Manatee probation officer receives state award

A Manatee County probation officer has been named the Florida Community Corrections Professional of the Year.

The Florida Association of Community Corrections named Shenica Graham as the recipient during an awards luncheon in Naples.

“The award meant that I must be doing my job the right way and that I’m having a positive impact on people,” Graham said in a news release. “It makes me want to continue to work harder and make a difference.”

Graham is one of the county’s six probation officers, overseeing more than 200 clients. She was hired as a Manatee County probation officer in 2011.

“Shenica is the person that everyone wants to work with because she brings positivity and grace to work each day,” Probation Services Manager Jennifer Burgh said in the release. “She can be called upon in any situation due to her professionalism, trustworthiness and dependability.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2016 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Manatee probation officer receives state award."