Jim Castleberry

Jim Castleberry has extensive background in law, government and public service. He lives in Phoenix, AZ and obtained his Ph.D. from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN, Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of law in Minnesota and graduated from Staff Judge Advocate School at the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville. He received a M.S in Sociology from Minnesota State University and a B.S. in Education and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin.

He currently serves as the Associate Dean for the College of Psychology and Community Services at Walden University. His legal and professional experience have focused on military law, regulatory law and administrative law. He has held positions in both the public and private sector and worked as a legal officer (JAG) for the Coast Guard and U.S. Navy. He received certification as a mediator from the University of Georgia in Athens Georgia and additional training in alternative dispute resolution at Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa. Previously he did contract mediation for the U.S. Department of Agriculture involving federally insured loans and employment law cases with the Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission.

I support The Department of Homeland Security as a FEMA Reserve Civil Rights Advisor. Working for The Office of Equal Rights (OER) Civil Rights (CR) Division I'm responsible for compliance and enforcement in connection with FEMA’s Civil Rights obligations. I assist in identifying and act upon potential opportunities for equitable and impartial delivery of FEMA programs and activities to individuals with disabilities and/or individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) requires affirmative responsibilities. I have served as an subject matter expert providing technical advice and guidance regarding civil rights and equity requirements and laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1984, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Stafford Act; and processing all aspects of civil rights complaints and conducting compliance reviews, including investigations, conciliations and findings. In addition, I have used disaster specific data in analyzing civil rights complaint data to identify trends and prepare reports and briefs. In 2023, I was the co-author of Exploration of Equity in FEMA Disaster Response: Montana White Paper.

From 2015-2018 he worked on a MacArthur Foundation grant with community leaders representing different cities, counties, and states with unique issues and situations to rethink how we use jails. As a project lead, he facilitated efforts to implement data-driven strategies to safely reduce jail populations. This entailed engaging a diverse set of community stakeholders to determine ways to address local drivers of over-incarceration, address racial disparities in incarceration, and improve the system as a whole; and building infrastructure to track the right data and measure performance over time.

He has demonstrated community organization, advocacy, and board development as part of a commitment to serving homeless veterans. In 2010 he established a non-profit foundation to raise awareness and provide financial support to non-profit organizations helping homeless veterans. To date they have provided over 6 million dollars in financial assistance and countless hours of administrative support.

Education

MS, Minnesota State University

JD, William Mitchell College of Law

PhD, Capella University

Post-master's Certificate, University of VA - The Judge Advocate General's School

Public Service

Cornerstone Rescue Mission Foundation, Board of Directors - Rapid City

American Bar Association Ethics Committee, Committee Member - Chicago

Awards / Honors

Commitment to Social Change Award, Walden Uninversity, 2016

Citizen of the Year, Rapid City, SD Elks Club, 2010

Wind Beneath our Wings, Public Service Award, Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, 2007

Coast Guard Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, U.S. Coast Guard, 1993

Publications

Castleberry, J. (2018). Assessing Pre-Trial Detention Risks.

Castleberry, J. (2017). Global Stratification.

Castleberry, J. (2017). Cognitive Psychology: Applying The Science of the Mind, 3rd Edition.

Castleberry, J. (2011). Single-case research designs : methods for clinical and applied settings.

Castleberry, J. (2003). A Children’s History of Los Angeles.

Castleberry, J. (2014). Social Problems, 13/E.

Presentations

Castleberry, J., Benoliel, B. (2016). Presented the gap analysis paper, International Cooperation in Child Welfare Services. Walden University