Dover, DE – The Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) today announced several recent leadership promotions within the Bureau of Prisons.

“The Bureau of Prisons is fortunate to have an exceptional team of highly trained and highly experienced staff who are well positioned to serve in senior roles with increasing authority and responsibility,” Bureau of Prisons Chief Shane Troxler said. “Deputy Wardens Wise and Beck, Administrator Christian, and Majors Beall and Williams are motivated and capable leaders who have contributed greatly to our safety and security mission and have improved facility operations to the benefit of our officers and staff, the individuals under our supervision, and the general public,”

“Congratulations to each of our newly-promoted leaders whose hard work and dedication have earned the respect of fellow Officers, professional staff, and their entire chain of command, said Bureau of Prisons Deputy Chief Kolawole Akinbayo.

Incoming Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) Deputy Warden Marvella Wise is a 27-year DOC veteran who joined the Department in 1996 and has served assignments at SCI and James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC).  She earned promotions through the ranks, achieving Correctional Corporal in 1998, Correctional Sergeant in 2004, Correctional Lieutenant in 2008, Correctional Staff Lieutenant in 2014,  Correctional Captain in 2018.  In 2020 Wise was promoted to Major at SCI where she served on the Warden’s senior leadership team and the facility’s Security Superintendent with day-to-day responsibility for maintaining safety and security for correctional officers, staff, and inmates.  During her DOC career she has taken on additional responsibilities, including assignments as Field Training Officer, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team, ERC Committee, and Crisis Negotiation Team.  She has been recognized with a Bureau Commendation, Warden’s Award for Outstanding Service, and is a three-time recipient of Employee of the Month.  Deputy Warden Wise has participated in numerous leadership development courses and additional specialized training, including Workforce Planning, Women Leadership Development Program, Leadership Credibility, Hostage Negotiation, Mental Health First Aide, and Assisting Individuals in Crisis & Group Crisis Intervention. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Behavior Science from Wilmington University.

Deputy Warden Wise fills the vacancy created when Sussex Correctional Institution Deputy Warden Jon Beck was named Deputy Warden at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center.  Deputy Warden Beck joined the DOC as a Correctional Officer in 1995 and was assigned to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center and then to SCI, where he earned promotions up the rank of Major with the role of Security Superintendent in 2017.  In 2020 he was further promoted to Deputy Warden of SCI.  Deputy Warden Beck has served in specialized units, including the Central Intelligence Group where he served as a Command Post operator and specialized in data procurement with a concentration in Security Threat Group Identification and Communication Surveillance.

Capital Program Administrator Greg Christian is a 32-year DOC veteran who completed his Academy training and joined the DOC as a Correctional Officer in 1990. He first served at JTVCC and SCI in facility security assignments, and later as a K-9 Officer, earning promotion to Sergeant in 1993.  In 1998 he transferred to Correctional Officer – Facilities Maintenance, quickly earning promotions up to Maintenance Foreman in 2004 and Maintenance Superintendent in 2010 with increasing levels of responsibility over staff, routine maintenance, major projects, budgeting and cost control. In 2011 he was promoted to Correctional Maintenance Manager, responsible for managing and directing maintenance activities across all DOC owned and leased facilities.  As Capitol Program Administrator Christian has responsibility over the DOC Facilities Maintenance Unit within the Bureau of Prisons where he oversees the Department’s entire multi-million dollar annual capital program, repair and maintenance activities across 1.9 million square feet of facilities statewide, capital and maintenance budgets, utility infrastructure, maintenance-related service contracts, and training and apprenticeships for facilities maintenance personnel.  He is a graduate of Delaware Technical Community College with an Associates Degree in Applied Science and has completed  numerous specialized technical and leadership training courses.  Christian replaces former Capital Program Administrator Eric Smeltzer who recently retired after more than three decades of distinguished service to the DOC.

Major Wayne Beall of the Special Operations Group, Correctional Emergency Response Team.  Major Beall completed his Academy training and joined the DOC as a Correctional Officer in 2001 and has served assignments in the Bureau of Prisons (Sussex Correctional Institution, James T. Vaughn Correctional Institution), Bureau of Community Corrections (Sussex Community Corrections Center), and the Special Operations Group.  He earned promotions through the ranks, achieving Correctional Corporal in 2010, Correctional Sergeant in 2012, Training Instructor for the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) in 2013, and Correctional Lieutenant in 2019. Beall has been a member of the DOC’s CERT Team since 2002, including as a full-time CERT member who deployed on-site as the CERT Commander during the 2017 inmate uprising at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center.

Major Bernell Williams of the Special Operations Group, Office of Inspections/Emergency Preparedness Director.  Major Williams completed his Academy training and joined the DOC as a Correctional Officer in 2002 and has served assignments in the Bureau of Prisons (James T. Vaughn Correctional Center and Howard R. Young Correctional Institution) and the Employee Development Center.  He was first assigned to JTVCC where he earned promotions to Correctional Corporal and Sergeant in 2005.  In 2009, he joined the Employee Development Center (now the Steven R. Floyd, Sr. Training Academy), where he first served as a Staff Training Relief Officer and was part of a team that developed DOC’s new Emergency Preparedness policy and procedures.  In 2015 Williams was promoted to Trainer Educator where he led training and instruction for officer cadets and current officers and staff.  In 2018, he was further promoted to Correctional Captain at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution where his responsibilities included supervision of large numbers of staff, serving as a shift commander, conducting facility inspections, responsibility for facility security audits, and helping develop and implement operating procedures.

See photos of Deputy Warden Jon Beck and Deputy Warden Marvella Wise.  Photos of other promoted officials are not available at this time.

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Jason Miller
Chief of Communications and Community Relations
Delaware Department of Correction | Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr.
jason.miller@delaware.gov

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