DRC Warden of the Year 2024

Please join us in congratulating James "Jay" Forshey, warden at Noble Correctional Institution (NCI), on being named the 2024 DRC Warden of the Year!

Jay started with DRC in 1995 as a storekeeper supervisor at Belmont Correctional Institution (BeCI) and then served as the interim warden's assistant at BeCI from 2000-2002. He's worn quite a few hats since then, including two years as the warden of the Ohio State Penitentiary starting in 2013 and the southeast region reentry administrator before becoming the warden at NCI.

A vital part of Jay's success is his approach to staff engagement. He takes the time to listen to the staff's concerns and learn about their experiences while working at NCI. Jay proves he cares about the people he serves and believes the workplace's success relies on the employees' professionalism.

"It's quite an honor, and I really see this award as a reflection of the hard work the staff at NCI do throughout the year.," said Forshey. "I continue to be blessed by the good people I'm surrounded by each day, on every shift, and I'm grateful to all those who have mentored me over the years."

Jay earned his associate degree in criminology from Belmont Technical College and his bachelor's in organizational leadership and development from Wheeling Jesuit University.

"Jay's open-door policy for his staff has led to a lot of meaningful change at NCI." said Director Annette Chambers-Smith. "He's created an environment where staff feel comfortable approaching him with their ideas and input on the everyday operations of the institution."