The director is responsible for oversight and management of the following areas.
Litigation Management
Kobie K. Hudson
phone 651/361-7180, fax 651/603-6770
kobie.hudson@state.mn.us
Responsible for tracking all litigation to which the department is a party; supervising the intake of all new litigation; directing and coordinating responses to lawsuits; and working with the attorney general’s office to prepare litigation defenses. Other responsibilities include review of policies and practices to ensure compliance with statutory and case law, and coordinating employee responses to subpoenas and court orders.
Civil Rights & Employment Matters
Krista Guinn Fink
phone 651/361-7179, fax 651/603-6770
krista.guinn.fink@state.mn.us
Responsible for the department’s response to state and federal writs of habeas corpus before district courts and management of outside counsel on appellate matters. Also supervises the preparation of responses to charges of discrimination filed at federal or state fair employment practices agencies. Additional responsibilities include providing counsel on employment/labor/civil rights issues and litigating on behalf of the department in administrative proceedings for the recapture of contested supervision fees.
Board of Pardons & Data Practices
Randy Hartnett
phone 651/361-7178, fax 651/603-6770
randy.hartnett@state.mn.us
Responsible for advising the Board of Pardons – made up of the Governor, Chief Justice, and Attorney General – on investigative backgrounds of applicants for pardons, commutations of sentence, and pardons extraordinary; administration of various programs related to transfer of offenders outside Minnesota; and review of department policies and practices on non-litigation matters to ensure compliance with statutory and case law. Also responsible for oversight of the classification of department data pursuant to Minnesota statutes in response to data practices requests.
Policy, Accreditation, Contracts, & Rule Review
Tracy Gerasch
phone 651/361-7581, fax 651/603-0036
tracy.gerasch@state.mn.us
Responsible for managing the development and review of department policies. Also is the designated contracts coordinator for the agency to ensure consistency and accuracy, training and technical assistance are provided to agency staff on development of policy, contract, and rule-making language and format. Additional duties include oversight of the department’s compliance with standards set by the American Correctional Association.
Records & Sentence Administration
Patrick Courtney
Phone 651/361-7329, fax 651/643-3588
patrick.courtney@state.mn.us
Responsible for providing department wide direction, planning, and coordination of all activities related to offender information management and sentence administration. Also serves as the liaison between the department and the courts, attorneys, corrections agencies, law enforcement, other private correctional facilities, and other agencies with regard to admission, release, and sentence administration. This manager also administers, directs, and supervises all aspects of sentence administration and offender records for DOC offenders that are housed outside of a DOC facility.
Tort, Property & Offender Injury Claims
Nacole Lind
Phone 651/361-7177, fax 651/603-6770
nacole.lind@state.mn.us
Responsible for providing administrative procedures for resolving all claims filed with the department, including investigation and review of claims for compliance to statute, procedural rules, and department standards. Also makes recommendations regarding resolution of claims to the Joint Senate/House Subcommittee on Claims.
Anti-Discrimination & Sexual Harassment Investigation
Tracie Nemec
Phone 651/361-7176, fax 651/603-6770
tracie.nemec@state.mn.us
Responsible for ensuring the department’s employment practices are free from illegal discrimination, including sexual harassment and discrimination based upon protected class characteristics, by providing a process through which complaints of illegal discrimination will be promptly, thoroughly, and respectfully handled and investigated.
