Mary Comperini, Psy.D., CCHP, ABPP

Dr. Mary Comperini has served in California’s state system since 2009, bringing more than 16 years of experience in forensic and correctional psychology. Her career has included work with some of the state’s most high-risk populations, beginning at Porterville Developmental Center’s Secured Treatment Center, and later contributing to the activation of the California Health Care Facility (CHCF) in Stockton. In 2015, she joined the California Men’s Colony, where she has advanced through multiple leadership roles, including Senior Psychologist Supervisor, Chief of Mental Health, and a temporary assignment as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Comperini earned her Doctorate and Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology, as well as a Post-Doctorate Certificate in Forensic Psychology, from Argosy University in Schaumburg, Illinois. She also holds a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Community Counseling, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus on theatre arts, both from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. She is board certified in Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPP) and is proud to be the first correctional psychologist to earn this certification. In addition to her clinical and leadership roles, she serves on the American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology and contributes to a subcommittee dedicated to revising certification criteria to better reflect the role of correctional psychologists. She is passionate about expanding pathways for correctional psychologists to pursue board certification, strengthening their professional identity and recognition within the broader field of public safety psychology. Her pre-licensure training included extensive work in correctional, juvenile, and forensic settings across Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. She has provided subject matter expert testimony in California courts and has chaired or co-chaired numerous professional committees, including the Competency Evaluation Standards Subcommittee at Porterville Developmental Center, the Psychology Ethics Subcommittee, and the Behavior Management Plan Review Committee at CHCF. She also represented Mental Health on CHCF’s Medical Ethics Committee and currently serves on the Use of Force Executive Review Panel at the California Men’s Colony. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Comperini integrates her lifelong passion for theatre and music into her work and personal life. She has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of the creative arts in fostering healing, resilience, and expression—particularly for individuals coping with grief and trauma within correctional environments. Music, in particular, provides her with both balance and a creative outlet, which she considers an essential source of resilience and renewal. She also encourages staff to engage in their own acts of renewal and self-care, recognizing that sustaining well-being is vital to the demanding work of correctional and public safety psychology.