Roni Burkes-Trowsdell brings almost 26 years of dedicated service to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, holding various leadership roles, including Victim Advocate, Deputy Warden, Warden, Regional Director of Specialty Prisons, and, currently, Deputy Director of the Office of Reentry.

Throughout her career, Roni has earned numerous accolades, including the 2019 Governor’s Award for Arts in Community Development & Participation and the 2017 Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Warden of the Year award. Roni also received the DRC Impact Award and recently received the Director’s Coin for her work in reentry.

Roni holds a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Tiffin University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Akron. She is the Past President of the Ohio Wardens & Superintendents Association and a lifelong member of both the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she has actively served for over 36 years. Roni has served as a member of the Harmony Project Community Choir for over 13 years and currently serves on the Executive Board of the Harmony Project.

With a heart devoted to service, Roni firmly believes in the power of transformation, often saying, “We are in the business of saving lives.”