Dr. Derrick D. Schofield

Dr. Derrick D. Schofield, Ph.D., has a distinguished career working in correctional systems in Tennessee, Georgia, and the private sector for 34 years. He served as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction, Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff for the Georgia Department of Corrections, and Warden at five facilities over 13 years. He is an Army Veteran where he obtained the rank of Captain.

After earning his bachelor’s in political science, Dr. Schofield’s commitment to public service took him to the United States Army, where he rose to the rank of Captain. He earned a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University and graduated from Georgia’s Law Enforcement Command College. He earned his doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from Piedmont International University. He is a 2023 recipient of the American Correctional Associations E.R. Cass Award.

Dr. Schofield embodies the core foundation of servant leadership. He gives back to the community at every level and continues to look for innovative solutions to enhance the lives of others. He believes that leadership matters and can significantly influence positive outcomes. One of Dr. Schofield’s favorite quotes, which he embodies daily, is by Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena."