Governor-Elect Nathan Deal has nominated Amy Howell as the next Commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Juvenile Justice. She will be the first woman to ever lead the agency. Howell is a DJJ veteran, an attorney who currently serves as Deputy Commissioner. She is slated to replace Commissioner Garland Hunt in mid-January. DJJ Board members who must approve the appointment, got the word this morning by email.
Howell is a long-time child advocate. She was hired at DJJ by then-Commissioner Albert Murray, who promoted her within the agency.
Amy Howell is an alumna of the Barton Clinic at Emory University, where she started in 2002 as an Equal Justice Works fellow, and became Managing Attorney of the Southern Juvenile Defender Center. According to the Barton website, Howell helped develop protocols for pre-trial mental health assessment, detention alternative policies, and public education on the juvenile justice system. She has written a manual called “Representing the Whole Child: A Juvenile Defender Training Manual.”
Howell is also past president of the Young Lawyer’s Division of the State Bar of Georgia.
Before she became a lawyer, Howell taught elementary school and worked with special needs and gifted children in North Carolina. She got her BA from Connecticut College and her JD from Temple University.
For some additional insight on Amy Howell, you can follow her posts on Twitter @Mrs.PHowell, where she writes about the achievements of kids in the juvenile justice system, and people who inspire her. She describes herself as “A mom who likes to think, love and laugh.”
Outgoing DJJ Commissioner Garland Hunt was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue last Spring. Hunt came from the Board of Pardons and Paroles. He swapped roles with Albert Murray, who traded his DJJ office for a seat on the Parole Board. Hunt is a lawyer, as well as an ordained minister and co-pastor of the 200-member Father’s House Church in Norcross. In an interview with JJIE.org last May, Hunt described himself as a deeply religious man who feels he was “divinely called” to be both a lawyer and a pastor.
This is a note for Amy. I was at volunteer luncheon here in Cartersville today, and was very impressed with her, and what she had to say. I just recently became a CASA volunteer, and in fact, was on my way over to meet with my CASA child after the luncheon. Thank you for your work, and for recognizing all us volunteers; it makes us feel that people care about our time and effort we put forward. Thanks Sue Cox
I feel confident that Mrs. Howell will be voted in by the DJJ board as the next Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice and I also believe, she will make an outstanding Commissioner as well. Atta Girl Mam!
C-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s!
Great selection for DJJ!!