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Mayor de Blasio Appoints Jacqueline Sherman to the Board of Correction and Names Derrick Cephas as Chair of the Board

July 10, 2018

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the appointment of Jacqueline Sherman to the Board of Correction and named Derrick Cephas as Chair. Cephas had previously been acting Chair of the Board. The Board provides critical oversight for the Department of Correction, and as a member of the Board, Sherman will serve to promote safe, fair and humane jails for both staff and people in custody.

“Jacqueline will bring invaluable experience to the Board. She has decades of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, and I know she cares deeply about the issues at hand,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I want to thank Derrick Cephas for continuing to lead the Board in their crucial mission of making our jails safer, fairer, and more humane for staff and people in our custody.”

The Board of Correction is tasked with establishing and ensuring compliance with minimum standards which regulate conditions of confinement, correctional health and mental health care, and sexual violence prevention in all City correctional facilities. This Board has been the driver of reforms like improving the quality and availability of mental health care of those in custody, ensuring non-discriminatory treatment, and ensuring access to recreation and free practice of religion.

The Board of Correction consists of nine members, three of whom are appointed directly by the Mayor, three by the Mayor after nomination by the presiding justices of the first and second department, and three by the City Council. Jacqueline Sherman was appointed by the Mayor following a joint nomination by the Presiding Justices of the First and Second Judicial Departments of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Rolando T. Acosta, Presiding Justice, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department and Alan D. Scheinkman, Presiding Justice, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department.

“Over the last nearly four years, Chair Cephas has made clear his commitment to independent and objective oversight of the NYC jails. Board staff and I congratulate the Chair on his appointment and thank him for his ongoing leadership.” said Board of Correction Executive Director Martha King. “We also welcome Jacqueline Sherman to the Board. The Board will no doubt be stronger with the addition of Member Sherman’s experience and commitment.”

“I’m honored to serve as Chair alongside distinguished and dedicated Board colleagues and look forward to further critical work with DOC and Correctional Health Services, their staffs, and the public,” said Board of Correction Chair Derrick Cephas. “I also welcome Jacqueline Sherman to the Board and I’m certain her extensive experience in the non-profit and government sectors will serve the Board well in our pursuit of data-driven oversight and policymaking.”

"As a proud, lifelong New Yorker, I am honored to join the Board and look forward to contributing to its critical work overseeing our City's correctional facilities,” said Board of Correction Member Jacqueline Sherman.

About Jacqueline Sherman

Jacqueline Sherman has 20 years of experience in city government and nonprofit organizations. She currently serves as Chief Legal and Administrative Officer at the JCCA. Prior to joining JCCA, she was Associate Commissioner for Planning, Policy and Performance at New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services. Previously, Ms. Sherman served as General Counsel for Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. She also served as Director of the Center for the Courts and the Community at the Center for Court Innovation and as Counsel to the New York City Council’s Committee on General Welfare. Ms. Sherman has extensive experience in legal and policy analysis, program development and operations and complex project management. She graduated magna cum laude from both Harvard Law School and Amherst College.

About Derrick D. Cephas

Mayor de Blasio appointed Cephas to the Board in October 2014 and he became Vice Chair of the Board in February 2015. Derrick Cephas is a Partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, where he heads the firm’s Financial Institutions Regulatory practice. Cephas has broad-based experience in representing commercial banks, thrift institutions, bank holding companies and foreign banking corporations in a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters. Prior to joining Weil, Cephas served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Amalgamated Bank. Cephas also served as the Superintendent of Banks for the State of New York from 1991 to 1994. Cephas has significant experience in public policy matters relating to the banking industry. He is currently a director of the Fresh Air Fund and Empire State Development Corporation. Cephas earned his A.B. at Harvard University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

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