About Division Directors
Read the Full Bios of the ARC Division Directors.
Becky Pogatchnik
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Becky graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 1996 and a master’s degree in Psychology in 1998. She started her career in corrections at the Duluth Bethel in 1994 where she served first as a Corrections Counselor and later, the Female Offender Program Director.
Becky began her career with ARC in 1998 as a Corrections Agent at AJC. She served as an ARC Probation Officer from 2000 to 2012 and was promoted to a Supervisor at AJC in 2012. Becky served as a supervisor at NERCC from 2013 to 2016, at which time she went back to AJC as the Division Director. Becky was selected as the Executive Director of ARC in 2024.
In addition to her work across all three ARC divisions, Becky has been involved in the implementation of Evidence Based Practices (EBP) dating back to 1997, when, as the Duluth Bethel Female Offender Program Director, she became involved in the ARC Justice Involved Female Committee and was subsequently appointed to the Minnesota Advisory Task Force on Justice Involved Women and Girls.
In 2001, the Minnesota Commissioner of Corrections appointed Becky to two committees that were tasked with developing an Evidence Based Practices Plan for the state—the Eight Point Plan Case Management Committee and the Eight Point Plan Best Practices Committee. She’s been a part of the ARC EBP Committee since its inception in 2004 and has served as a trainer and facilitator of EBP curriculums for much of her career. She’s served as a national trainer on working with justice involved females for both the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA).
Although Becky has extensive experience working on EBP initiatives at the state level, her commitment is to improving public safety in the Arrowhead Region, where she has lived and worked for thirty years.
Wendy Skottegard-Burke
DIVISION DIRECTOR, AJC
Wendy graduated from the University of Minnesota – Duluth with a Bachelor’s in Criminology in 1994. She started her career with ARC in 1996 and prior to her promotion to AJC Division Director in 2024, she served as an AJC Corrections Counselor, Corrections Agent, Supervisor, and an ARC Motivational Interviewing trainer.
Wendy has extensive experience working with multi-disciplinary teams to respond effectively to juvenile sexual exploitation. In addition, she has expertise in responding to the needs of justice involved girls, and in the treatment of youth with sexually abusive behaviors. Wendy values the opportunity of collaboration and connection with youth, the community, and justice system partners to impact change.
Erika Ward
DIVISION DIRECTOR, NERCC
Erika Ward brings more than two decades of experience in correctional operations, mental health services, and evidence‑based programming. A Duluth Denfeld High School graduate, she began her career in behavioral health in 1999, working in residential substance abuse treatment programs, acute care settings, and hospital‑based psychiatric services across Alaska and Utah. These early roles laid the foundation for her specialized background in behavioral health and recovery‑oriented care.
Erika joined the Alaska Department of Corrections in 2013, where she served as Lead Mental Health Clinician. In this role, she directed clinical and operational services for a high‑risk incarcerated population, oversaw statewide‑aligned treatment programming, and led critical incident reviews, policy development, and institution‑wide suicide prevention and wellness training. She also served as an investigator with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Office of Civil Rights, Compliance, and Accountability, conducting trauma informed investigations into discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and misconduct.
Throughout her career, Erika has been deeply committed to rehabilitation, recovery, and improving long‑term outcomes for justice‑involved individuals. She has collaborated extensively with courts, probation, and community partners to strengthen reentry pathways, enhance continuity of care, and support coordinated transition services. Her leadership includes mentoring multidisciplinary teams, supporting supervisors in operational decision‑making, and advancing quality improvement initiatives grounded in data‑informed practice. Erika holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Emergency Services. She is returning to Minnesota with a continued dedication to public safety, evidence‑based practice, and high‑quality correctional services across the Arrowhead Region.
Phill Greer
DIVISION DIRECTOR, COURT + FIELD SERVICES
Phill has been in the Corrections field since 1990, serving in Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, South Dakota, Minnesota, and New Mexico prior to his current position as ARC’s Division Director for Court & Field Services.
Phill graduated from Park University, Parkville, MO, with a degree in Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Administration and Probation & Parole Administration, and has completed multiple advanced correctional leadership programs, including the prestigious National Institute of Corrections Executive Excellence program.
Phill has extensive correctional experience including urban and rural settings, Adult and Juvenile field and residential services, secure multi-custody level jail management, work release, electronic monitoring, and treatment programming. He managed one of the country’s largest mega-jails, as Chief of Corrections, and previously served as Executive Director of Tri-County Corrections in Crookston, Minnesota. Phill has been an American Correctional Association Auditor and Consultant since 2004, providing professional consultation and accreditation audits of jails, prisons, and community-based supervision programs.