Thomas Stickrath began his career in corrections in 1978 as legal services assistant for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC).  He also served as the chief inspector, deputy warden at two different prisons, warden at the Orient Correctional Institution and Regional Director DRC.  In 1991 Stickrath was named Assistant Director. During his tenure as assistant director in 1991, and again in 1998, Stickrath served as Interim Director of the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Services, an agency that provides leadership, research and support to Ohio’s criminal justice system.  Stickrath also served as Acting Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety in the fall of 2002.  In 2005, Stickrath became the Director of the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS).  Since his appointment, he has instituted an aggressive agenda of change and reform that touches all aspects of the Department.  Stickrath also was able to achieve full accreditation for all DYS programs within its jurisdiction.  This awarded DYS the American Correctional Association (ACA) highest honor for commitment to excellence, the Eagle Award.  DYS is the first juvenile correctional system in the nation to claim such an accomplishment.

 Stickrath is dedicated to advancing professionalism in corrections through his membership in various organizations including ACA, the Ohio Correctional and Courts Services Association, the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents, the Ohio Wardens Association and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice.  He was elected to serve as a commissioner to the American Correctional Association’s Commission on Accreditation in 2006 and in 2007 was appointed to serve on the Council of State Governments, Justice Center Board of Directors.  Stickrath has served as a consultant to the National Institute of Corrections, and in 1996, he was appointed to serve a four-year term on the ACA Standards Committee, helping to promulgate national standards for his profession.  He has also been called upon by both the Governor of Arizona and the Governor of Texas to assist the respective states when there was a crisis in their correctional system.   Stickrath has authored numerous articles and book chapters on a variety of correctional topics, and has lectured extensively throughout the country. 

Mr. Stickrath received a degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University in 1976, and graduated from Ohio State’s College of Law in 1979.