PRESS RELEASE: US Attorney General Appoints DOC Secretary, Cheryl Strange to Advisory Board

Released October 28, 2024

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TUMWATER – US Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed Department of Corrections Secretary Cheryl Strange to the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Advisory Board. The 16-member board sets policy and develops long-term plans for the NIC and is comprised of private sector, local law enforcement, state corrections officials and federal administrators.

“This is a great honor at the tail end of my career,” said Strange. “In Washington state, we have enacted nation-leading reforms that have created a more humane corrections system while also improving public safety. I look forward to participating with other national leaders at the federal and state government levels on approaches that can be implemented nationally.”

The National Institute of Corrections provides guidance to local and state governments, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, other federal agencies and the United States Congress. Its primary goal is to raise the standards and performance of corrections agencies nationwide.

“Secretary Strange's appointment is a testament to her lifelong commitment to public service and reform,” said Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters. “Her progressive leadership transformed Washington state's corrections system, prioritizing both public safety and humane treatment and her vision and experience will be invaluable as NIC and the Advisory Board work to raise the standard of corrections nationwide.”

After a distinguished career as a public servant that has spanned more than 40 years, Strange plans to retire next year. She joined the Department of Corrections (DOC) as secretary in 2021 after serving four years as secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services. Prior to that, she was the CEO of Western State Hospital. She has also worked as DOC’s deputy secretary during a prior stint with the department, vice president of Pioneer Services and director of the Health Benefits Trust for SEIU 775.

“I have appointed Cheryl to some of the most difficult jobs in state government,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “She has excelled at improving the state’s behavioral health system, overseeing social services that impact more than two million Washingtonians and guiding DOC through the pandemic and a series of reforms. It’s wonderful that she now has the opportunity to introduce policies that have been so successful in our state at the federal level.”