Secretary of Adult Correction Todd Ishee has named Talena Lee as the new warden at Nash Correctional Institution in Nashville, N.C.
Lee had been the associate warden for custody and operations at the prison since 2022.
Warden Lee is a dynamic leader who is remarkably responsive and committed to the well-being of her staff and the offenders who are in her care,” said Ishee. “She sets high standards and is a true corrections professional. I welcome her to the ranks of the women and men who run our prisons with such care and compassion.”
In her new position, Lee is responsible for all operations at Nash Correctional, which houses medium custody male offenders.
At the prison, offenders can work in two Correction Enterprises industrial plants. The Nash printing plant produces documents and publications for state and local government agencies. The Optical Plant manufactures eyeglasses for offenders, Medicaid patients and state employees.
The Field Minister Education Program at Nash Correctional is a partnership with Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Joe Gibbs' Game Plan for Life organization educating offenders to be field ministers within the prison system.
A 12-year veteran of the department, Lee began her correctional career in 2010 as a correctional officer in the prison administration building, the Randall Building, in Raleigh.
A year later, she joined the prison system’s programs staff as a case manager and in 2012 was promoted to programs supervisor at Central Prison.
In 2016, Lee was promoted to program director. In 2018, she was promoted to associate warden for programs at Nash Correctional.
Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from East Carolina University. She has completed the Wardens Exchange Program and holds an advanced certificate in criminal justice from the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education & Training Standards Commission. She is also a member of the Southern States Correctional Association.