Sven Jones
Sven Jones professional life has reflected leadership positions in several concentrations, including working for: 1) the U.S. Army as a Commissioned training officer; 2) the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons as a teacher of inmates, a media liaison as well as an assistant warden; and 3) several colleges and universities as an administrator of programs for students with disabilities. He has played a key role in the development of public policy and educational curriculum where his work for disabled populations has earned him national recognition.
Most of Sven's original background rests with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). While there he worked with inmates who had severe psychological concerns and who were unresponsive to formal direction by authorities. As one of the first special-needs educational teachers within the federal prison system, he created a comprehensive disabilities program that provided counseling, learning disorders diagnostic testing, small group instruction, employment advice, and vocational educational support to adult learners. That success led Sven to writing national policy in the field as well as other broader leadership positions out of the field. One such opportunity was as a Field Operative in the FBI's "Project Safe Streets" where he assisted efforts with the NYPD's turn-of-the-century crisis plan.
Toward the end of his nearly ten years as Corrections Administrator for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the U.S. Department of Justice, Sven served as media relations advisor for executives in six regional offices and over 100 institutions. While in this role, he worked closely with Chandra Levy. His experience navigating the nuances of this high-profile media inquiry in the wake of Chandra's tragic disappearance and passing gave him insight into the American media machine and how it can influence public understanding, expectations and outcomes. The case, it's being unsolved and his relationship to it, profoundly impacted his professional life once moving on from federal service. The case also informed his understanding of the media's role in our country and the responsibility it has as the unofficial fourth branch of government.
In 2004, Sven left the Bureau of Prisons to work in higher education with a focus on his original profession, disabilities administration. As a director of services for students with disabilities at several colleges and universities, he worked with students who were impacted by Bipolar Disorder, Autistic Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Tourette's Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Psychotic disturbances. His experience also included working with students who had mobility impairments, sensory impairments as well as chronic health conditions. In this capacity, he counseled impaired students, responded to disabilities-related emergencies, and advised the college's executive leadership on related emergency/safety, legal and media issues. Lastly, when Sven was in this role he developed outreach initiatives for veterans with disabilities.
In retrospect, Sven's experience as inmate educator often seemed to parallel those of some marginalized college students. Both groups struggled most with mental health co-morbidity that were often accompanied by a history of incarceration, institutionalization, chronic health conditions, economic distress, child abuse, and many other contributing factors. In fact, the individual challenges were so similar that the higher education case management structure often mirrored the one used in the Federal system.
Most recently, the bulk of Sven's work in higher education involved developing students with disabilities related initiatives and policy by collaborating with several constituencies such as legal counsel, deans and directors, faculty/staff, governance groups, institutional technology units, collective bargaining units, as well as community organizations. In such a way, he facilitated the development of uniform, fair, and measurable decision-making models that mirrored broader directives in service to larger institutional plans.
Sven has been a practicing artist for many years and would like to combine this passion with his professional background. That is, he would like to broaden access for persons with disabilities to the visual design. His current research involves the development of therapeutic and experiential means by which a person who is non-sighted or visually impaired could navigate a large existing work of two-dimensional visual art (particularly impressionism).
In terms of education and training, Sven has three advanced degrees to include study at Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Santa Clara University (where he was also trained in psycho-educational assessment). All of his academic education address different aspects of the disabilities field. Lastly, Sven was also an honor graduate at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, had two separate Top-Secret clearances and completed U.S Army paratrooper training."
Most of Sven's original background rests with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). While there he worked with inmates who had severe psychological concerns and who were unresponsive to formal direction by authorities. As one of the first special-needs educational teachers within the federal prison system, he created a comprehensive disabilities program that provided counseling, learning disorders diagnostic testing, small group instruction, employment advice, and vocational educational support to adult learners. That success led Sven to writing national policy in the field as well as other broader leadership positions out of the field. One such opportunity was as a Field Operative in the FBI's "Project Safe Streets" where he assisted efforts with the NYPD's turn-of-the-century crisis plan.
Toward the end of his nearly ten years as Corrections Administrator for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the U.S. Department of Justice, Sven served as media relations advisor for executives in six regional offices and over 100 institutions. While in this role, he worked closely with Chandra Levy. His experience navigating the nuances of this high-profile media inquiry in the wake of Chandra's tragic disappearance and passing gave him insight into the American media machine and how it can influence public understanding, expectations and outcomes. The case, it's being unsolved and his relationship to it, profoundly impacted his professional life once moving on from federal service. The case also informed his understanding of the media's role in our country and the responsibility it has as the unofficial fourth branch of government.
In 2004, Sven left the Bureau of Prisons to work in higher education with a focus on his original profession, disabilities administration. As a director of services for students with disabilities at several colleges and universities, he worked with students who were impacted by Bipolar Disorder, Autistic Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Tourette's Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Psychotic disturbances. His experience also included working with students who had mobility impairments, sensory impairments as well as chronic health conditions. In this capacity, he counseled impaired students, responded to disabilities-related emergencies, and advised the college's executive leadership on related emergency/safety, legal and media issues. Lastly, when Sven was in this role he developed outreach initiatives for veterans with disabilities.
In retrospect, Sven's experience as inmate educator often seemed to parallel those of some marginalized college students. Both groups struggled most with mental health co-morbidity that were often accompanied by a history of incarceration, institutionalization, chronic health conditions, economic distress, child abuse, and many other contributing factors. In fact, the individual challenges were so similar that the higher education case management structure often mirrored the one used in the Federal system.
Most recently, the bulk of Sven's work in higher education involved developing students with disabilities related initiatives and policy by collaborating with several constituencies such as legal counsel, deans and directors, faculty/staff, governance groups, institutional technology units, collective bargaining units, as well as community organizations. In such a way, he facilitated the development of uniform, fair, and measurable decision-making models that mirrored broader directives in service to larger institutional plans.
Sven has been a practicing artist for many years and would like to combine this passion with his professional background. That is, he would like to broaden access for persons with disabilities to the visual design. His current research involves the development of therapeutic and experiential means by which a person who is non-sighted or visually impaired could navigate a large existing work of two-dimensional visual art (particularly impressionism).
In terms of education and training, Sven has three advanced degrees to include study at Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Santa Clara University (where he was also trained in psycho-educational assessment). All of his academic education address different aspects of the disabilities field. Lastly, Sven was also an honor graduate at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, had two separate Top-Secret clearances and completed U.S Army paratrooper training."