Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We were thrilled to host this year’s Arizona Correctional Educators Symposium from May 30 to June 1, 2023, at Harrah’s Ak-Chin! 🎉 The theme, “We Are Stronger and Better Together,” truly captured the spirit of our collective strength and effectiveness in the field, and we were delighted to celebrate it with an inspiring and engaging program. 💪✨

Professionals from various jurisdictions—federal, state, county, community, and tribal—gathered to share significant and exciting developments in our field, as is customary at ACE. The symposium showcased keynote lectures, educational workshops, interactive sessions, and meet-the-expert opportunities that benefited all educators in attendance. 🎓

We were honored to host this dynamic event at Ak-Chin, where we presented the latest advancements in our field. Your participation was crucial in strengthening education and the ACE community. Together, we continued to grow and improve! 🌱

We were especially excited to introduce our keynote speaker, the Honorable Emilio G. Velasquez 🏛️, who inspired us with his dedication to justice and mental health.

Judge Velasquez has served as Justice of the Peace for Santa Cruz County since 2015. His journey into public service began in 2008 as Chief Deputy for the Santa Cruz County Recorder’s Office. Over the years, he has been deeply involved in various boards, including United Way, Young Audiences, and the American Cancer Society, while also contributing to the development of several transformative programs. 🌟

During his time as Justice of the Peace, he implemented programs such as the License Compliance Program, University of Arizona internship program, Warrant Day, and the Home Detention Program. More recently, his focus has been on behavioral and mental health, leading to the creation of the Adult Recovery Court Program and the Behavioral Empowerment Court. Judge Velasquez also spearheaded the Behavioral/Mental Health/Substance Abuse Community Court Coalition in Santa Cruz County. His work has been recognized with the “Keep Hope Alive” awardand the “Judicial Officer Mental Health Criminal Justice Collaboration” award 🏆 for his dedication to drug addiction and mental health issues.

Before relocating to Nogales, Judge Velasquez lived in Laguna Beach, California, where he was the CEO and owner of a pharmaceutical research company focused on psychotropic medications for mental health disorders. He also previously served as Vice President for a pharmaceutical research company, expanding it across Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. 🌍

Judge Velasquez is a proud native Nogalian from a pioneering family and continues to serve Santa Cruz County with honor and dedication. 👏

Thank you to everyone who attended and made this symposium a success! We look forward to the next opportunity to gather and continue our work together. 🌟