Kari Rumbaugh, NJJA Board Vice President / Assistant Deputy Administrator / Office of the Courts and Probation, Juvenile Division
Kari Rumbaugh has served as Assistant Deputy Administrator with the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation, Juvenile Division since October 1, 2014. In her current role she has statewide oversight for the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative in Nebraska, ensuring compliance with local and federal laws and standards, as well as prioritizing and tracking progress on identified goals and outcomes. Additionally, she is a lead for the Advanced Coaching for Excellence (AC4E) initiative launched in 2017 with the goal to advance case management practices and booster skills core to evidence-based practices.
She began her Probation career as a juvenile probation officer for the Lancaster County Separate Juvenile Court in November 2000. In 2006, she joined Probation Administration as Deputy Interstate Compact Administrator, serving as the Juvenile Interstate Compact Commissioner from 2012 to 2014. In 2007 she developed the Rural Improvement for Schooling and Employment (RISE) Program in collaboration with AmeriCorps as the Program Director. Additionally, in June 2012 Kari took on the role of Compliance Officer creating and conducting Probation district evaluations.
Recognition for Kari’s work includes, receiving the 2018 Advanced Coaching for Excellence (AC4E) Recognition for Leadership in Development award. Then in April 2014, Kari was the recipient of the 2014 First Lady’s Outstanding Community Service Award in the Professional Commitment of Service. Other awards include the 2012 Outstanding Team award and the 2011 Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS) Executive Directors Award. Nebraska’s RISE Program was also twice nationally recognized for outstanding innovation (2010, 2014) under her leadership. Kari earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Science with a Minor in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1998. She sits on multiple juvenile justice focused boards and committees, serving as Vice President, Chair, as well as the representation for Nebraska. She is a certified “Real Colors” facilitator and has trained nationally and for the Nebraska probation system since 2009.
