Director of the Correctional Ministries Institute
Karen Swanson serves as the Director of the Correctional Ministries Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center and has faculty status in the Christian Formation and Ministry Department. As Director, she oversees the Charles W. Colson scholarship program and pursues the goals of the institute through networks, collaboration and strategic partnerships that provide leadership, training, and research to those engaged in correctional ministries for the advancement of the Gospel.
Karen was a co-founder, and Directs the Correctional Ministries and Chaplains Association, a Christian professional organization. She has also co-created and teaches in the Correctional Ministries Certificate program, specialized continuing education courses in correctional chaplaincy and reentry leadership.
Karen has presented at numerous conferences on a variety of correctional ministry topics and trained all the religious volunteers at Cook County Jail, Chicago.
Karen leads two mentoring communities of leaders in areas of justice and ministry.
She has multiple certifications: Justice and Correctional Ministry, Trauma Healing, Anger Management, Truthought, Moral Recognation Therapy, and Bridges Out of Poverty.
Karen served on the board of Goodnews Jail & Prison Ministry and leadership team of Naomi’s House. She has authored Jail Ministry: Preparing Christians to Effectively Volunteer, co-author of All Rise: Ministry with Justice Involved Women, Leading Strategically: Planning for Success, and Released: A Guide for those Receiving a Loved One Back from Jail or Prison.
She is a committed follower of Christ, a widow and cancer survivor.
