Brandeshawn (Brande) Harris has spent nearly 30 years in the field of corrections. As the Chief Deputy Secretary for Operations, Harris oversees the divisions of Community Supervision, Correction Enterprises, Emergency Preparedness and the state prison system.
Harris joined the N.C. Department of Public Safety in November 2019 and served as the assistant director of the Division of Prisons, overseeing the operations of the state prison system. Harris served as the interim commissioner of state prisons from June 2022 to January 2023.
Much of her career was spent in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. She began her career in 1995 as a correction officer and rose through the security ranks to include lieutenant, investigator, warden’s assistant, deputy warden, and warden. Harris served as a warden at both a female reintegration center and a large close custody male facility.
Harris earned an associate degree in criminal justice at the University of Akron, a bachelor’s in criminal justice administration from Tiffin University, and a master’s in management at Indiana Wesleyan University. She has completed additional training from the National Institute of Corrections and is a member of the American Correctional Association.
Harris is passionate about educating, mentoring and empowering women working in corrections. She believes: “Women serve a vital role in corrections, as they naturally possess passion for people. They work hard to provide a safe, humane, and productive environment for staff and the incarcerated.”