Team Bios

Scott Macdonald

Scott is a seasoned leader in juvenile and adult probation, with nearly three decades of experience culminating as Chief Probation Officer for Santa Cruz County, where he led a nationally recognized, award-winning system. He now provides consulting and technical assistance to counties and state partners nationwide—including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the W. Haywood Burns Institute, and California Office of Youth and Community Restoration—supporting initiatives such as JDAI, Deep End, and probation transformation. As founder of JustSolve, Inc., he supports jurisdictions in advancing probation and broader juvenile justice reforms that are data-driven, effective, and equitable.

Jacqueline Skapik

Jacqueline is a senior project and program manager with over a decade of experience leading cross-functional teams and supporting public sector reform initiatives. She began her career as a Teach For America corps member in Baltimore and has since managed large-scale projects for state agencies and districts, including major education reform efforts in Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, and Oklahoma. More recently, she has supported juvenile justice and systems reform work with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, California Office of Youth and Community Restoration, and other national and local partners.

Annie Salsich

Annie has been working in the fields of youth justice and child well-being for 28 years. Currently, she is a national consultant, helping sites across the country reduce reliance on youth incarceration, increase reliance on effective community-based alternatives, and counter — through policy and practice — longstanding racial inequities. She brings a background in direct service and policy reform, having worked with youth in educational and social service settings before leading system-level change at the Vera Institute of Justice in New York City. Her approach to site-based technical assistance is rooted in collaboration, active learning, and a commitment to improving outcomes for youth and families.

Fernando Giraldo

Fernando is an Associate Consultant with JustSolve, Inc. and the retired Chief Probation Officer of Santa Cruz County, where he led the department for 12 years during a 30-year career. A nationally recognized leader in justice reform, he has advanced evidence-based, equity-focused approaches and secured nearly $30 million in funding to transform local services. Mr. Giraldo has served on state and local boards, spoken nationally on system reform, and has been honored with multiple awards for leadership and community impact.

David Decher

David is a data and policy consultant specializing in juvenile justice system reform, with a focus on helping agencies use data to drive more effective and equitable decisions. He leads development of public-facing dashboards and analytic tools for partners including the California Office of Youth and Community Restoration and collaborates with organizations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation to support statewide and county-level initiatives. Through his consulting work, he helps jurisdictions translate complex data into actionable insights that improve outcomes across probation and youth justice systems.

Mark Varela

Mark is a veteran probation leader with over three decades of public service, culminating as Chief Probation Officer for Ventura County, where he led major youth and adult justice initiatives. He has held statewide leadership roles, including President of the Chief Probation Officers of California and appointee to the California Board of State and Community Corrections. Since retiring in 2023, he provides consulting and technical assistance in youth justice through organizations including Health Management Associates and JustSolve, Inc..