Georgia
Joseph Vignati has been actively involved in all aspects of Georgia's juvenile justice system for the past 32 years, serving youth in a wide variety of roles, both in his career with state government and as a volunteer in community settings. In 2017, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner/Chief of Staff for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Mr. Vignati currently serves as co-chair of the Juvenile Incentive Grant Funding Committee that has helped award more than $30 million in grant funds specifically aimed to reduce unnecessary out-of-home placements of youth appearing before juvenile courts across Georgia. Mr. Vignati joined the Georgia Children and Youth Coordinating Council in 2000 and served as the state's juvenile justice specialist until 2014. He holds a bachelor's degree in politics from Augusta University and graduated summa cum laude in 1992 with a master's degree in public administration from Georgia State University.