The New Jersey Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson has announced the appointment of Sherri Goldberg to its Advisory Board. This board was established under the Dignity Act, signed into law in January 2020, to support and guide the office in inspecting state prison facilities and investigating complaints related to inmate health and safety.
Goldberg is currently the director of Community and Family Services at the Jewish Renaissance Foundation. Her work focuses on alleviating poverty through health, education, and social services in Middlesex County. She also serves on the statewide Commission on Reentry Services for Women and the Middlesex County Workforce Development Board.
Her career includes teaching criminal justice and corrections at Rutgers University-Camden, leading training for conflict resolution with the Police Training Commission, and holding roles within juvenile justice as a performance-based standards state coordinator and assistant superintendent. Additionally, she has experience as a social worker in adult prisons such as Edna Mahan Correctional Facility.
Terry Schuster, New Jersey's Corrections Ombudsperson, expressed confidence in Goldberg's qualifications: “Sherri is immensely qualified to help the Ombudsperson office make monitoring tools, strategic plans, and budgetary decisions.” Schuster highlighted her understanding of correctional oversight stakes and her skills in mediation.
Goldberg acknowledged Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin's trust in her appointment: “I believe the combination of the groundbreaking legislation of the 2020 Dignity Act... holds much promise for the future of our corrections system.” She looks forward to contributing to improving prison conditions for all involved.
The nine-member Advisory Board includes appointments by the Governor, Assembly Speaker, and Senate President. Goldberg’s appointment became effective on October 25.
