News Releases

CDCR Honors Employees at Medal of Valor Ceremony

113 honored for courage, service above and beyond the call of duty 

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) honored 113 employees today during its 32nd annual Medal of Valor Ceremony. The Medal of Valor is earned by employees distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service. It is the highest honor CDCR bestows upon its employees.

“These individuals have demonstrated valor and courage in the face of real danger,” said Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., who gave opening remarks at the ceremony. “The Medal of Valor we give today is given to people who in the face of danger for their own lives met the test and did what they had to do. They let duty prevail over fear.”

“We should all take inspiration from those who did exactly what they needed to do to have a great Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and also to have a great society.”

One of this year’s Medal of Valor recipients is Deuel Vocational Institution Correctional Officer Kevin Machado, who bravely subdued a knife-wielding man who was attacking employees and shoppers at a local Costco last year. Employees of the Modesto store had attempted to force the assailant out of the store by creating a barricade with shopping carts and other objects, but the man was still a danger to the public outside. Officer Machado approached the man outside the store, drew his concealed weapon, identified himself as a peace officer and ordered the man to drop the knife.  The man refused to comply and began lunging at Officer Machado, jabbing the knife in Machado’s direction. Officer Machado courageously fired a single shot, wounding his attacker and stopping the assault.

“The Medal of Valor is the highest honor we can bestow upon our officers, and I am so proud of the selfless actions and dedication to the community of our honorees,” said CDCR Secretary Scott Kernan. “Their courage, bravery and commitment under extreme conditions went beyond the normal demands of correctional service. For all our recipients today, your hard work embodies the spirit of our department, and I am privileged and honored to work beside you.”

This year’s second Medal of Valor recipient is CDCR Transportation Unit Correctional Sergeant Timothy Reynolds, who rescued victims of a four-vehicle crash as their vehicle teetered on the edge of a 60-foot drop. When Sergeant Reynolds and his unit came

across the crash, he risked his own safety to rescue the victims just after an adjacent vehicle exploded in flames. Reynolds’ quick action and courage helped save the victims from serious injury or even death.

Staff members from state prisons, parole offices and CDCR divisions statewide received awards at Creekside Christian Church of Elk Grove. In addition to the Medal of Valor, CDCR awarded Distinguished Service Medals, Unit Citations and Bronze, Silver and Gold Corrections Stars.

A complete list of 2017 award winners follows:

Medal of Valor

The Medal of Valor is the Department’s highest award, earned by employees distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service. The employee shall display great courage in the face of immediate life-threatening peril and with full knowledge of the risk involved. The act should show professional judgment and not jeopardize operations or in the lives of others.

Kevin Machado, Correctional Officer

Deuel Vocational Institution

Timothy Reynolds, Correctional Sergeant

CDCR Statewide Transportation Unit

Gold Star Medal

The Gold Star Medal is awarded for heroic deeds under extraordinary circumstances. The employee shall display courage in the face of immediate peril in acting to save the life of another person.

Dameion Renault, Community Resource Manager

Sierra Conservation Center

Rory Rickman, Correctional Officer

California State Prison, Sacramento

David Matthews, Correctional Officer

California State Prison, Sacramento

Michael Gomes, Correctional Sergeant

Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp

Silver Star Medal

The Silver Star Medal is awarded for acts of bravery under extraordinary or unusual circumstances. The employee shall display courage in the face of potential peril while saving or attempting to save the life of another person or distinguish him/herself by performing in stressful situations with exceptional tactics or judgement.

Andrew Asjes Jr., Correctional Officer

Kern Valley State Prison

Daniel Glover, Correctional Officer

Sierra Conservation Center

Brian Berghorst, Correctional Officer

Deuel Vocational Institution

John Mendiboure, Correctional Lieutenant

Avenal State Prison

Allen Aldon, Staff Services Analyst

Office of Peace Officer Selection – Southern Selection Center

Fred Bird, Plumber II

California Correctional Center

Bronze Star Medal

The Bronze Star is awarded for saving a life without placing oneself in peril. The employee shall have used proper training and tactics in a professional manner to save, or clearly contribute to saving, the life of another person.

Cavin Horton, Correctional Sergeant

Kern Valley State Prison

Sergio Castrejon, Correctional Officer

Kern Valley State Prison

Joseph Harmon, Correctional Officer

Kern Valley State Prison

Jonathan Homer, Correctional Officer

R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility

Randy Turner, Correctional Sergeant (Two Bronze Star Medals)

San Quentin State Prison

Lisa Fuette, Correctional Officer

San Quentin State Prison

Robert O’Brien, Correctional Captain

Folsom State Prison

Lonnie A. Watson Jr., Correctional Officer

Pleasant Valley State Prison

Quentin Brantley, Correctional Sergeant

Chuckawalla Valley State Prison

Leticia Espinoza, Correctional Sergeant

Chuckawalla Valley State Prison

Rod Harvell, Correctional Officer

California State Prison, Solano

Kristina Smith, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Chuckawalla Valley State Prison

Kenneth Thomas, Parole Agent III

Division of Adult Parole Operations – Southern Region

Daniel Kirk, Correctional Counselor II

Sierra Conservation Center

Christopher Sanders, Correctional Officer

Folsom State Prison

Mark Evans, Correctional Sergeant

Correctional Training Facility

Stanley Wright Jr., Correctional Sergeant

R.A. McGee Correctional Training Center

Anthony Marquez, Correctional Sergeant

R.A. McGee Correctional Training Center

Salvador Velasco Jr., Correctional Sergeant

Calipatria State Prison

Gilberto Jora, Correctional Officer

California State Prison, Sacramento

Mark Barra, Correctional Sergeant

Calipatria State Prison

Gloria Cano, Registered Nurse

Ironwood State Prison

Greg Henry, Stationary Engineer

Sean Brown, Correctional Officer

California State Prison, Corcoran

Lee Brannon, Parole Agent I

Oakland Parole Complex

Mario Rios, Correctional Officer

California Correctional Institution

Tony Carbajal, Correctional Officer

Central Transportation Hub

Unit Citation Medal

The Unit Citation is awarded for great courage displayed by a departmental unit in the course of conducting an operation in the face of immediate life-threatening circumstances.

Corey Ringer, Correctional Sergeant

Joseph Eyerman, Correctional Sergeant

Robert Curry, Correctional Sergeant

Steve Mackey, Fire Captain

Arthur “Duke” Juanitas, Fire Captain

Elliott Hull, Fire Captain

Mark Runyan, Correctional Officer

Peter Reyersbach Jr., Correctional Officer

Rodney Lazard, Correctional Officer

Dale Bunch, Correctional Officer

Paramjit Kaur, Registered Nurse

Folsom State Prison

William McCart, Correctional Officer

Larry Middlesworth, Correctional Officer

Jeffrey McCullough, Correctional Officer

Mark Friend, Correctional Officer

Justin Byers, Correctional Officer

Dominick Avila, Correctional Officer

Brittany Alkire, Correctional Counselor I

High Desert State Prison

Hien Le, Parole Agent III, Assistant Unit Supervisor

Calvin Holmes Jr., Parole Agent III

Riverside GPS Parole Unit

Distinguished Service Medal

The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded for an employee’s exemplary work conduct with the Department for a period of months or years, or involvement in a specific assignment of unusual benefit to the Department.

Jack Hansen, Correctional Officer

California State Prison, Sacramento

Ronald G. Frantz, Parole Agent III – Senior Investigator

Board of Parole Hearings – Offender Investigations Unit

Brantley Choate, Superintendent

Office of Correctional Education

Kelly Medina, Correctional Administrator

Female Offender Programs and Services

Kelly Santoro, Warden

North Kern State Prison

Employee Recognition Awards

Executive of the Year

  1. Eliot Spearman Sr., Warden

High Desert State Prison

Administrator of the Year

Howard Moseley, Chief Deputy General Counsel

Office of Legal Affairs

Rehabilitation Professional of the Year

Ryan Souza, Associate Director Program Support

Landon Bravo, Chief of Program Operations

Jessica Mazlum, Chief of Compliance and Population Placement

Division of Rehabilitative Programs

Division of Adult Parole Operations Professional of the Year

Steve Marshall, Chief Deputy

Headquarters

Correctional Officer of the Year

Ashley Giusto, Correctional Officer

California Institution for Women

Correctional Supervisor of the Year

Jennifer Kuehn, Correctional Counselor II

Shane Brown, Correctional Lieutenant

Division of Juvenile Justice Professional of the Year

DaiNette Bowens, Parole Agent II, Specialist

N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility

Lynn Arbios, Executive Secretary

Northern California Youth Correctional Center

Healthcare Professional of the Year

Mary Melizza, EHRS HIM SME

Jennifer Wright, EHRS HIM SME

Michelle Williams, EHRS HIM SME

Debra Caster, EHRS HIM SME

Mamie Hao, EHRS HIM SME

Jason Whitby, EHRS Pharmacy SME

Jean-Marc Manosane, EHRS Pharmacy SME

Lisa Holcomb, EHRS Mental Health Scheduling SME

Steven Cartwright, EHRS Mental Health SME

Kevin Kuich, EHRS Mental Health SME

Unique Martinez, EHRS Medical SME

Ryan Namba, EHRS Medical SME

Janita Taylor, EHRS Medical SME

Veela Lymuel, EHRS Nursing SME

Jodie Hurn, EHRS Nursing SME

Mike Pedersen, EHRS Nursing SME

Rebecca Ramirez, EHRS Nursing SME

Cynthia Ricker, EHRS Nursing SME

Gance Ly, EHRS Team

Toni Richey, EHRS Team

Nick Faragasso, EHRS Team

Runora Francesconi, EHRS Team

Maria Fritz, EHRS Team

Grace Jeyaseelan, NCPR HQ, EHRS Nursing SME

Jim Elliott, CEO of CIW, Region IV

Laura Coontz, SRN-II, Region III ECHOS SME Coordinator

Chris Brady, RN – CMC, Region II

June Buckholtz, RN, Region II

Patty Gonzales, NCPR, Region II

Theresa Kimura-Yip, CEO of FSP, Region 1

Josh Albertson, SRN-II, Region 1 ECHOS SME Coordinator

Debra Amos-Terrell, Chief Nurse Executive

Janene DelMundo, EHRS Team

John Rekart, Chief Psychologist, EHRS Mental Health SME

Eric Lee, M.D., Lead Physician on ECHOS team, Region IV

Electronic Health Record System Deployment Team

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 14, 2017

Contact: Alexandra Powell

(916) 445-4950

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