It was in 1986 that Herndon, who was then a young single mother, decided to take the leap from office assistant for the department to enrolling in the Correctional Officers Academy.
“I knew I needed to make more money in order to take care of my daughter,” says Herndon. “I thought about it for a long time and decided that I was going to join the department as a correctional officer,” she says.
After completing the department’s rigorous paramilitary style training academy, Herndon started working at Folsom State Prison. With few women, especially women of color, assigned to the facility, Herndon says Folsom was not an easy place to work.
“There were a lot of obstacles there,” explains Herndon. “It was more of a ‘good ol’ boy’ type mentality,” she says.
Herndon eventually transferred to Calipatra State Prison where her career really took off. She moved up the ranks from sergeant to lieutenant to counselor I and II.
In November 2007, Herndon was appointed by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Warden at Ironwood State Prison. As the first black female warden at Ironwood, Herndon was responsible for all aspects of the overall operation of the prison. She managed nearly 1,300 employees with an annual budget of more than 180 million dollars. In addition, the inmate population included more than 4,000 medium security inmates. Herndon was responsible for planning, organizing, directing and coordinating all areas of the institution, including business management, work-incentive programs, education, medical and allied services, and housing unit programs. Herndon describes her leadership style as very hands-on but balanced.
“I empower people to do their job,” she says. “I surround myself with people that I know can get the job done. The right people in the right place make it happen,” she adds.
Herndon too has become known as someone who gets the job done. In February 2010, Herndon was again appointed by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to her current position as associate director, female offender programs, Sacramento, California. Today, Herndon is responsible for the female reform efforts in California. She oversees and provides leadership to the wardens of the three female institutions in the state of California. In addition, she manages a staff of 32 that assist in the supervision of the Women and Children’s Services Unit and the Female Rehabilitative Community Correctional Centers and Female Residential Multi-Services Centers that are located throughout the state. Herndon also provides oversight for the Female Camps Correctional Facilities and the 3rd Day Visiting Programs at all prisons in California and the Statewide Inmate Family Council.
Understanding public criticism that sometimes comes along with reintegration programs, Herndon admits that her opinion has changed over the years.
“I think that reintegration programs are excellent and I understand them so much better now that I am an administrator,” says Herndon. “I think society as a whole has to have a culture change. Because someone commits a crime, you don’t’ automatically throw them away,” says Herndon.
“If we give offenders what they actually need, especially when you’re dealing with the female population, you understand that their pathway to prison is so different,” she says. A lot of women have been abused both physically and mentally, which causes them to act out in different ways explains Herndon.
“The majority of women have been victims themselves,” says Herndon. A number of programs Herndon says help women address their real issues, resulting in them becoming productive members of society.
“I believe that people can change. If you were to ask me that question years ago or early on in my career, I would probably have given you a different answer, but I’ve seen positive results,” she says.
Herndon would eventually like to open her own rehabilitation center for women. Until then, her family, which includes one daughter, two grandchildren and seven siblings, is extremely proud of the once timid little girl from South Sacramento who went on to become the warden.
