Shirvahna Gobin, the deputy commissioner of the New York City Department of Corrections’ strategic planning division, has been working in the research, economic development, and management industries for more than a decade. Active in the professional community, Shirvahna Gobin belongs to the American Correctional Association (ACA).
Since 1870, the ACA has improved the justice system by accrediting professionals, setting industry standards, and maintaining professional development courses. One of the organization’s many programs is its Leadership Development for the Corrections Professional program. This program is designed to help corrections professionals develop leadership skills and covers topics, such as situational leadership, ethics, team building, and human resources challenges. The program also provides participants with feedback assessment regarding their ability to lead.
Leadership Development for the Corrections Professional consists of two phases that are split up by a four-month break. This break gives participants the chance to work on an organizational project that will be processed during the second phase of the program.
Not including the break, the program lasts for 10 days and each participant walks away with study materials to help them become a certified corrections executive or manager, or a certified corrections manager/executive certificate. Additionally, participants get eight continuing education units and receive all the training materials they used during the program.
