OJDDA Training Faculty

John Aarons, MS : John is a Casework Supervisor and member of the leadership team at Lane County Department of Youth Services in Eugene, Oregon. In this current position John provides clinical, technical, and functional supervision of Juvenile Counselors responsible for informal and formal cases referred to the circuit court. Over the last twenty years, John has also worked as a group worker in detention, a counselor in intensive probation services, and a counselor with a traditional probation caseload.

Along with two colleagues at Lane County Department of Youth Services, John developed and has implemented “Option to Anger” a nationally recognized, evidence based model aimed at reducing anger and violence. He has published articles addressing anger reduction and co-authored a book on the field of juvenile justice: Dispatches from Juvenile Hall; How to fix a failing system , published by penguin group.

John graduated from the University of Oregon with a Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, combining corrections and counseling. He is certified through the University of Cincinnati as a trainer in the delivery of cognitive behavioral interventions and the correctional program checklist. He is a charter member of the State of Oregon Juvenile Corrections Training Team and received training through the National Institute of Corrections and the Board of Public Safety and Standards Training in the State of Oregon. John is a certified fundamental skills trainer and has developed intermediate skills trainings for The Oregon Juvenile Department Directors Association and The Oregon Youth Authority. John has presented workshops for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and The National Center for Juvenile Justice. John has served as an adjunct instructor at Lane Community College, Portland State University, and The University of Oregon.

Julie Bitz : Julie is currently employed as a Juvenile Counselor II in the Clackamas County Juvenile Department. She has been employed there since 1998. Prior to her employment with Clackamas County, she was a Juvenile Counselor in Tillamook County. Julie has served as a trainer with OJDDA since 2000 and enjoys training fellow juvenile counselors around the state. She also chairs the Clackamas County Training Committee.

Julie earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Dakota with a double major in Criminal Justice and Substance Abuse. She has continued her education and knowledge base through national, state, and local trainings during the last 13 years. Julie is passionate about juvenile justice, working with victims, and incorporating evidence-based practices through her work with juveniles and their families.

Troy Fuller : Troy is currently managing the Linn-Benton Detention Facility. He is a consultant for the United States Department of Justice / Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention on Community Action Planning, Disproportionate Minority Contact and Best Practices for Juvenile Justice.

Troy has more than 16 years of training and professional experience working with juveniles. He has managed and directed projects in the juvenile justice field for federal, state and county government, community-based agencies, juvenile corrections officers, parole and probation officers, residential providers and the Oregon Department of Education. Troy's experience includes program evaluation; performance measurement, job task analysis; strategic planning; program design and delivery; coaching; sustainability; group design; group/team development; and, training design and delivery.

Sonya Littledeer-Evans : Sonya is currently a Senior Juvenile Justice Officer in the Jefferson County Community Justice – Juvenile Division, and has been employed there for ten years. In 2003, she was certified as a Cultural Competency Trainer through sponsorship by the State of Oregon Partners for Children & Families, Clackamas County Commission on Children & Families and the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. Sonya serves on the cadre of Cultural Competency Trainers in Oregon, She also serves as a trainer for the OJDDA Training Facility.

Sonya received her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a Minor in Spanish. She began her internship with a local juvenile department working with juveniles in detention and the courts. She received her Masters of Public Administration Degree through Portland State University in 2008. Drawing from her own experiences of poverty, discrimination, multicultural heritage and juvenile delinquency, she has been a trainer and facilitator for over 12 years. Sonya has spoken and offered trainings on a national, state, and local level dealing with cultural competency, gender-specific issues, equity and working with high-risk juveniles.

John Lynch : John is currently a Juvenile Probation Officer II for the Yamhill County Juvenile Department. He also is a certified trainer for OJDDA in Fundamental Skills Training for new probation staff and sex offender training for probation staff throughout the state. John is a trainer (since 1996) for the National Training Systems Institute specializing in Anger Management classes.

John began his career in juvenile justice in 1995 and has carried a sex-offender specific caseload since 1997. He has a Bachelor's of Science Degree from Western Oregon State University in Corrections with a Minor in Psychology. John has presented at several conferences, both locally and nationally, on issues presented by sexual offending juveniles and other juvenile justice issues.

Darin Mancuso : Darin Mancuso began his criminal justice career in 1987 where he worked as a Military Police Officer.  Upon ending his service in the military, Darin was employed at Marion County Juvenile Department where he worked for five years as a detention worker, surveillance officer, educational advocate and temporary probation officer.  Darin graduated from Western Oregon State College with a degree in Corrections and Sociology.  Darin is currently a Juvenile Counselor II with Clackamas County Juvenile Department as well as the Juvenile Drug Court Coordinator.    Darin maintains a specialized caseload of youth who sexually offend and has done so for 12 years.  Darin has been a trainer with OJDDA since 2001 and has trained throughout Oregon.  Darin has also conducted trainings nationally on juvenile sex offenders.  Darin has been a board member with the Oregon Adolescent Sexual Offending Network since 2005 and is the current President.

Richard Robison : Rich is currently a Lead Juvenile Probation Officer for the Polk County Juvenile Department and has served in this capacity since 2001. In this capacity, he provides guidance of staff pertaining to case management issues, assesses the appropriateness of case transfer requests and facilitates acceptance or denial of these requests as well as other duties assigned to him as a lead worker. Rich has six years' experience is orientation, training and supervision of new staff, practicum students and volunteers. He is currently on staff as an Adjunct Instructor of Criminal Justice at Western Oregon University and serves as a trainer for OJDDA and OYA. Mr. Robison was instrumental in revising the national fundamental skills curriculum to focus on Oregon issues and participated in the development of intermediate skills training in juvenile probation.

Rich graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Law Enforcement with a Minor in Psychology from Western Oregon State University in 1989. He obtained a Master of Science Degree in Correctional Administration with Honors in 1991 at Western Oregon State University. Rich is a certified instructor certified by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

Heather Tibbetts : Heather is currently a Juvenile Court Counselor II with the Union County Juvenile Department. She has been a member of the OJDDA training faculty since 2002 and is part of the team responsible for statewide Fundamental Skills Training for new probation officers. Heather graduated from Eastern Oregon University in June of 1991 with a Bachelor's Degree in Counseling Psychology with a special emphasis in drugs and alcohol. Heather has also designed and facilitated local trainings for law enforcement and school officials in Union County.

Cassie Trujillo : Cassie is currently a Juvenile Probation Officer II for the Jackson County Juvenile Department.  She has been working with at-risk youth and families for 15 years.   During that time, she has been a trainer on such topics as cognitive behavioral interventions, parenting education, communication, behavior modification, violence prevention and evidence based programming.  Cassie graduated with honors from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. 

Erik Zilz