Meet the Staff

Keith earned an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement from Macomb Community College and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University in 1982. He first began with LCO as a student intern and was honored to be hired as a field investigator with the office following graduation. Keith’s first assignment was participating in a Post Disturbance Tension Report for the Michigan Legislature following the 1981 prison riots to assist the Legislature with ongoing concerns regarding prison conditions. During Keith’s time with LCO, Michigan embarked on the largest prison expansion program in the State’s history, with the prisoner population increasing three times the amount when he first began his career. He was appointed Chief Investigator in June 2003, and was named Ombudsman in November 2008.

It is Keith’s desire to provide effective and responsive services to the Michigan Legislature, as well as the public and prisoner populations LCO serves. He is committed to assisting Michigan Legislators and their constituents with investigating, resolving and responding to complaints regarding the State Corrections system, providing impartial information and advice related to Corrections issues, and offering guidance for proposed legislation impacting the Corrections system.

Mike joined the Ombudsman office in January 2016 as an Analyst. Mike was promoted to Chief Analyst in 2023. In this position he plans, organize, and supervises field staff. He gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, makes recommendations and executes response.

Mike earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Human studies from Michigan State University and Master’s degree in Business Administration & Public Health from Davenport University. His professional background consists of working in human services, primarily residential and foster care.

Ethan joined the Ombudsman office in July 2022 as an Analyst. In this position, he is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). During the course of investigations, he gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, makes recommendations to MDOC or the Legislature, and provides explanations to prisoners and Legislator constituents.

Ethan graduated from Michigan State University in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History. His areas of concentration included the modern American presidency, judicial politics, and Byzantium. During the last three years of his time at MSU he worked as a Student Rights Advocate where he assisted students through the adjudication of their conduct cases and acted as counsel for students during university hearings. As Director of the program, he acted as the lead advocate for the student body on due process. This included sitting on committees and task forces that directly affected student rights and due processes. For this work he was recognized by the university with the Distinguished Mentor Award as well as the Spartan Student Leadership Medallion of Excellence.

Erin joined the Ombudsman Office in January 2022 as a student intern and was appointed as a full time Ombudsman Analyst in July 2022. In this role, she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies, and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). During the course of investigations, she gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, makes recommendations to MDOC and the Legislature, and provides explanations to prisoners and Legislator constituents.

Erin earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Race and Ethnicity in the US at Michigan State University with Honors College Distinction in May 2022. While earning her degree, she constructed and conducted research on racial relations within United States, as well as the correctional setting through intense training in qualitative and quantitative research methods including surveying, interviewing, content analyzing, and data mining. Most notably, she was granted the opportunity to present her research abstract titled “Addressing Mental Health in the [U.S.] Black Community” at MSU’s 2020 University Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) virtually. Additionally, Erin is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. ®, providing sustainable service that enhances social, economic, and educational well-being of the local, national, and international communities.

Alexis joined the Ombudsman in October 2018 as an Analyst. In this position she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). She gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, provides explanations to prisoners and Legislators, and makes recommendations to the MDOC or the Legislature.

Alexis earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Michigan State University and Master’s degree in Violence, Terrorism and Security from Queen’s University Belfast. Prior to joining the Ombudsman, she worked at Children of Prisoners Europe as a Research Consultant.

Michelle Reed became the Administrative Secretary for LCO in August 2015. Michelle was promoted to Executive Assistant in 2019. She provides support services for 9 staff including mail processing and initial response, database management and improvements, managing the email and telephone systems, as well as streamlining office procedures to help the office operate effectively and efficiently. In short, Michelle is the backbone of our agency.

Michelle brings over 23 years of administrative experience. Before joining the LCO team, Michelle worked as a Program Center Assistant at Northwood University for over 7 years. She has also completed numerous administrative courses that build her knowledge to help support the office.

Samantha joined the Ombudsman office in November of 2022 as an Ombudsman Analyst. In this position, she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies, and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). During the course of investigations, she gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, makes recommendations to MDOC or the Legislature, and provides explanations to prisoners and Legislator constituents.

Samantha received an Associate of Liberal Arts from Oakland Community College and completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Michigan – Flint, where she graduated with high honors and was a Maize & Blue Distinguished Scholar Award recipient. She worked as a Supplemental Instruction Leader and tutor for Interpersonal Communications, Principles of Research Design, Advanced Topics in Psychology, and Advanced Research in Psychology. She wrote several research papers regarding the prevalence of mental illness among the incarcerated population and the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mode Deactivation Therapy (MDT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on traits strongly associated with criminal behavior and recidivism for incarcerated juveniles and adults, as well as the cost-effectiveness of these therapies in an institutional setting.

Elizabeth joined the Ombudsman Office in January 2023 as a student intern and was appointed as a full time Ombudsman Analyst in August 2023. In this role, she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies, and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). During the course of investigations, she gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, makes recommendations to MDOC and the Legislature, and provides explanations to prisoners and Legislator constituents.

Elizabeth graduated with honors from Michigan State University in May of 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Psychology and a minor in Law, Justice and Public Policy. While earning her degree, she worked at Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office in their Economic Crime Unit where she was an assistant investigator intern to return restitution owed to merchants and government entities. Elizabeth was also part of Alpha Phi Sigma- National Criminal Justice Honors Society during her time at MSU, promoting academic excellence, community service, and leadership in CJ students.

Emily joined the LCO in August 2023 as an analyst. In this role, she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies, and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). During the course of investigations, she gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints, makes recommendations to MDOC and the Legislature, and provides explanations to prisoners and Legislator constituents. Emily earned a bachelor’s degree in political science Pre-Law and Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. Prior to the Ombudsman, she interned for the Attorney General’s office in the Criminal Investigation Division, in which she worked alongside Special Agents on their investigations. Additionally, she interned at Attorney General’s Conviction Integrity Unit, in which she worked with prosecutors to investigate prisoner’s claims of innocence.

Sydney joined the Ombudsman office in August 2023 as an Analyst. In this role, she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies, and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). During the course of investigations, she gathers evidence and information, conducts research to analyze issues and complaints and makes recommendations to MDOC and the Legislature, and provides explanations to prisoners and Legislator constituents.

Sydney graduated from Michigan State University in May 2023, with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. She earned the Board of Trustees Award for obtaining a 4.0 during her time at MSU. While working toward her degree, she conducted research for the Speak Up MSU Initiative, a study focused on understanding student vulnerability, trust, and distrust in the student-university relationship, and co-authored the report published based on the teams’ findings. While working for the LCO, she simultaneously works as a Research and Evaluation Consultant for the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV), providing expert guidance and assistance to the policy and research team on various projects.

Baylie joined the Ombudsman office in August 2023 as an Analyst. In this position, she is responsible for conducting comprehensive investigations relating to the administrative actions, policies, and procedures of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). Using various pieces of evidence and information, her role includes conducting research to analyze issues and complaints, making recommendations to the MDOC and Legislature, and providing insight to prisoners and Legislator constituents.

Baylie graduated from Michigan State University in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. She then continued her education at MSU, receiving a Master of Science degree in Law Enforcement Intelligence and Analysis in May 2023. While obtaining her degrees, Baylie worked as a Police Cadet where she practiced critical thinking and effective communication skills to provide quality services to the community. During her graduate program, she was also a part of the Michigan State Police’s Cold Case Team – a collaborative effort between Michigan State University’s School of Criminal Justice and the State Police to analyze cold cases within Michigan. The formation of this team aided in the solving of a 41-year-old cold case out of Livingston County.