J Allen Associates Correctional Healthcare Management

Correctional Healthcare Management

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Medical

Dr. Owen Murray, DO

Senior Associate

Dr. Owen Murray has been on the leadership team at J Allen & Associates since 2015 and heads the medical and ancillary services working groups. Owen is a nationally sought-after correctional healthcare consulting expert in local, state, and federal courts with extensive work in the states of California, Illinois, Vermont, Texas, and Arizona.

Presently, Dr. Murray is the Senior Vice President of Offender Health Services for University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care. Owen is responsible for ensuring the provision of all medical, mental health, and dental services for approximately 100,000 adult offenders in Texas Department of Criminal Justice state jails and prisons as well as juvenile offenders in Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities. He oversees a staff of approximately 3,800 healthcare and clinical support employees located at more than 90 correctional facilities throughout the state.

Owen received his BS in Biology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and his DO from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. In 1999 Owen earned his MBA from University of Houston at Clear Lake.

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Dr. Stephen Boone, MD

Associate

Dr. Stephen Boone has conducted numerous in-depth clinical chart reviews for the J Allen & Associates team. His strong knowledge base in Emergency Medicine and his understanding of correctional care gives him a unique perspective on modern clinical practices in the correctional setting.

Currently, Stephen is an Assistant Professor of Emergency and Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He has been on the staff at Baylor College since he completed his residency in 2016.

Stephen earned his BA in Finance at the University of Texas at Austin and his MD at the University of Texas at Galveston. He is board-certified in Internal and Emergency Medicine. Stephen completed his residency training at Christiana Care Health System in Newark, Delaware.

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Dr. Olugbenga Ojo, MD, MBA

Associate

Dr. Ojo Olugbenga has worked with J Allen & Associates since 2014. He completed independent chart reviews of healthcare services provided to offenders housed at California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, including the California Correctional Center, San Quentin State Prison, and Pelican Bay State Prison.

Presently, Olugbenga is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine and the Chief Medical Officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hospital at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Olugbenga received his MD from the College of Medicine University of Lagos, Nigeria. He completed his postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford Kent, England, and in Internal Medicine at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. In 2018 Olugbenga earned his MBA at the University of Texas at Tyler.
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John Pulvino, PA

Associate

Mr. John Pulvino has been with the J Allen & Associates team for many years and has participated in numerous correctional healthcare consulting projects. He was involved in projects in the State of Vermont, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Pelican Bay Prison, and in the review of CDCR’s Mental Health staffing program in its facilities across the state.

At present John is the Senior Director of Quality and Risk Management at University of Texas Medical Branch University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC) and directs initiatives related to healthcare quality including identification of clinical goals, analytics, and quality improvement processes.

John earned his BS in Biology at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, and his BS in Physician Assistant Studies at UTMB in Galveston.

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Jane Leonardson, MD

Associate

Dr. Jane Leonardson has been on the J Allen & Associates team since 2022. Most notably, she participated in conducting a feasibility assessment for several large county jails in the State of Arizona looking at the creation of a centralized mental health facility.

Presently, Jane is the Director of Clinical Informatics at University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC). Under her leadership, the Electronic Health Records systems for the UTMB CMC system has been designed and modified. Additionally, Jane has provided legal consultation to the Illinois Department of Corrections since 2022. She has been a Medico-Legal Expert Witness in a variety of cases since 2011.

Jane earned her BA in Pre-Med Studies at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1998 she received her MD from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

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Erin Freeman, PA

Associate

Ms. Erin Freeman has been with J Allen & Associates for the past six years and has participated in several consulting projects including the State of Kentucky Juvenile Detention System assessment and the Wake County Jail project.

Erin has been the Clinical Outcomes Specialist at University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care in Galveston since 2021. In her role she is responsible for co-managing the infirmary and sheltered housing population, implementing clinical best practices within the organization, reviewing clinical referral patterns and creating specialty referral guidelines, and collaborating with Information Services to assist with electronic process improvement.

In May 2025, Erin will received her PhD in Medical Science from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. She earned her MA in Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Mental Health

Dr. Joseph Penn, MD

Senior Associate

Dr. Penn is a Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, at UTMB-CMC. He has over 20 years of correctional health care experience. Dr. Penn received his medical degree from UTMB. He completed a residency and chief residency in psychiatry, and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, in the Department of Psychiatry from Brown University. He completed an additional fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Yale University.  

Bilingual and bicultural, Penn is triple board certified in general, child and adolescent, and forensic psychiatry. He serves as the board liaison from the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) to the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). He is Past Chair, Council of Children, Adolescents and Their Families, American Psychiatric Association (APA). Dr. Penn is also the President of the Texas Society of Psychiatry Physicians (TSPP).

Dr. Penn has served as a consultant regarding correctional and non-correctional mental health care delivery and standards of care. He has published and presented on correctional health care, and numerous law and psychiatry issues, including seclusion and restraint, restrictive housing, psychotropic medications, telemedicine and telepsychiatry, transgender and gender dysphoria, access to mental health care in correctional settings, suicide prevention, violence risk assessment and prediction of future violence. In 2005 he was named to Best Doctors in America.

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Beverly Echols, MA

Associate

Ms. Beverly Echols is a relatively new member of the J Allen & Associates team. Notably, she played a significant role in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Mental Health staffing and operational review project. Beverly has assisted the team with research and analysis on other smaller projects.

Since 2010 Beverly has been in the role of Administrative Director for University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Manage Care.

Beverly earned her BA in Sociology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and went on to earn her MA in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas.

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Tonya Campbell, MA

Associate

Ms. Tonya Campbell joined the J Allen & Associates team in 2020. She performed a mental health staffing analysis for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation project and has provided external clinical reviews of mental health services at the Brazoria County Jail in Angleton, Texas.

Currently, she works as a Senior Mental Health Manager within the University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC) system. She has been employed by UTMB CMC in a variety of roles since 1996.

Tonya earned her BS in Psychology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and her MA in Psychology at the University of Houston at Clear Lake. She has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 1998.

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Dental

Scott Reinecke, DDS

Associate

Dr. Scott Reinecke is new to the J Allen & Associates team as of March 2024. He has come on board to serve as the leading dental expert in the federal class action suit, Dunsmore v. San Diego Sheriff’s Department, concerning the quality of medical, mental health, and dental care of incarcerated persons in the San Diego County Jails.

Currently, Scott is the Regional Dental Director at University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care and has served in that role since 2011. He is responsible for the supervision of 17 facilities, 12 dentists, and support staff in the provision of comprehensive dental services within the state prison system.

Scott earned both a BA in English and a BS in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his DDS from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. .

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Management


John Allen, MBA

President

Mr. John Allen is the founder and president of J Allen & Associates Correctional Healthcare Management, a group of highly experienced consultants and experts involved in multi-faceted projects in the correctional healthcare marketplace. The J Allen & Associates team has completed a scope of work that includes: analysis of staffing, monitoring of clinical outcomes, review of clinical standards of care, and audits of established clinical performance measures. They have worked in local, state, and federal facilities in Texas, California, Vermont, District of Columbia, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Missouri, New Mexico, and Illinois.

Prior to the inception of J Allen & Associates, John served as the Chief Operating Officer for University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC) at Galveston from 2000 - 2008. In that role John was responsible for all medical management functions associated with the 86 Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities, 12 Texas Youth Commission facilities, four Federal Bureau of Prison facilities, and multiple county jails.

John earned both his Bachelor in Business Administration degree and his MBA at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. John also served as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy.

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Kelly Coates, MBA

Associate

Mr. Kelly Coates has been on the J Allen & Associates team since 2015. He has been involved in comprehensive review projects in California, North Carolina, and Georgia. Most recently, he was part of a team that provided assessments of the Wake County Jail healthcare delivery system and created a policy and procedure manual that was in alignment with current National Commission on Correctional Health Care and American Correctional Association standards.

Currently, Kelly serves as the Associate Vice President of Operations for the Northern Geographic Service with the University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care program and is responsible for diverse statewide outpatient specialty clinics and services to include Optometry, Physical Rehabilitation, Radiology and Mammography, Emergency Medical Services, Dietary services, and Health Information Management.

Kelly obtained his BA in Biology and his MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.

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Anthony Williams, MBA

Associate

Mr. Tony Williams has been with J Allen & Associates since 2017. He has been involved in comprehensive review projects in California, North Carolina, and Georgia. Most recently, he was part of a team that provided assessments of the Wake County Jail healthcare delivery system and created a policy and procedure manual that was in alignment with current National Commission on Correctional Health Care and American Correctional Association standards.

Since 2009 Tony has served as the Associate Vice President of Inpatient Operations at University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC). In this role, Tony provides staff leadership, supervision, and direction in the planning, development, and implementation of operations for inpatient medical, mental health, and geriatric facilities.

Tony earned his BA in Medical Records Administration at UTMB and his MBA from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

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Justin Wiggins, MA

Associate

Mr. Justin Wiggins has been with the J Allen & Associates team for the past eight years and has participated in correctional healthcare consulting projects in Washington, D.C., Georgia, and North Carolina.

Presently, Justin is responsible for the operations of the medical department at the Brazoria County Jail in Angleton, Texas, housing 950 inmates and at a Juvenile Detention Center housing 50 juveniles. Justin’s responsibilities include departmental inventory management, physician and hospital contracting, payroll and HR services, financial management, creation of policy and procedures, and oversight of pharmacy operations. Under Justin’s leadership, the facilities meet the standards of the Texas Jail Commission for the County Jail and the standards of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department for the Juvenile Detention Center.

Justin received his MS in Management and Administration in 2005 from the University of Texas in Dallas.

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Kathleen Al-Basit, MA

Associate

Ms. Kathleen Al-Basit has been the Litigation Coordinator and Project Manager for J Allen & Associates for the past five years. In this role she organizes and catalogues all documents associated with state and federal litigation. Presently, Kathleen is on the Administrative Team at Plato Academy in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Prior to joining Plato Academy, Kathleen spent 25 years as a middle school language arts teacher in the United States and throughout the Middle East.

Kathleen earned her BA in English from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and a MA in Teaching from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

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Nursing


Kirk Abbott, RN, MBA

Associate

Mr. Kirk Abbott’s extensive experience in correctional nursing and clinic operations has equipped him for a wide array of consulting projects with J Allen & Associates. Mostly recently, Kirk served as the leader of a five-member team that assisted the State of Kentucky with an assessment of its Juvenile Detention program.

Kirk has been employed at the University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care since 2000. Presently, Kirk is the Chief Nursing Office for the Southern Region. Earlier in his career, Kirk served as a lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.

Kirk earned his BS in Nursing at UTMB. He received his MBA and Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from California Coast University in Santa Ana, California. Kirk has been a board-certified registered nurse since 1994.

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Paul Brown, MSN, RN

Associate

Mr. Paul Brown has been a member of the J Allen & Associates team since 2013. He has participated in numerous comprehensive multi-site assessments in which he evaluated the appropriateness of nursing care in meeting constitutionally mandated healthcare standards.

Most recently, Paul was the Regional Director of Operations for Region III at the University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC). He was responsible for the oversight of healthcare operations at 24 American Correctional Association accredited facilities throughout southeast Texas caring for over 30,000 patients. Paul has been a registered nurse since 1998.

Paul earned his BS in Nursing at Regents College in New York in 2014 and his MS in Executive Nurse Leadership from UTMB in Galveston in 2016. Paul co-authored three chapters in a master’s level textbook that was named the 2017 Book of the Year for Nursing Finance by the American Journal of Nursing.
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Pharmacy

Melanie Roberts, PhD

Associate

Dr. Melanie Roberts has been on the J Allen & Associates team since 2014. She has been involved in comprehensive review projects in California and Georgia. She brings her expertise in pharmacy management when assessing pharmacy services in correctional settings as they compare to current National Commission on Correctional Health Care and American Correctional Association healthcare standards.

Presently, Melanie is the Associate Vice President for Informatics & Quality at University of Texas Medical Branch - Correctional Managed Care (UTMB CMC). She provides leadership across UTMB CMC for assessing and improving information management, information technology, and support services to advance evidence-based practice, clinical outcomes, patient safety, and the patient experience.

Melanie earned her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy in Houston. She received her MBA from University of Texas at Tyler in 2017.

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Bio-Statistics


Jacques Baillargeon, PhD

Associate

Dr. Jacques Baillargeon is a nationally recognized correctional healthcare bio-statistician. His background in epidemiology and his thorough understanding of predictive modeling make him an extremely valuable member of the J Allen & Associates team. Jacques’s unique ability to analyze clinical data and apply that data to a correctional healthcare setting has proven to be an extremely valuable asset to our organization and to our clients.

Presently, Jacques is the Interim Chair in the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public and Population Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). He has been on staff at UTMB since 1988.

Jacques received both his BA in English and his PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Texas at Austin. Jacques has published over 150 articles in various peer-reviewed journals.

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