When Leticia Longoria-Navarro heard her named called, the parole and probation officer with the county’s Department of Community Justice was stunned.
Before a large audience of parole and probation, corrections officers and other dignitaries, including Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum Longoria-Navarro’s list of accomplishments was rattled off one by one before she was honored with one of the most prestigious awards at the 2015 Oregon Department of Corrections Statewide Awards earlier this month.
“This was my first year going,” said Longoria-Navarro. “And I had no idea. I knew that the Assessment and Case Management Network was getting an award but I had no idea I was. They handed me the award. I shook the Department Of Corrections (Collette Peters) director’s hand. Scott Taylor, (director of the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice) came up with me.”
Longoria-Navarro describes it as surreal when she heard the familiar activities she takes part in read out loud, before realizing it was her receiving the award. The 30-year-old “unique leader” as described by her colleagues was humbled to receive the Department of Corrections’ “Community Corrections Outstanding Service Award.” Longoria-Navarro was not only nominated by colleagues within Multnomah County but by professionals in agencies throughout the state.
She simply sees it as part of the job.
“I had some clients that I worked with while they were in prison, and when they came out they were placed on supervision. And being part of what helps them become more successful in the community is what continues to motivated me.”
In just four years with Multnomah County, Longoria-Navarro’s career has flourished. It began with work she was naturally drawn to --- helping some of the most challenging populations. She started in the Department of Community Justices’ Sex Offender Supervision Program and worked with a wide range of people, from high to low-risk offenders. She met with victims, sex offenders and human trafficking, offering support and resources, doing risk assessment, case planning, cognitive interventions and talking about treatment.
She proved so effective in this role, that she was promoted to her first lead parole and probation officer position. But her versatility and energy on the job would lead to more opportunities as a lead EPICS (Effective Practices in Community Supervision).
EPICS may sound like just another big, government acronym but represents what has become an industry shift from the traditional parole officer-offender interaction to a counselor/social worker relationship. Offenders are still held accountable but have deeper interactions with parole and probation officers. Interactions that include skill-building, behavior change and reducing recidivism.
In the past six months, Longoria-Navarro has spent hundreds of hours delivering training presentations to colleagues statewide. She uses her day-to-day experience coupled with highly effective training methods to encourage and promote effective practices in the field.
The work has paid off. She has witnessed the difference in parole and probation officers and clients, becoming more successful and making changes.
“For me it’s rewarding and exciting work. It energizes me. I get my energy from accomplishing things and seeing different processes implemented. It’s exciting to be a part of it and to see the benefits.”
Not only has Longoria-Navarro gone above and beyond her daily duties, she has helped create new tools, and implement important statewide policy that’s shaped how parole and probation officers do their work. She has conducted case management trainings throughout the state, on her own accord and in partnership with the Department of Corrections.
She is an active, contributing team member of the Sex Offender Supervision Network (Training Chair) and the Statewide Assessment and Case Planning Network.
She has been described as respectful yet influential. Someone who “pushes back on negativity but is dedicated and stays the course to improve department’s mission” according to District Manager Patrick Schreiner and Community Justice Manager Alison Kinsey.
Longoria-Navarro wasn’t the only Multnomah County employee to receive honors at the 2015 Oregon Department of Corrections Statewide Awards. Department of Community Justice managers Don Trapp and John McVay; parole and probation officers Katie Roller, Chris Enquist, Rick Campos, Ian Clanton and Longoria-Navarro received the Director’s Award as part of the Assessment and Case Management Network award.
“I’m proud of our team and the high standards they have set for themselves and for others,” said Department of Community Justice director Scott Taylor. “It’s this kind of work that makes the difference not only within the department but within the community we serve.”
