Week in Review: August 22, 2025

August 22, 2025

In this August 22 Week in Review, we spotlight Correctional Case Records Manager Seani Pendarvis and institutions at National Night Out.

Staff Spotlight

3 Questions with Seani Pendarvis

Seani Pendarvis, a correctional case records manager (CCRM) at Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP), traded a career in real estate for one in CDCR.

She began her career with CDCR in 2008 as an office technician. By 2022, she had successfully promoted four times and currently serves the department in her managerial role.

We caught up with Pendarvis to talk about why she chose to work for CDCR, work-life balance, and the advice she has for others thinking about joining CDCR.

Q&A with Seani Pendarvis

Why did you choose to work for the department?

I was previously an Oregon real estate broker before joining CDCR. I knew a career with the department would be successful, especially in my rural area where not many opportunities are available. My mom had worked at PBSP since I was a child, so I knew it was a good choice.

How do you balance work and home life?

It can be a juggle, but family is my number one priority, and I ensure my staff feel the same way.

My husband and three kids keep me busy with school, sports, travel, and we are building a new home.

We are often out on the boat in some nearby body of water year-round. We are summertime campers and thoroughly enjoy the outdoors. My kids keep me busy with their sports activities, and I volunteer to coach local youth leagues. So, if I am not out on the field coaching, I am in the stands cheering them on.

What advice do you have for others thinking about joining CDCR?

CDCR is a great career path. The department is filled with a variety of opportunities throughout the state you can apply for. There is plenty of experience to gain all over the department in many areas to meet your interests.

Upward Mobility

Kimberly Thornton, appointed acting Warden at High Desert State Prison

In the Community

CDCR institutions join communities in National Night Out

Pelican Bay State Prison

Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) staff attended the fourth annual National Night Out community event, hosted by local law enforcement and first responders.

This event brought together local agencies, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and positive community interaction. The evening was filled with joyful sounds and enthusiastic engagement.

Local restaurant Sea Quake provided food, while numerous attendees enjoyed socializing and participating in opportunity drawings held throughout the night. Many attendees, children and adults, went home with prizes including brand new bikes, backpacks brimming with school supplies, and gift cards.

Children enjoyed the inflatable bounce house and participated in various activities.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, a local band comprising current and retired PBSP staff members entertained the crowd.

National Night Out’s core mission is to strengthen neighborhood bonds and enhance relationships between residents and law enforcement, creating safer and more caring communities.

Pleasant Valley State Prison

Bikes, school supplies and a check presentation were all part of the National Night Out events held in nearby cities of Coalinga and Huron. A school supply drive had Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) staff purchasing items to help children in the two communities. This year’s donations included a variety of items, including colored pencils, glue sticks, folders, notebooks and highlighters.

PVSP staff with bikes for National Night Out

In addition, the PVSP Bike Shop supplied bicycles for the Boys and Girls Club as prize items during National Night Out. The Bike Shop is always prepared to donate refurbished bikes as they work year-round to get these bikes into the hands of children.

The City of Coalinga’s National Night Out was the beneficiary of the incarcerated persons fund-raising campaign. Totaling over $7,200, the funds were used to purchase backpacks and supplies for more than 800 children for the school year.

“A contribution of $7,529 is an extraordinary show of generosity and community spirit. We deeply appreciate your continued partnership and the positive impact you are fostering through these efforts,” said Sean Brewer, interim city manager.

Observances

National Patient Advocacy Day

National Patient Advocacy Day highlights some of the important programs being implemented throughout our institutions. We have made important strides in the area of patient advocacy with programs and resources such as:

The Inmate (Incarcerated) Advisory Council (IAC)
Patient Advisory Council (PAC)
Peer Support Specialist Program (PSSP)
Patient elected health education sessions

The IAC, PAC, and PSSP have been instrumental in making positive changes in patient care. These programs have been an important tool for patients and staff, providing a forum to for effective communication. These programs gather and analyze feedback on challenging issues (such as low vaccine rates and screening rates), and the opportunity to implement important improvements to increase patient safety and care.

Recruitment

CDCR, CCHCS team up at the State Fair

CDCR once again made its presence known at the 2025 California State Fair. This year, the department’s recruitment teams from Recruitment and Career Services (RCS) and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) joined forces at a combined booth. This collaboration allowed the teams to reach a diverse and expansive audience, highlighting the wide array of custody, non-custody, and health care career opportunities within the department.

With more than 700,000 people attending the fair, the recruitment booth was a prime spot for engaging potential recruits and the community.

“This collaboration allowed us to reach a broader audience and highlight ALL the careers we offer inside the walls,” said Danny Royster of RCS.

This unified effort was particularly effective in demonstrating the full scope of CDCR’s mission.

“While many people only think of correctional officers, our institutions are like small cities, with many non-custody careers vital to our mission of public safety and rehabilitation. The recruitment teams highlighted essential roles in healthcare, education, administration, and food services. These are crucial to the daily operations of CDCR’s facilities,” said Martina Espinoza from RCS.

The success of this year’s state fair outreach sets a new standard for future recruitment efforts and highlights the dedication of the CDCR and CCHCS teams to finding the next generation of talented professionals.

CCHCS

Lean Live! Event inspires cross-agency process improvement

Lean Live Interagency Discussion with panelist photos

The recent Lean Live! Interagency Discussion brought together staff from CCHCS, CDCR, Caltrans, and DMV to explore how Lean Sigma Six (LS6) can streamline processes and support continuous improvement.

Faced with a state budget crisis, L6S can help eliminate waste and improve efficiency – saving California agencies time, resources and money. The live panel discussion included highlights on “how” and “why” agencies build out their L6S program and its ability to empower staff and facilitate culture change throughout an organization.

Panelists also shared tools, strategies, and real-world examples to help staff identify inefficiencies and build a team-based approach to problem-solving. The event emphasized collaboration across departments to drive smarter systems and better outcomes.

Panelists included:

Lisa Groesz, L6S Certified Master Black Belt, CCHCS
Robyn Eatmon, L6S Certified Master Black Belt, CCHCS
Annette Lambert, L6S Certified Green Belt, CCHCS
Sammantha Soto, L6S Certified Black Belt, Caltrans
Paul Flanigan, L6S Certified Master Black Belt, DMV

Attendees received the CCHCS/CDCR Lean Six Sigma course catalog and tools to help start or strengthen their Lean journey.

Lean Six Sigma tips for staff:

Focus on the voice of the customer—who benefits from your work, and how can it be better
Start small—one improved step in a process can lead to big change.
Look for the 8 types of waste: defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion, and extra-processing.
Use data, not assumptions, to identify problem areas.

Rehabilitation

ARC hosts graduation ceremony for FCRP

The Anit-Recidivism Coalition’s (ARC) HART Program hosted a Graduation Ceremony at the City of Refuge in Sacramento.

Sacramento FCRP participants of the seventh ARC co-hort graduation on August 8, 2025.

This special event honored the achievements of Female Community Reentry Program (FCRP) participants and celebrated their successful journey to reentry. Life Coaches from ARC, guest speakers, program participants, FCRP staff, and family members were in attendance.

The Hope and Redemption Team (HART) program consists of 10-week workshops focusing on parole preparation and reentry planning. All facilitators are formerly incarcerated individuals, many of whom are giving back to reach, inspire and mentor the men and women still inside.

This is the seventh cohort led by Candice Lewis, a previous participant, now ARC Life Coach.

“This graduation is celebration of accomplishments and a reflection of the resilience and commitment shown by each of our participants,” she said.

To learn more about FCRP visit the CDCR website.

In the Media

Dante D. Jones.

Jones organized the San Quentin Media Fest

San Quentin Media Fest raises funds to help people incarcerated perfect their craft

San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, formerly known as San Quentin State Prison, was known as America’s most dangerous prison. Now it’s working to help inmates learn skills that they can leverage once released, including filmmaking.