CEO & COO Biographies

Richard Gardell, President/CEO

In July, 2006, 180 Degrees entered a new phase in its history when Richard (Dick) J. Gardell assumed leadership of the agency. Dick is a veteran of the justice system. In the 1970s, Dick was accepted as one of forty police officer candidates from a field of more than two thousand applicants. Dick turned the opportunity into a successful 31-year career. Dick rose quickly through the ranks he served in command positions for nineteen years and was an Assistant Chief in the St. Paul Police Department for five years. While with the Saint Paul Police Department he earned an MA in Criminal Justice and studied crisis management and leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

As a police officer, Dick learned first hand that accountability and opportunity are ingredients necessary to turning troubled lives around, especially for youth. He put that knowledge to work on his personal time by volunteering with the YWCA, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, St. Paul Youth Services and RS Eden.

After retiring from the Saint Paul Police Department he assumed the position as President/CEO of 180 Degrees, Inc., where he welcomes the opportunity to directly impact the lives of both youth and adults at risk of or currently involved in the justice system. Dick states, “I recognize the need to hold individuals accountable for their actions while providing multiple opportunities to learn, to deal with addictions, and to develop skills such as job readiness and conflict resolution, so that they can be successful in turning their lives around.”

Since taking leadership of 180 Degrees, Inc. Dick has worked tirelessly to improve, develop and expand program services with a focus on opportunity through accountability. He plans to continue and enhance current programs in both the juvenile and adult divisions; focus on customer service; enhance staff mentoring and recognition; make capital improvements; ensure agency integrity; encourage community support and involvement; fill programming gaps identified by customers, clients and Board of Directors; and participate in corrections training and professional activities.

Since being hired in 2006, Richard Gardell has been recognized as a leader in the area of Juvenile Justice. On January 25th, 2008, Governor Tim Pawlenty appointed Richard Gardell, President and CEO of 180 Degrees to a three year term as Chair of the Minnesota Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. Previously the Vice-Chair, In 2009 Richard was elected chair of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ). FACJJ is made up of representatives of each state and six territories. The group advises the president and congress on matters related to juvenile justice. FACJJ also evaluates the progress of juvenile justice activities and projects nationwide. Governors of each state nominate representatives to the committee. Gardell is beginning his fourth year as the representative from Minnesota. For more information about FACJJ, go to www.facjj.org.

When Dick joined the staff at 180 Degrees, he wrote, “I will work hard to lead 180 Degrees in a manner that motivates each of our employees to serve our customers, clients and the greater community in such a way as to earn their trust and support...with each and every encounter we have with them. I will be involved in the community we serve, as I have been all my life, leading by example in building a safer society by helping offenders rebuild successful lives.”

Sarah Walker, COO

Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer at 180 Degrees, Inc. Sarah holds a BA in Political Science and African American Studies from Carleton College. Although on sabbatical, Sarah is a doctoral student in the department of political science at the University of Minnesota, Sarah brings extensive research experience to issues of politics, inequality, criminal justice reform and the role of philanthropic organizations in setting interest group agendas.

Her current research hypothesizes that contrary to dominant views expressing the centrality of successful media campaigns to political agenda setting, unpopular or disenfranchised groups may benefit from an absence of media attention. This hypothesis has both practical and theoretical implications and challenges the basic tenants of pluralism in American politics.

Her previous positions include Research Consultant at the Council on Crime and Justice, Director of Workforce Development at the Center for Court Innovation, Executive Director of the Youth Justice Funding Collaborative, and interim Research Director at the Council on Crime and Justice. Her awards and fellowships include but are not limited to: a Mellon Mays fellowship, a University of Minnesota DOVE fellowship, a Wingspread Fellowship, a fellowship from the Center for the Research of the Presidency and grants from the Mellon Foundation, the Sentencing Project and the University of Minnesota’s Graduate Research Partnership Program, and a HECUA Fellowship. She is also a past participant in the Blue Mountain Center’s “Prison Issues” residency.

In addition to her research, Sarah serves as a Co-Chair for the Ramsey County "Juvenile Detention Alternative to Incarceration - Disproportionate Minority Contact" (JDAI-DMC) initiative's DMC Committee. The JDAI-DMC initiative's primary goal is to reduce the overreliance of incarceration for juvenile offenders and to reduce racial disparity in rates of incarceration. Sarah also serves as a board member of Rebuild Resources, the Kids Change Initiative, the William Mitchell Reentry Clinic Advisory Board (www.thereentryclinic.org), the Ramsey County Community Corrections Advisory Board, the St. Paul African American Leadership Council, The Youth Intervention Program Association, the Prison Policy Initiative (www.prisonpolicy.org) and is a member of the Minnesota Supreme Courts Racial Fairness Committee. In 2009 she joined the Minnesota Correctional Associations Legislative Committee (www.mn-ca.org). She is also a volunteer with the Women’s Prison Book Project (www.wpbp.org) and a founder of the Minnesota Second Chance Coalition (www.mnsecondchancecoalition.org). Sarah co-facilitates a book club at Minnesota's women's correctional facility Shakopee. In 2010 Governor Pawlenty appointed Sarah to the Council on Black Minnesotans.