The Wyoming Women’s Center (WWC) is pleased to announce Corporal  Nicholas Munoz and Ms. Crystal Zerbe, Caseworker, as Exemplary Employees of the Fourth Quarter.  

Corporal Nicholas Munoz began his career with the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) as a Corrections Officer in November of 2013.  This career began at the Wyoming Women’s Center (WWC).  He earned his promotion to the rank of Corporal in January 2017. Prior to corrections, he served with the U.S. Navy as a submariner aboard the USS Tucson (SSN 770). 

In addition to the duties normally associated with a corrections officer, Munoz wears many different hats (typical in a smaller facility) and serves in the capacity of Field Training Officer (FTO) for new correctional officers, facility armorer, communications officer, inmate offsite work crew supervisor, inmate transport officer, an instructor in the area of Incident Command Systems for Corrections (ICSC), and is also an instructor in Natural Response Control Techniques (NRCT) for non-uniformed staff.

The recognition of Munoz as an employee of the quarter is a result of his consistent exercising of sound judgement, his eagerness to learn new things,  his participation in extra duties, and his overall professional performance.  His supervisors report that he is a self-starter, does everything asked of him and goes above and beyond the minimum expected, always presents himself in a sharp and professional manner, and always has a “can-do” attitude.

Munoz expresses professional goals of promoting through the ranks and taking on the responsibilities associated with and toward those promotions.  Also, he is willing to take on most anything new.

Outside the workplace, Munoz is a family man who enjoys spending quality time with his family.  This quality time mostly involves camping, fishing, off-roading, and softball during the summer.  Further, his family is quite supportive of his role at the WWC.

Crystal Zerbe began her career with the WDOC in February, 2008 as a Correctional Officer at WWC.  While serving in this role as an officer, Zerbe applied herself to “distant education” classes and eventually earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in the area of psychology.  In July, 2012 she applied for and earned the position of Caseworker for the WWC.

As an inmate caseworker, Zerbe has been responsible for providing cognitive programing classes for the inmates.  These classes have include: Trauma in Life; Thinking for a Change; and Forward Thinking.  Further, she has taught Pre-Release classes in preparing inmates for their re-enter into society.   Additionally,  she prepares inmate parole summaries for the Parole Board as well as serving as a contact to the courts, probation and parole, Department of Family Services (DFS), and ACC facilities in the state.

Zerbe serves as a Field Training Officer (FTO) for new inmate case workers at the WWC, to include mentoring and spending time with the new caseworkers as they learn their roles in the facility.  She is also a CPR instructor for staff.

Zerbe’s recognition as an employee of the quarter is a result of her significant increases in meeting performance standards, her  leadership skills in providing guidance to both co-workers and others, and her assistance in providing training.  She maintains a consistently positive altitude and always has the overall goal of the WDOC in mind as she performs her job duties.

Professional goals Zerbe has set for herself are to effectively assist new caseworkers as they learn their jobs, serve as a positive role model to all, and support the WDOC in its mission of actively providing offenders opportunities to become law-abiding citizens. .

Outside of work, Zerbe is a dedicated family individual who likes to spend time with her family in a variety of outdoor activities (i.e., hunting, fishing camping, etc.) as well as activities on their ranch.  During her quiet time, she likes to read and draw.

WWC congratulates both employees and wishes them all the best in their continued, future success.