Mary L. Livers

CGL recently welcomed former American Correctional Association (ACA) and Association of Women Executives in Corrections (AWEC) President Mary L. Livers, Ph.D, to its team of justice experts. Dr. Livers joins CGL as a Senior Correctional Advisor.

Dr. Livers is an award-winning national expert, consultant, trainer, and professor specializing in adult and juvenile corrections operations, and leadership development. Over the course of her 45-year-career, she has earned a reputation as a dedicated public servant, a change agent, and a leader who is devoted to creating a positive, healthy, and productive work environment within the corrections community.

In her new role consulting for CGL, Dr. Livers will work closely with the Justice Services team to provide management and operations consulting services to adult and juvenile detention agencies across America.

Dr. Livers brings a wealth of experience in the corrections field. She has served in a variety of positions in both men’s and women’s prisons, as well as held agency-wide positions in four states including Arkansas, Maryland, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, where she served as Director of Research and Evaluation, Assistant Warden, Deputy Warden, Director of Classification and Programs, Warden, Deputy Director of Community Corrections, Chief of Staff and Operations, and Associate Director.

Dr. Livers served as the 104th President of the ACA, and served in a variety of positions within the organization. She is a charter member of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections (AWEC) and served as its first President. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards honoring her leadership and contributions to the field, including: the E.R. Cass Award, the highest award bestowed upon an individual within the membership of the American Correctional Association.

Dr. Livers currently serves on the board of directors for the non-profit Louisiana Parole Project, which provides specialized reentry services for persons in Louisiana. She is the founding President of Livers Corrections Consulting LLC, a part-time adjunct professor at Louisiana State University, and participates in executive-level training internationally.  Prior to being a consultant, she was appointed as the Chief of Staff at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office reporting directly to the Federal Court Compliance Director. She retired from the state of Louisiana as the deputy secretary of the Office of Juvenile Justice in Louisiana, where she was appointed by the Governor and served on his cabinet as the agency head of the Office of Juvenile Justice.

Dr. Livers has provided a range of training, technical assistance to state, community and private organizations within the field of corrections, and is invited to speak on leadership in corrections in various venues, including the Vera Institute of Justice hearings on violence in prisons. She has traveled and presented nationally and internationally.

Dr. Livers holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Social Work, specializing in corrections and community intervention, from Louisiana State University. She also earned a Ph.D. in adult and higher education, with staff development and training specialties from the University of Oklahoma.