Criminal Justice Advisory Board

Judge Marlow Jones

Marlow Jones is a currently a judge in the 21st Judicial Circuit which serves Kankakee County and Iroquois County.

Prior to becoming a judge, Mr. Jones served as an Assistant State’s Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division in the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office from to 2016-2022, and as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in both the civil and criminal divisions.

Judge Jones earned a Juris Doctor from the John Marshall Law School in 2010 and a Masters of Law (LLM) in Privacy and Technology Law in 2011.

Prior to going to law school, Mr. Jones worked at United Airlines for 11 years and served in the United States Air Force from 1988 to 1995.

Judge Scott Sliwinski

Judge Sliwinski is a 1998 graduate from Governor’s State University and a 2003 Graduate from the John Marshall School of Law. Judge Sliwinski was appointed to the bench as an Associate Judge in the 21st Judicial Circuit in 2019 and became a Circuit Judge in 2022. Judge Sliwinski is responsible for family law cases in Kankakee County and also presides over their Drug Court program.

Dr. Shirlyn Garrett

Dr. Shirlyn M. Garrett received her Doctor of Education Degree in Counseling Psychology, with a concentration in Counselor Education and Supervision, in August of 2012, where she graduated from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Garrett received a Masters of Arts in Counseling in 1996, from Sam Houston State University, where she also received her Bachelor’s of Science in Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice in 1994.

Dr. Garrett is employed at Chicago State University, as an Assistant Professor in Graduate Counseling Programs, where she is currently the Director of the Program. She also has been a consultant or served in various capacities in Child Welfare for the past 28 years.

Dr. Garrett is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (IL) and as an LPC (TX) with extensive supervision training related to different supervision models, approaches, and her own supervised supervision. She has practiced and conducted individual, triadic and group supervision for over 25 years. She has also owned her own private practice.

Dr. Garrett is a long-standing member of the American Counseling Association and Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, and the Illinois Counseling Association. She serves as the Secretary for the Illinois Association for Multicultural Counseling. She is a mentor for the NBCC/APA joint program for Illinois Interdisciplinary Minority and Fellowship Program. She is currently a member of Top Ladies of Distinction, National Council of Negro Women and Charms.

Dr. Garrett has taught in both masters’ and doctoral level courses at various Universities in Illinois and New York. She is also currently the chair of several dissertations that are in the process of being completed. She serves on various departments, college, and university committees, as well as prepares doctoral students to publish in reference journals and other professorial activities.

She loves to interact with students and senior faculty members providing clinical services from varying theoretical orientations. Teaching in Counselor Education and Supervision programs afforded her life-changing experiences. She has also had a chance to learn new styles of classroom and online teaching, utilization of brainstorming sessions and multicultural discussions, and teaching classes with a blended format. Her teaching philosophy reflects her interests in collaborative authorship. She prefers student-centered teaching that encourages learning by both students and teachers. She favors classroom dynamics that permit dialogue and foster a degree of student input as to curricula and grading criteria. Finally, she finds unique ways to enhance her classroom discussions by incorporating her experience working with diverse populations and health disparities.

Dr. Garrett has developed and delivered several presentations in her areas of interest including Trauma (specifically Intergenerational/Historical), Black Superwoman Syndrome, Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience, Child Welfare, Code-Switching, The Five Love Languages, Clinical Supervision, and Compassion Fatigue. She has delivered presentations from the state level to the international level. She has been published in various Child-Welfare Journals, the Encyclopedia for Marriage, and Family Counseling, and currently has several projects in review.

Finally, Dr. Garrett has been married 29 years and perhaps the most important role of all is that of mother, to her 23-year-old son Bruce K. Wilson, II.

Chief Michael Jones

Michael Jones is in his 27th year of law enforcement in suburban south Chicagoland area. He is currently serving as the Chief of Police for the Matteson Police Department, which is a mid-level sized police department with 45 full-time sworn police officers and 15 civilian employees. He is the immediate Past President and on the Executive Board for the South Suburban Chiefs of Police Association, the South Suburban Emergency Response Team, and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force where together with other leaders they ensure that over fifty different communities remain safe by increasing the efficiency of local police departments through mutual cooperative efforts. Michael is also a consultant and evaluator for a company that assists police departments throughout the country with their new police candidate hiring interviews and police officer promotional exams. He also serves on an Advisory Board for a local college where he ensures that potential future law enforcement officers are receiving the most up to date and useful curriculum.

Michael specializes in team building, leadership and increasing communication skills. He has worked a multitude of positions throughout his law enforcement career to include Field Training Officer, Range Master, Tactical Officer and Detective. Michael was assigned to the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force where he investigated mainly homicides with a team of investigators throughout the south suburbs of Chicago. Michael was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 2004. In 2009, Mike was reassigned to supervise the Criminal Investigations Division for the Matteson Police Department. He managed the Criminal Investigators and conducted hundreds of criminal investigations. He worked closely with the FBI and Secret Service on many of his major cases. He was responsible for all of the background investigations for all new Police and Fire candidates. He was also responsible for all Internal Affairs investigations for the department. He was promoted to Deputy Chief of Operations in 2012, then Police Chief in 2014. As Police Chief, Michael has successfully implemented new policies and programs to bridge the gap between police officers and their community. Michael has also increased the department’s recruitment program and asset forfeiture programs. Michael also works for a company conducting police entry level interviews and promotional assessment examinations for police departments throughout the country.

As Chief of Police, Michael is an Executive Board member of the South Suburban Chiefs Association, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Governors State University where he graduated Cum Laude, and has completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Governors State University. Michael has attended numerous supervisor and leadership courses throughout his career, including graduating from the ten week School of Police Staff and Command through Northwestern University. He also completed a High Performance Leadership Course through the Professional Development Academy which is based on General Colin Powell’s Thirteen Rules of Leadership. Michael specializes in the instruction of Leadership and Supervision and Recruitment and Background Investigations. His focus is to increase the competency and efficiency of law enforcement officers and other government related careers, as well as to build better community relations for a more positive police image.

Chief Dale Mitchell

Chief Mitchell is a veteran police officer with almost 32 years of experience. Chief Mitchell is the current Chief of the Village of University Park Police Department. Chief Mitchell advocates for a fair and equitable approach to policing while staunchly enforcing well thought out laws and statutes. Chief Mitchell is a strong proponent of Community Policing by creating partnerships with the community to develop solutions to community problems while holding the criminal element accountable.

Chief Mitchell has previously served over 22 years with the Village of Hazel Crest Police Department as Deputy Chief of Police, Detective Sergeant, Patrol Sergeant, Detective, Tactical Officer, Community Policing Officer and Patrol Officer. Prior to his time at Hazel Crest, Chief Mitchell spent time with the Village of Burnham Police Department and approximately 8 years with the Chicago Housing Authority Police Department where he served as a Patrol Officer, Tactical Officer and Special Operations Operator. Additionally, Chief Mitchell is one of only 245 Chiefs to earn the Certified Police Chief designation sponsored by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

Chief Mitchell has earned a bachelor's degree as well as a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from Governors State University. Chief Mitchell is a Graduate of Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Staff and Command Class #324, The Federal Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, Supervisory-Command and Executive Leadership Seminars and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Flagship Program Police Executive for the 21^st Century. Chief Mitchell also completed the Redefining Policing to Affirm and Instill Human Rights (REPAIR) Program sponsored by The Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Finally, Chief Mitchell is a lifelong resident of the southside of Chicago Englewood neighborhood. He is a married father of 3, all college graduates and one a military veteran of both the United States Marine Corp and United States Air Force.

Athanasios Kolovos, MA

Athanasios William Kolovos holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology (2019) and a Master’s in Political and Social Justice (2021) from Governors State University. He also completed a Master’s in International Relations and Regional Studies with a focus on European studies from the University of Tartu, Estonia (2023). Athanasios’ commitment to social justice is evident through his Peace Corps service in Madagascar (2019-2020) and current Peace Corps assignment teaching English in Tamil province schools in Sri Lanka. He is very eager to bring his diverse educational background and practical experience to the Criminal Justice Advisory Board at Governors State University, where he aims to bring a global perspective and dedication to community engagement.