Chief Deputy Secretary of Operations

Joe W. Booker, Jr.

Joe Booker is a Corrections professional with 35 years working at federal, state and local levels. Before his appointment in May 2012, he also worked as an executive manager with annual budgets of more than 140 million. Joe Booker has managed several prisons, housing approximately 2000 inmates with more than 500 staff.

Mr. Booker was the Deputy Director of Public Safety for the Hawaii Public Safety Department since 2011. He was also the president and owner of "Booker Security," where he did security and correctional based consulting specializing in correctional management, training, and investigations for four years. He was a Warden at D. Ray Correctional Facility, a Compliance Reviewer for the Nakamoto Group, and an On-site Contract Monitor for the State of Hawaii.

In 1995, Booker began a 12-year career as the Warden and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Mr. Booker directed and monitored all correctional management programs and operations at the Federal Correctional Institution-Florence, United States Penitentiary -Leavenworth, Federal Detention Center-Honolulu, Federal Medical Center-Lexington, and Federal Correctional Institution-Phoenix.

From 1991 to 1995 Booker was Associate Warden of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He rose to the rank after 4 years as Chief Correctional Supervisor and 13 years total as a Unit Manager, Lieutenant, Senior Officer Specialist and Correctional Officer of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in several states.

Booker is also a former Law Enforcement Officer and Marine. He served as Deputy Sheriff for Gibson County, Tennessee, as a Police Officer in Newbern, Tennessee, and as a Sergeant-Court Clerk for the United States Marine Corp.

Joe Booker's academic achievements include a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology, Leadership Enhancement and Development (LEAD) Phase III, Correctional Leadership Development (NIC), and Executive Development (Aspen Institute).