Governor appoints new IDOC Director

[March 10, 2015]  CHICAGO  - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has selected Donald Stolworthy, 54, of Arlington, Va. to lead the Illinois Department of Corrections as its next Director. Stolworthy brings 15 years of corrections experience to the position and is a recognized expert in corrections reform.

Currently, Stolworthy works at the U.S. State Department in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) as a Corrections Team Leader. He conducts assessments of foreign prison systems to see how the United States can help transform those systems and further U.S. strategic interests. Stolworthy is also the senior corrections subject matter official at the INL and routinely provides policy guidance to senior State Department officials and Assistant Secretaries of State.

Stolworthy also managed the construction of all five prisons in Iraq as the Deputy Director of Operations and Warden Adviser while working for the State Department and U.S. Justice Department. The construction of those prisons was completed on time and under budget by $8 million. In this position, Stolworthy also advised and mentored the Iraqi warden and deputy warden on the best correctional practices.

Stolworthy’s career in corrections began in 1999 as a Probation and Parole Officer with the Alaska Department of Corrections. He was promoted three years later to Deputy Commissioner of Operations where he oversaw a number of reforms to make the department more efficient. For example, he created the position of Chief Time Accounting Officer, revised sentence computation policy to reflect statutory changes, improved accuracy of sentence computations and reduced the department’s liability.

In addition to his corrections experience, Stolworthy worked as the Special Assistant to the Governor of Alaska, as a legislative aide to a member of the Alaska House of Representatives and as the Division Director of the Alaska Charitable Gaming Division.

Stolworthy graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in history. He also went through Probation and Parole Officer Basic Academy in Alaska.

[Catherine Kelly, Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner]