On March 22, 2010, Terri Gonzalez became the first female warden at California Men’s Colony (CMC). At the time, she was one of eight women overseeing a state correctional facility.
“Gonzalez takes command of the California Men’s Colony with more than two decades of experience,” reported the Tribune, a San Luis Obispo newspaper. “Gonzalez is nonchalant about being a woman overseeing the medium/minimum-security prison. She will quickly tell you that women long ago breached the ranks and can be found in key management positions throughout (corrections).”
She started her career in 1988 as a correctional officer at California State Prison, Corcoran.
In 2002, she ended her time at Corcoran after having risen to the rank of captain.
In 2005, she joined CMC as a correctional administrator, eventually becoming chief deputy warden under Warden John Marshall.
As warden, she made sure to spend time walking the prison grounds.
“The (population needs) to know their issues are being heard all the way up to the warden’s level,” she said.
In the post for nearly two years, she then promoted to become associate director of general population male offenders for CDCR.
By Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor
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