Acting Executive Director
Jennifer LeBaron, Ph. D.

Dr. Jennifer LeBaron currently serves as the Acting Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC). She has been with the JJC since 1998, serving in numerous leadership roles, focusing on program and policy development, research and evaluation, launching new initiatives, and collaborating with various reform experts and entities throughout the state to effect informed change within juvenile justice. Most recently as Deputy Executive Director of Policy, Research and Planning, Dr. LeBaron served as advisor to the Executive Director on all matters pertaining to the agency’s policy agenda, spanning all operational offices, divisions, and units. She formulates positions and recommendations regarding legislation, regulations, and rules, and oversees the completion of research and data analysis required to support the Commission’s stance on matters affecting the agency. She also directs new initiatives designed to enhance the Commission’s capacity to effectively care for the youth in its custody and to improve the overall functioning of the juvenile justice system statewide. She also serves as Co-Chair of the New Jersey Council on Juvenile Justice System Improvement.

Dr. LeBaron previously served as the Commission’s Director of Local Programs & Services, overseeing the development, enhancement, and funding of local continuums of juvenile justice services. Importantly, Dr. LeBaron has been responsible for leading the implementation of JDAI since its launch in 2004. It is in this critical role, managing the day to day operations of JDAI, that Dr. LeBaron has achieved many advancements, proving to be a trailblazer in juvenile justice reform. During her tenure, New Jersey was named the only state Model Site for JDAI by the Annie E. Casey Foundation; Dr. LeBaron then worked to develop and implement a two-day training curriculum for delegations from visiting states to assist in their efforts to bring detention reform to scale statewide. Over the course of her career, Dr. LeBaron has prepared training curricula, written user’s guides and manuals, conducted comprehensive staff trainings, carried out quality assurance reviews, developed assessment tools and case planning processes, and conducted the empirical and qualitative evaluation of various programs.

Dr. LeBaron received a B.A. in Psychology from Georgetown University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. Her dissertation focused on risk prediction and risk assessment, examining the role of community context in juvenile recidivism. While in graduate school, Dr. LeBaron was the recipient of multiple awards and scholarships, most notably the Rutgers University Doctoral Excellence Fellowship. She also taught college courses in criminology and juvenile justice. Dr. LeBaron is the recipient of two NJ Attorney General Awards for Excellence in Innovation, the W. Haywood Burns Institute’s Courageous Leadership Award, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Juvenile Detention Reform.

Acting Deputy Executive Director of Operations
Craig Farr

Craig Farr was appointed as Acting Deputy Executive Director of Operations for the JJC on June 1, 2020. Prior to accepting this position, he served as the Employee Relations Coordinator for the JJC.

Mr. Farr has served as a career professional with over thirty-six years in state service, including a formidable background in law enforcement, administration, and employee relations. Most of his career has been spent with the Juvenile Justice Commission, where he has held several leadership positions, including Superintendent of the New Jersey Training School and Director of Custody Operations.

Mr. Farr graduated from Thomas Edison State College with a degree in liberal arts and the Community College of the Air Force with a degree in logistics management. He also served in the United States Air Force Reserves for over twenty years.

As the Deputy Executive Director of Operations, Mr. Farr designs and directs new programs and initiatives in line with the JJC’s vision and mission to improve outcomes for youth, families, and the community. He supervises a large-scale workforce responsible for diverse aspects of JJC operations, including secure care, parole and transitional services, classification, and gang management.

Deputy Executive Director of Programs
Robert Montalbano

Robert Montalbano was appointed as Deputy Executive Director of Programs for the JJC on May 2, 2015. Mr. Montalbano held the title of Interim Deputy Executive Director of Programs from November 8, 2013 until his current appointment, while continuing in the position of Director of Community Programs.

Mr. Montalbano’s career in state government began during the summer of 1987 within the maintenance department of the Juvenile Medium Security Facility while he was still in high school. In 1993 he accepted the assistant director position with the contracted program PAY (Program Alternatives for Youth), which was renamed Edison Prep and where he later served as director.

In 1999, Mr. Montalbano was hired by the JJC to serve as the regional program supervisor where he was responsible for the administration and operation of the contracted drug beds within the agency.

He joined the JJC’s Office of Community Programs, in 2000, where he was responsible for the overall administration and operation of residential programs located in the northern region of the state. During his career, he also had the opportunity work in the secure juvenile environment at the JJC’s Johnstone Campus, where he served as the Assistant Superintendent for both Juvenile Medium Security Facility and the Juvenile Reception and Assessment Center.
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In 2005, Mr. Montalbano was appointed as the Director of the JJC’s Office of Community Programs, where he oversaw the consolidation of community programs and the realignment of resources to better serve special juvenile populations including female juveniles, those with serious substance addiction and mental health needs, as well as residents preparing to transition to their home communities.
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As Deputy Executive Director of Programs, Mr. Montalbano oversees the Offices of Community Programs and Education, as well as the Rehabilitative and Treatment Services Unit.
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He resides in Mansfield Township, Burlington County with his wife and two children.

Director of Administration
Keith Poujol

Keith Poujol was appointed as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Juvenile Justice Commission in March 2012 on mobility assignment from the Office of the Attorney General. Prior to accepting this position, he served as the Deputy Director of the Financial Management Office at the Department of Law and Public Safety.

Mr. Poujol has 36 years of state service, all within the Department of Law & Public Safety. He has held several executive staff level positions including Chief Administrative Officer at the Division of Criminal Justice. Mr. Poujol has also functioned in a manager/supervisor capacity within the Office of the Attorney General’s Budget, Fiscal, and Facility Management Sections. With the creation of the Juvenile Justice Commission in 1995, he was designated as the agency’s first Facilities/Support Services Manager.

In his current assignment for the JJC, Mr. Poujol has oversight of the annual budget, fiscal operations, human resources, contracts, grants, facilities services, capital planning, information technology, medical quality assurance, and regulatory affairs.

Mr. Poujol has a B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Tulsa and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Rider University. He is a Certified Public Manager and has previously volunteered to serve on the Board of Directors of National Correctional Facilities Manager Organization. Mr. Poujol and his wife reside in Eastampton and are the parents of two children.

Director of Investigations
Wimson Crespo

Wimson Crespo was appointed to the position of Chief of the Juvenile Justice Commission’s Office of Investigations in March, 2003 following more than a decade in the correctional field.

In 1990, Mr. Crespo joined the New Jersey Department of Corrections and was assigned to the East Jersey State Prison in Rahway. After two years, he was promoted and reassigned to the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Mr. Crespo joined the JJC’s secure facility for female juveniles in 1997. In 1999, Mr. Crespo moved to the JJC’s Office of Investigations and served as the Office’s Deputy Chief before being appointed to lead the Office of Investigations.

The Office of Investigations conducts prompt and thorough investigations of all allegations of misconduct. This office has both law enforcement authority and administrative authority to conduct investigations concerning any allegation of criminal action, misconduct, compliance with State, Departmental or Commission rules and regulations, standard operating procedures, and orders of the Juvenile Justice Commission.

Mr. Crespo was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico and grew up in Trenton, graduating from Trenton Central High in 1984 and attending Mercer County Community College. He is an active member of his community participating in various programs that assist juveniles and young adults. For more than fifteen years, he has coached baseball, basketball and soccer and held numerous league positions in various communities. As a Martial Arts Instructor, he has found yet another method to lead youngsters in a positive direction and now does so with the help of his son, Wimson Jr. who recently received his Black Belt.

Mr. Crespo speaks at numerous schools about law enforcement and is always encouraging youth, particularly Hispanic males and females, to consider careers in law enforcement. Throughout his career as a law enforcement officer and as a citizen, Mr. Crespo has been a role model for Hispanic youth and all young men and women in the communities in which he has lived.

Wimson Crespo is the proud father of a son and daughter.

Director of Local Programs and Services
Doris S. Darling

Doris S. Darling was appointed as the Director of the JJC’s Office of Local Programs and Services in November 2016. As Director, Ms. Darling oversees four operational units that support the development and enhancement of local continuums of juvenile justice services. These units administer foundation, state, and federal grant funds, monitor compliance with the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, monitor county-operated juvenile detention centers, and serve as liaison to and collaborate with the courts and county government.

During her 15 years with the JJC, Ms. Darling has served in various positions that have allowed her to play a role in the implementation and ongoing support of statewide initiatives and projects. In her previous role as the Manager of the JJC’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention / Grants Unit, Ms. Darling was responsible for the overall administration of foundation, state, and federal grants and, as required by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, served as New Jersey’s Juvenile Justice Specialist. Additional responsibilities included contributing to the development of the State three-year juvenile justice plan; acquiring, distributing, and monitoring grant funds and related programs; and ensuring New Jersey’s compliance with the state and federal standards for the handling of juveniles in secure custody throughout the State of New Jersey.

Ms. Darling has over 25 years of experience working with youth serving organizations and programs in both direct-service and administrative capacities. Beyond the JJC, this experience includes working for Girl Scouts of the USA, college Upward Bound Programs in Ohio and North Carolina, Ohio’s juvenile boot camp program, and the Middlesex County Division of Mental Health and Children Services. She also worked as a Program Development Speciaist at both the county and state level where she managed, supervised, and monitored multiple youth serving programs and initiatives.

Ms. Darling earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Shaw University in Raleigh NC. She has also completed one year toward her Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Ms. Darling and her husband, Mike, live in Middlesex County and have two sons.

Director, Office of Education
Tremaine Harrison

Tremaine Harrison was approved by the JJC Executive Board as Director for the Juvenile Justice Commission’s (JJC) Office of Education on July 15, 2013. Prior to his appointment, he held a number of supervisory education positions encompassing both JJC community residential programs and secure care facilities, including two occasions serving as the Acting Director.

As Director, Mr. Harrison works closely with the JJC administration to direct education policy and practice. Prior to that, Mr. Harrison served as the educational manager for the JJC’s largest secure facility, the NJ Training School, located in Monroe Township, NJ for five years. During his tenure at NJTS, Mr. Harrison was responsible for managing a comprehensive educational program geared toward the students’ attainment of a high school diploma, while preparing them for continued learning and workforce development. The educational program consisted of a wide-range of challenging academic and career-technical experiences that addressed the educational needs of both special education and regular education students.

Mr. Harrison holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Education from Rutgers University where he was also a member of the Graduate School of Education. He earned his Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Cheney University. Before joining the JJC, Mr. Harrison taught in public elementary schools in New Brunswick, Camden and Newark. He also served as an administrator of a charter school in Trenton.

Director of Juvenile Parole and Transitional Services
Edwin Lee

Edwin Lee, Jr. was appointed as the Director of Juvenile Parole & Transition Services in April 2013. In this position, he oversees the JJC’s juvenile parole efforts and community reentry services throughout the state.

Mr. Lee comes to the Commission from the Judiciary where he most recently served as the Burlington Vicinage Chief Probation Officer. In that position, he directed and coordinated Juvenile and Adult Probation Services as well as the Child Support Enforcement Unit. He has also served as the Assistant Chief Probation Officer of the Juvenile Supervision Unit and held other titles in the Mercer Vicinage. In these capacities, Mr. Lee has established and implemented operational policies, monitored and evaluated program performance, developed various programs, and maintained a close working relationship with various community partners.

Mr. Lee has served as a member of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Committee and as the chair of JJDP Committee’s Career Paths subcommittee. As the Burlington County representative to the Council on Juvenile Justice System Improvement (CJJSI), he is very familiar with New Jersey’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). As the chair of the Burlington County Probation subcommittee of the CJJSI, he played a significant role in establishing detention alternatives in both Mercer and Burlington Counties. He has also served as co-chair of the Burlington County Drug Court Executive Council.

A wealth of professional and community experience, across agencies and communities, provide Mr. Lee with a unique understanding of the challenges that face the JJC’s parolee, its parole officers, and the transitional services staff.

Director, Office of Community Programs
Guy White

Guy White was appointed as the Director of the JJC’s Office Community Programs on October 3, 2015. As Director, Mr. White oversees the overall administration and operation of all JJC community programs, the JJC’s Office of Sex Offender Treatment Services, and the Restorative Justice Unit.

Mr. White’s career in state government began in December 1989 when he was hired by the Department of Corrections as a youth worker. He served in this position at Southern Residential Community Home until January of 1997 when he was named as the Superintendent of Pinelands Residential Community Home, the only sex offender treatment program for juveniles in the state. In this capacity, he served as a member of the SNAP Panel (Special Needs Assessment Panel).

In the fall of 2002, Mr. White became the Superintendent of JJC’s Manor Woods Residential Community Home, a 24-bed program for young male offenders. In this position, he oversaw the implementation of Aggression Replacement Training (A.R.T.) allowing Manor Woods to become one of the state’s leading cognitive-based programming facilities.

In November 2005, Mr. White was selected to join the JJC’s Office of Community Programs as a Regional Administrator, increasing his responsible to the administration and operation of several juvenile residential programs located in the central region of the state.

The opportunity to work in the secure care environment as the Superintendent of the Juvenile Female Secure Care and Intake Facility became available in September of 2014. As Superintendent, Mr. White was directly responsible for the care and treatment of the secure care population and the delivery of gender specific programming at the state’s only secure facility for juvenile female offenders. He also served as the chair of classification meetings, behavior adjustment unit meetings, and special case reviews for the JJC’s Johnstone Campus, which also includes the Juvenile Medium Security Facility (the most secure facility for juvenile males in the state) and the Albert Elias Residential Community Home.

Guy White resides in Williamstown, NJ with his wife and two children.