Russell E. Sanders began his extensive career at Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center on January 3, 1994 as a direct care officer and was among the first group of individuals employed by the facility. On January 18th, 1994, the center officially opened and accepted the first juvenile into custody.

Finding his niche working with troubled youth, Russell was quickly promoted up through the ranks. In 1995 he was appointed Assistant Shift Supervisor and then promoted again in 1996 to Shift Supervisor. In the following years, Russell was named employee of the quarter twice and received numerous commendations from both the Executive Director and the Florida Parishes Juvenile Justice Commission. In 2005, he was appointed Director of Operations and charged with the task of overseeing multiple facets of security operations and various departments within the organization. He directly supervises the Intake, Training, Recreational Therapy and Security Department consisting of seven supervisors, four department managers, and seventy four employees in all. Additionally, he is the facility’s Site Coordinator through Performance Based Standards and oversees data collection, facility improvement, and ensures compliance with all regulations.

Throughout his years of employment, Russell has received multiple certifications and memberships related to the field of juvenile justice and community leadership. Between 2002 and 2015, he received the TPSO Certification for Correctional Officers, Chemical Weapons Instructor Certification, attended the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers, Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Communication and Human Relations, and completed the Leadership Tangipahoa Program. As a longtime member of the Louisiana Juvenile Detention Association, he was appointed to serve on their Executive Board in 2008, as well as its Juvenile Detention Standards Committee which created standards for all Louisiana Juvenile Detention Centers. He is currently serving as the President and Publisher for the association. Russell has obtained organizational membership in the Council for Juvenile Correctional Administrators, National Partnership for Juvenile Services, and the Annie Casey Foundation.