LISA ENGRAM: A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP, REHABILITATION, AND REENTRY REFORM
BY DR. DAVID STATEN
W ith nearly three decades of service to the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), Lisa Engram has become a respected leader and advocate for change within the correctional system. Currently serving as theinterim deputy director of programs, Reentry and Rehabilitative Services (PRRS), Ms. Engram has dedicated her career to improving the lives of incarcerated individuals, empowering them with tools to reenter society successfully while also supporting the broader goals of public safety and rehabilitation. The Office of Programs, Reentry and Rehabilitative Services under her leadership offers a wide range of transformative opportunities to inmates. These programs address every facet of rehabilitation, from obtaining a GED or vocational certificate to acquiring job readiness skills and participating in victim impact education. By providing access to higher education, workforce preparation, and personal development courses, PRRS stands as a testament to the
Department’s commitment to reducing recidivism, improving public safety, and saving taxpayer dollars. Ms. Engram’s commitment to rehabilitative justice is not new. Over the course of her 27-year career with SCDC, she has served in numerous leadership roles that reflect her unwavering dedication to the agency’s mission. From 2012 to 2017, she held the position of associate warden at Kershaw Correctional Institution, where she contributed to the development and oversight of daily operations and inmate programming. In 2017, she transitioned to lead Manning Reentry Work Release Center as warden, a role where she emphasized the importance
of transitional services and community reintegration.
Ms. Engram’s academic background underscores her passion for human services and rehabilitation. She earned both her bachelor’s degree in social work and her master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University, a
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