KELLY WATKINS
Crawfordville
Summary
Facility Warden with 25+ years of experience in corrections, operations, team leadership, unit management and multidisciplinary teams. Demonstrates expertise in facility management, crisis response, inmate classification and security protocols, and multidisciplinary coordination to maintain safety and compliance. Proven record of optimizing staffing, reducing incident response times, and delivering measurable improvements in operational readiness while mentoring frontline supervisors to strengthen team performance and continuity of care. Worked in positions of Warden, Assistant Warden of Operations, Assistant Warden of Programs, Assistant Warden of Mental Health, Classification Supervisor, Government Analyst, Senior Classification Officer, Classification Officer, Correctional Officer.
Overview
38
38
years of professional experience
Work History
Facility Warden
Florida Department of Corrections
Tallahassee, Florida
01.2000 - 09.2025
- Led facility operations ensuring safety and compliance while reducing incident response time by measurable results.
- Develops facility-wide emergency response plans, coordinating multi-unit drills that improve preparedness and shorten critical decision cycles for leadership.
- Directs inmate classification and movement protocols, ensuring secure operations while enhancing staff situational awareness and incident containment.
- Partners with medical and rehabilitation teams to redesign intake workflows, improving service continuity and reducing delays in care transitions.
- Optimizes staffing models and overtime controls to maintain coverage and reduce burnout, producing steadier shift performance and supervisor capacity.
- Coaches frontline supervisors through scenario-based training and on-shift mentoring, building operational confidence and improving team cohesion during high-pressure events.
- Audits custody documentation and access logs to identify gaps, implementing corrective procedures that strengthen investigative traceability and compliance.
- Monitors safety incident data and conducts root-cause analyses, deploying targeted training and controls that yield marked reductions in repeat occurrences.
- Evaluates custody incident patterns and implements targeted corrective measures, reducing recurrence through focused training and procedural adjustments.
- Aligns multidisciplinary teams (medical, mental health, security) to resolve intake bottlenecks using joint problem-solving, enhancing timely access to services.
- Establishes contingency staffing frameworks and rapid-response roles to sustain security during surges, enabling adaptive coverage and maintained operational readiness.
- Coordinates cross-disciplinary case reviews with medical and mental-health staff to expedite critical care placements and improve continuity for high-risk inmates.
- Oversees compliance audits of custody records and movement logs, identifying procedural gaps and instituting documentation controls that enhance investigatory traceability.
- Unit Manager handling correspondence and requests in Correctional Facilities.
- Experience receiving telephone calls and visitors, handling requests for information, processing incoming and outgoing materials such as correspondence, reports and memoranda.
- Experience editing and composing letters and reports, transcribing notes, and reviewing correspondence.
- Experience performing office automation duties using a personal computer, preparing a calendar, worksheets, typing a variety of documents such as letters, forms, schedules, meeting minutes, and maintaining computer files.
- Experience scheduling and maintaining appointments, coordinating meetings and conferences, making travel arrangements, and performing time and attendance functions.
- Utilized FCIC, NCIC and CCIS to conduct and review background checks.
- Worked with external Law Enforcement and Civil entities to accomplish the mission.
- Conducted in person interviews for investigations and employment.
- Able to utilize judgment and discretion, reviewing of official documents for accuracy.
- Communicated and coordinated with both Federal, State and local authorities for emergency management and developed responses for concerns.
- Able to interpret and review rule notices and applicable laws to perform job functions.
Correctional Officer - Corporal
Oklahoma Department of Corrections
Hominy, Oklahoma
10.1996 - 12.1999
- Enforced facility security protocols and conducted daily inmate counts to maintain order and reduce incidents.
- Supervised cell searches and escorted high-risk inmates, resulting in measurable improvements in contraband control.
- Trained and mentored junior officers in emergency response procedures, improving team readiness and response times.
- Maintains precise custody and log documentation for shifts and transfers, enabling clear audit trails and facilitating efficient administrative reviews.
- Liaises with mental health and medical staff to flag urgent inmate needs and negotiate safe scheduling, ensuring continuity of care during custody operations.
US Army Field Artillery - Sgt
US Army
Ft Sill, Oklahoma
08.1987 - 08.1996
- Led and trained artillery crew in targeting and safety procedures, improving mission readiness and response time.
- Coordinated logistics and maintenance for artillery systems, ensuring reliable operation during deployments.
- Managed personnel performance evaluations and discipline, increasing unit cohesion and operational efficiency.
- Executed fire direction and targeting calculations under pressure, producing accurate support for ground operations.
Education
Bachelor's - Criminology
Florida State University
Panama City Campus06-2009
Skills
- Facility Management and Operations (Expert)
- Multi Disciplinary Team Management (Expert)
- Unit Management (Expert)
- Crisis Management
- Administrative and Clerical (Expert)
Timeline
Facility Warden
Florida Department of Corrections
01.2000 - 09.2025
Correctional Officer - Corporal
Oklahoma Department of Corrections
10.1996 - 12.1999
US Army Field Artillery - Sgt
US Army
08.1987 - 08.1996
Bachelor's - Criminology
Florida State University