Secretary Jeff Zmuda was appointed by Governor Laura Kelly to lead the Kansas Department of Corrections in 2019. He was sworn in on February 5, 2020.
Prior to joining Governor Kelly’s cabinet, Jeff spent nearly 32 years in service to the Idaho Department of Corrections. More than half of that time was spent in leadership roles, as both the organization’s deputy director and chief of prisons. In these roles he coordinated with stakeholders across the state and played a key role in the operations for nine state-run facilities, including public safety initiatives, security protocols and practices, mental health care and treatment, education services and reentry programs. Jeff also has extensive experience addressing personnel and operations challenges across a correctional system.
Jeff is a firm believer that while offenders are serving their time in prison, the department and staff should be working hard to equip offenders with the resources and skills they need to be successful upon their reentry to their community. With that in mind, he has made improving reentry services and workforce readiness among inmates one of his top priorities.
Jeff and his wife Cheryl have been married for 40 years. They have three grown sons, David, Daniel and Andrew.
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