Wednesday, October 22
Hunt the Good Stuff
Wednesday, October 22
8:50 AM–9:50 AM
Author, veteran, and global resilience advocate Duncan Kirkwood guides participants through the foundational tools of personal and professional resilience. Using his Hunt the Good Stuff framework, he demonstrates how presence, grit, joy, and gratitude strengthen mental health, boost workplace performance, and foster a grounded sense of self. Key themes include letting go of the past, developing grit to overcome challenges, and reframing negative thoughts through gratitude and self-discovery.
Speaker: Duncan Kirkwood, 1LT, MP
Investing in People is the Key to Investing in Safety
Wednesday, October 22
10:10 AM–11:10 AM
A human-centered approach to strengthening the probation workforce can transform both correctional systems and communities. By investing in workplace culture, probation enhances staff effectiveness, fosters innovation and collaboration, and supports overall well-being. Learn how organizational health strategies build stronger leadership, improve outcomes, and create safer communities through transformative rehabilitation.
Speakers: Dr. Myrinda Schweitzer Smith, Executive Director, University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute
From Rock Bottom to Redemption: A Probation Officer’s Journey Through Trauma, Recovery and the Power of Perseverance
Wednesday, October 22
11:10 AM–12:00 PM
After surviving a near-fatal surfing accident, one probation officer’s journey from paralysis to completing an ultramarathon became a powerful metaphor for personal and professional purpose. This session will explore how a near-death experience, resilience, and rehabilitation became not just a story of survival, but a renewed call to serve—more intentionally, more humanely, and more powerfully as a probation officer.