received the Oregon Department of Corrections Community Corrections Outstanding Services Award. She is a national presenter on trauma, staff resilience and implementing gender responsive practices and serves on the board of the Association of Justice-Involved Females and Organizations (AJFO). Tira and her partner have three adult children, an elderly rescued chihuahua and two French bulldog puppies.