Establishing a network of professional women who work in the Criminal Justice sector in East Tennessee to share experiences and mentor the next generation.
Major Donna Kinsey is a retired law enforcement professional with over three decades of experience in training, program development, and executive leadership.
She currently serves as the founder and president of TEC III, Training Enhancement Center, a company that specializes in developing and delivering specialized instruction to both public and private organizations nationwide.
She is a member of the FBI National Academy Speakers Bureau and is the proud recipient of the FBI Women in Leadership Award.
Her “Journey from Police Major to National Safety Advocate,” was recently featured as a cover exclusive in the 2025 edition of Conglomerate Magazine.
Annual Women’s Leadership Conference
The cornerstone event is our annual leadership conference. Each Spring, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office hosts a one day conference in Jonesborough, Tennessee. The event, co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee, County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS), allows an opportunity for professional development, networking, and training.
Speakers range from women who recently retired or currently serving in command roles to those who specialize in life-work balance and life after retirement. More than 100 women from 20 agencies in East Tennessee attended the 2024 inaugural event held in Tennessee’s Oldest Town.
2025 Conference – Grace Meadows
Dr. Heather Cook
Dr. Cook is a Cultural Engagement Specialist, holding a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University (ETSU). She was one of the first graduates of the Roan Scholars Leadership Program at ETSU, and published a self-help book, You’re Welcome Mama, that hit Amazon charts as a Hot New Release in five categories and achieved Bestseller status in the Continuing Education category. Dr. Cook resides in Kingsport.
Judge Lisa Rice
Judge Rice was elected Criminal Court Judge for the First Judicial District in 2014. She is the first female elected to this role and was re-elected in 2022. Judge Rice graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1987, and began working as an Assistant District Attorney. She transitioned into private practice before running for office. One of her greatest accomplishments thus far is working with Recovery Court. She was instrumental in establishing the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center in Roan Mountain. Housed in the former Roan Mountain Work Camp facility, the former prison is now a drug treatment center for individuals Judge Rice sees in her recovery courts. Those referred to the Recovery Center spend 12-18 months in intensive recovery care that aims to get them back to being contributing members of society.
Jill Marshall
With more than 30 years in Federal Law Enforcement, Jill Marshall paved the way for women in law enforcement. She began her career as a Public Safety Officer with Tennessee Valley Authority in 1977, working at the Phipps Bend Nuclear Plant. From there, she joined the United States Marshal Service and rose through the ranks where she became the Inspector-in-Charge of the custody and sentencing trial of John Walker Lindh, an American citizen who joined the Taliban. She also planned and managed the first International Judicial Protection Detail for the World Trade Center Terrorism trials. Marshall is a graduate of ETSU, where she received both her Bachelor and Master degrees in Criminal Justice. When she retired in 2007, she returned to her alma mater to teach the next generation of women in criminal justice as an adjunct instructor.
Special Guest Speaker Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger
A native East Tennessean, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger was the first in her immediate family to graduate from high school and college. She was elected to Congress for a third term and serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
2024 Conference – National Storytelling Center
Karen Ashley – Featured Speaker
Chief Ashley grew up in upstate New York and attended SUNY Cortland before transferring to Arizona State University where she majored in education. Ashley graduated with a bachelor’s degree from ASU and also holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. She is a graduate of the Rocky Mountain Leadership Program and the FBI National Academy.
She served with the Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Peoria Police Departments. Promoted through the ranks at the Peoria Police Department to second in command as a Deputy Police Chief. She retired from Peoria PD in 2007 and accepted a position at the Arizona Department of Homeland Security under Governor Janet Napolitano. She left that agency as their Deputy Director to work in the Investigations Division at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Ashley served 11 years at MCAO, 8 of those as the agency’s Chief of Investigations.
