JJAB elects new chair after runoff; board to review bylaws after report involving youth member

The Kentucky Juvenile Justice Advisory Board elected Dr. David Finke chair and named Kristy Flippins‑Bartlett vice chair during its Dec. 13 meeting in Frankfort, members said.

The vote followed an initial election that produced a tie between Dr. Finke and Dr. Cicely Cottrell; Donna Simmons moved and Judge Melissa Murphy seconded a motion for a runoff, which resulted in Dr. Finke’s selection. Kristy Flippins‑Bartlett, who ran for chair, was reported elected vice chair earlier in the balloting process.

Board members said the leadership change occurred amid renewed attention to governance and member protection. Dr. Deonte Hollowell, a board member, urged the JJAB to align board policy with how the board communicates with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and to pay closer attention to existing bylaws and policies. Kristy Flippins‑Bartlett, founder and CEO of Option to Success, asked the board to revisit policies that protect youth members with lived experience and said a report of an inappropriate relationship had been brought to her attention. Judge Melissa Murphy recommended handling sensitive personnel or conduct matters outside a public meeting.

The board recorded an action directing the Executive Committee to meet and determine how to proceed with bylaw and policy updates. The committee is scheduled to meet in January; the full JJAB’s next meeting is Feb. 21, 2025, at the KY Transportation Building in Frankfort. The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.