The Rewards of WREP – The Work Readiness Enrichment Program
Alisha Markle Alisha Markle is the Deputy Court Administrator with Chatham County Juvenile Court. She has 19 years of experience in the field of juvenile justice. Before moving to Chatham County, Mrs. Markle was employed at Cobb County Juvenile Court, in various positions. She is a graduate of Kennesaw State University and Argosy University. Mrs. Markle worked as a juvenile probation officer, family therapist, and program coordinator in accountability courts, specifically in Juvenile Drug Court and Family Treatment Court, before working in court administration. Most of her education and experience focuses on behavioral health and addiction. She has served on several accountability court committees to develop certification standards for family treatment courts and support implementation for new programs across the state. She enjoys shopping, cooking and spending time with her family. Mrs. Markle and her husband, Keith, have one daughter.
Dare Dukes Dare Dukes is the executive director of Deep Center, Savannah’s award-winning creative writing, leadership, and advocacy program for public school youth and adults in their village. Deep Center uses creative writing, art, and culture to help young people connect their learning to their lives, their lives to their communities, and their actions to transformational change. Deep also works with adults in their village to make sure youth are seen in their full humanity, and to identify and advocate for administrative and legislative policies that make Savannah a safe place for all young people and their families.
Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert is a Chatham County Juvenile Court Judge. She was appointed by the Chatham County Superior Court Judges in September, 2012. Judge Colbert is a graduate of Groves High School, Savannah State University, and the University of Georgia School of Law. She also served six years in the Georgia Air National Guard. Judge Colbert has worked as an Associate for Alston & Bird, LLP in Atlanta; an Associate for the Law Office of Charles W. Bell & Associates, P.C.; Senior Staff Attorney for the Office of the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee; Staff Attorney for Chatham County Superior Court Judge Louisa Abbot; and Assistant County Attorney for Chatham County, Georgia. She has served on the boards of the Savannah CASA, Inc. and Parent and Child Development Services, Inc. She currently serves on the boards of Goodwill Southeast Georgia; Step Up Savannah and on the Board of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice by appointment of the Governor.
Tanya Washington Tanya Washington is a Senior Associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, currently working in the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group (JJSG). She began her career in New York working first as a criminal defense attorney at a community law office in Harlem, NY and later as Deputy Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau in the New York State Attorney General’s Office. In 2005 she joined the Casey Foundation in Baltimore, MD to focus on reforming Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice systems across the country. She has provided technical assistance to the states of Louisiana, Maryland, Florida, Georgia and New Jersey. Tanya’s work has helped promote innovative strategies to improve decision-making, increase community options and reduce the number of young people growing up outside of a home. Currently Tanya is leading the development of Casey’s strategy to end the youth prison model by influencing the take up of principles to promote a gold standard of care for juvenile facilities. In her free time, Tanya enjoys camping, kayaking, cooking and skiing.
Tammie Blaha Tammie Blaha is the Chief People Officer for Goodwill Southeast Georgia a social enterprise serving 6,900 individuals with barriers to employment and overseeing a workforce of 800+ employees. She joined Goodwill Southeast Georgia in 2012 as vice president of corporate affairs. She was previously employed by Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska, as vice president of marketing, development and housing in Grand Island, Nebraska. As Chief People Officer Tammie is responsible for the organization’s staff, its culture, values, ethics and mission. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a degree in Social Work and Sociology. She is a graduate of Goodwill Industries International Executive Development Program in 2017 and their Senior Leadership Development in 2005. She currently serves as Secretary and Executive Board member for Center Court (Accountability Court) in Savannah, GA and National and Regional member of SHRM.
Event Timeslots (1)
Workshops Session IV
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Cabrillo
The Work Readiness Enrichment Program (WREP) is an inter-agency community intervention program aiming to decrease the number of youths being committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Savannah, Georgia. The program is an 18-week, juvenile court referred program that serves 15 high-risk, disconnected and system-involved youth ages 14 – 16. The goals are designed to provide educational programming to bring youth back to their grade level, to provide work readiness training, and connect needed support services to help address the root cause of the chronic delinquent behavior and activity.