AWEC President Pelicia Hall and the Executive Committee are pleased to announce the 2024 Legacy Award is presented to Terri McDonald. AWEC annually presents the Legacy Award to an outstanding professional who has supported the development and contributions of senior and executive women in corrections.
Terri has been an active member of AWEC for many years. She is an active Past President and currently serves on the Board of Directors. Terri has 40 years of public service, working in local and state corrections and behavioral health treatment facilities.
Terri began her working career in 1981 serving as a mental health worker and supervisor in a variety of mental health and drug treatment facilities. She began her correctional career in 1988 working as a correctional officer, with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. While working for the state correction system, Terri served in a variety of facilities and assignments and promoted from correctional officer through various ranks and ultimately served as the Undersecretary of Operations, responsible for executive direction and oversight of nearly 60,000 employees responsible for the supervision and rehabilitative services to over 300,000 parolees, juveniles and inmates in the California State Correctional System, the largest state system in the nation.
In 2013, Terri transitioned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to lead reforms within the Los Angeles County Jail system. In Los Angeles, she was responsible for envisioning and overseeing significant reforms to virtually every aspect of the Los Angeles jail system – the largest jail system in the nation. Following a short retirement from the Sheriff’s Department, in 2017, Terri transitioned again and was appointed as the Chief Probation Officer in Los Angeles County, leading significant reforms in the agency. The Los Angeles County Probation Department is the largest in America supervising over 50,000 probationers and 1,200 juveniles in communities, treatment centers and detention facilities. Since retiring in 2020, Terri operates a private consulting business focused on complex correctional initiatives and serves as a court appointed monitor or expert in several class actions lawsuits.
Terri holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Leadership in Law Enforcement, graduating with Honors, from the University of San Francisco. She is an active member of several criminal justice associations, served on a variety of non-profit boards and continues to serve as a subject matter expert on numerous criminal justice related projects.
Terri embodies AWEC’s moto of “Each One-Teach One”. Please join us in congratulation Terri on being the 2024 Legacy Awardee.