Meet the Senior Staff
Steering CSI's Goals Towards Success
The senior management team of Community Solutions, Inc. (CSI) is integrally involved with the design, development, and implementation of our initiatives. CSI’s senior management team has over one hundred forty years of combined experience operating community correctional programs. Following is a brief synopsis for each of the key individuals on our senior management team, demonstrating the breadth of knowledge and experience that CSI staff have to offer.
Robert D. Pidgeon
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mr. Pidgeon joined CSI after an extensive career serving as Connecticut's director of juvenile justice. Before that he was deputy director of the New Hampshire Division for Children and Youth Services and was assistant commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services. Mr. Pidgeon is a retired Colonel with the U.S. Army Military Police Corps and served as the Chief of the National Prisoner of War Information Center during Desert Storm.
Mr. Pidgeon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Penn State University, a Master's degree in Criminology from Florida State University, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. He has served as vice president of the New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors, a member of the American Correctional Association At Risk Children, Youth, and Families Task Force, a Regional Affiliate of the American Probation and Parole Association, a member of the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy Council, an associate member of the Council of Juvenile Corrections Administrators, and as member of the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.
Marlene Thomas
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Ms. Thomas joined CSI in 2002 with an extensive career in finance with area CPA firms. She also operated an accounting business which provided accounting services to small businesses. Within CSI, Marlene directly oversees the following departments: Accounting, Contracts, Human Resources, Information Technology, Internal Audit, Compliance with state(s) and federal fiscal requirements. Ms. Thomas also indirectly oversees facility maintenance and food services departments.
Ms. Thomas is a graduate of Bay Path University with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Accounting. Ms. Thomas is also a graduate of the Hartford Leadership Development Roundtable program.
Cheryl Thibeault
CONTROLLER
Ms. Thibeault joined CSI in 2014 after an extensive career in asset and business management. She is responsible for general ledger accounting, accounts payable, billing and accounts receivable, food services and facility maintenance. She recently comes from the renewable energy and waste management field, where she served as Business Manager.
Ms. Thibeault graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Maine. She currently serves as the Chairwoman of the City of Bristol Board of Finance.
Judith McCusker
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING
& QUALITY ASSURANCE
Ms. McCusker worked as a professional educator, drug and alcohol intervention specialist, and program director for a domestic violence agency prior to her CSI career. Her time at CSI started in Brief Strategic Family Therapy as a clinical supervisor and program director. Later, she joined the training department as a trainer and quality assurance coach for both the juvenile and adult programs. In 2014, Ms. McCusker became the Internal Manager for CSI training and in 2015, she became the Director of Training and Quality Assurance. She works with staff in the adult programs, juvenile programs, juvenile detention, and both juvenile and adult probation through both coaching and training.
She received a Bachelor's degree from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland and a Master's in Community Counseling at Fairfield University in Connecticut. Ms. McCusker is also a member of AST and is certified in the MBTI.
Sherry Albert
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Ms. Albert has been in the criminal justice field for over 30 years. She is responsible for the administrative oversight of 47 programs serving adults and juveniles and has been responsible for the startup of well over 50 programs. This includes adult offenders referred by Departments of Correction, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Probation, Parole, Courts, Judicial Departments, Sheriff Departments and Departments for Children, Youth and Families. Adult program models include Residential Reentry, Residential Work Release, Alternative Incarceration Centers, Community Court, Day Reporting Centers, Employment Reentry and Aftercare.
Sherry champions the use of evidence-based tools and curricula in the design of all programs. For youth programs, Ms. Albert operates multiple Evidence based models, including 3 Blue Print Plus Models. Programs she has implemented include residential, non-residential and home-based models serving children and families. In addition to her work in criminal justice, past work in the Human Service field includes the management and supervision of such programs as Section 8, Energy Assistance, Weatherization, Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention.
Ms. Albert is the Executive Co-Chair of the Criminal Justice Sector of the CT Nonprofit Alliance, an active member of ACA, ICCA, APPA and AWEC. Ms. Albert is also past President of the Board for the Coalition to End Homelessness, Past Chair of the Greater Hartford Reentry Council, and past Secretary of the Board for the national organization Advancing Evidence Based Practices. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts.
Terri Williams
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Ms. Williams has more than 25 years of experience in the criminal justice field. Prior to her return to CSI, she oversaw the executive branch continuum of juvenile justice as the Deputy Secretary of Juvenile Services for the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC). Ms. Williams helped lead comprehensive juvenile justice policy and legislative reform in Kansas, working closely with all branches of government and national organizations such as the Council of State Governments and the PEW Charitable Trust Public Safety Performance Project. The system reform resulted in what is regarded as some of the most evidence-based, progressive juvenile justice code and policies in the nation. She has held various executive level positions with KDOC, having served as the Deputy Secretary of Community and Field Services, overseeing adult parole and community corrections functions in the state, as the Administrator of the Kansas Parole Board, and the State's first Director of Release Planning. Ms. Williams previously worked for CSI holding positions as Area Director and Vice President of Adult Development.
Ms. Williams earned Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Corrections from Washburn University and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Ms. Williams is an associate member of the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators (CJCA) and was previously a member of the CJCA executive board and Midwest chairperson. She has served on the Board of Governors for the American Correctional Association, as the past co-chair of the Waterbury Re-Entry Council, and also served on both the Kansas Human Trafficking Advisory Board and the Kansas Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee. She is a member of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Performance-based Standards (PbS) Learning Institute.
Linda (Qin) Zhang
DIRECTOR OF CONTRACTS
Ms. Zhang joined CSI in 2002 after graduating from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Before coming to America, Ms. Zhang was teacher and Vice Dean of a university in China. Ms. Zhang has been CSI’s Director of Contracts since 2008. She is responsible for program and contract budgets, contract compliance, reporting, and acts as fiscal liaison to funding sources.