About JailGeek

Revolutionizing Federal Detention Reimbursement

JailGeek Relocates to San Francisco: Scaling Federal Detention Reimbursement Technology

Founding Team Expertise

Leadership Rooted in Experience

JailGeek was founded by Joe Summerill, a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney, and Michele Sharpe, whose expertise in federal regulations brought critical insight. Together, they identified a significant problem: complex regulations and application processes consistently resulted in local jails being underpaid for housing federal detainees, with no software for federal detention negotiations available to address this challenge.

West Coast Innovation

JailGeek’s San Francisco headquarters is more than an office—it’s the engine for our next chapter of innovation. Our strategic relocation anchors us within the world’s foremost technology ecosystem, directly shaping our approach to solving complex federal detention challenges.

Here, the culture of innovation encourages us to move beyond conventional thinking. It fuels our commitment to bridging the gap between public safety operations and modern technology. In this environment, we attract mission-driven talent, refine our FairRate™ platform with greater precision, and engage with partners who are transforming legacy systems.

This move is a direct investment in our ability to serve sheriffs’ offices and county governments nationwide. It ensures that we can deliver the most sophisticated, data-driven, and defensible tools—turning cost centers into sustainable revenue and delivering better insights, better rates, and better results for our partners.

Federal Contracting Background

Built on Comprehensive Domain Expertise

JailGeek draws on our team's collective 50+ years of federal detention contract management experience and extensive knowledge of the detention agreement process. This exceptional background has informed every aspect of our software development, ensuring solutions that address the real challenges faced by local facilities with an authority that generic approaches cannot match.

Strategic Perspective

Our team's experience negotiating intergovernmental detention agreements both within the U.S. Department of Justice and now helping counties nationwide provides a comprehensive view of both sides of the negotiation process—knowledge that's embedded in our software algorithms and consulting approach.

Innovation Journey

Mission-Driven Development

What began as a specialized consulting practice has evolved into a suite of innovative software solutions that transform how local facilities manage federal detention agreements and reimbursements. From inception, JailGeek has focused on creating specialized detention software solutions that help local governments secure fair compensation for the true cost of housing federal detainees.

Continuous Advancement

JailGeek maintains a commitment to ongoing innovation, regularly enhancing our solutions based on changing federal detention compliance requirements, emerging detention trends, and client feedback. Our mission extends beyond software development—we aim to strengthen a local government's position when negotiating new federal detention per diem rates. This approach protects local taxpayer resources while bringing transparency to an otherwise opaque process through pioneering technology.

“Expertise illuminates complexity. Specialized knowledge outperforms trial and error. When federal regulations are properly understood, opportunities emerge that others cannot see.”

Joe Summerill, Founder & CEO of JailGeek, INC.

Our Team

Meet the Minds Behind JailGeek

Joe Summerill

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Joe brings more than two decades of experience as a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney, where he specialized in federal detention agreements and procurement. His deep understanding of federal contracting processes and detention requirements provides the foundation for JailGeek's innovative solutions.

Michele Sharpe

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Michele's expertise in federal circulars and compliance brings critical insight to JailGeek's operations. Her background in regulatory analysis and implementation helps clients navigate complex federal requirements while maximizing legitimate federal detention reimbursement opportunities.

Jon Mattson

Director of Business Development

Jon Mattson works with sheriffs and county leadership across the country to identify opportunities to improve federal inmate housing agreements and maximize revenue for local jurisdictions. With more than 12 years of hands-on experience in public safety and relationship-driven business development, Jon builds trusted partnerships with law enforcement leaders while helping counties navigate complex federal detention agreements.

Robyn Green

Vice President of Business Analytics

Robyn Green holds both a Bachelor in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy from American InterContinental University. Before joining JailGeek, INC., Robyn was a former controller, specializing in budgeting, cost analysis, cost variance, and financial reporting. She has a proven ability to develop internal controls for improving financial analysis and participates in the development of cost management methodologies.

Hunter Jablonski

PR & Communications Specialist

Hunter Jablonski is JailGeek’s PR and Communications Specialist where he manages strategic outreach, marketing execution, and data-driven growth. He is a recent graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Analytics.

Will Critchfield

Business Analyst

Will Critchfield is our Business Analyst and Junior Grants Specialist. He holds both an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Chattanooga State Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Prior to joining JailGeek, INC., Will was a staff accountant for a full-service accounting firm.

Mary Horsey

Independent Contractor For JailGeek, INC.

Mary is a former Grants Specialist for the U.S. Marshals Service, Intergovernmental Agreements Branch, Prisoner Operations Division. Ms. Horsey brings 15 years of experience reviewing eIGA applications and negotiating new per diem rates and transportation / hospital guard service rates.

Our Advisors

JailGeek's team combines expertise across crucial domains, giving you the strategic advantage you need to maximize your federal detention revenue.

Steve Casey, Advisor

Steve Casey served as the Executive Director of the Florida Sheriffs Association for 15 years, where he oversaw an association of 67 county sheriffs with a recent annual budget over $10 M. Prior to this position, Steve served with distinguish as: Executive Director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Chief Deputy of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Director of Security for the Florida Lottery, as a Special Agent and Special Agent Supervisor with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco, as a Police Officer for the City of Chipley and as a Deputy Sheriff for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. He holds a master’s degree in management from Troy University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (163rd session), the Harvard University Senior Executive Program for State and Local Government and the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, Chief Executive Seminar #41.

Hugh Hurwitz, Advisor

Hugh Hurwitz is a federal corrections specialist with expertise in detention administration and management. In May 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Mr. Hurwitz to serve as the Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). In that role he was responsible for leading the operation of one of the largest correctional systems in the world, including oversight of 122 prison facilities, 12 contract facilities, and over 200 residential reentry centers, with oversight and management of approximately 36,000 staff and approximately 177,000 inmates. Mr. Hurwitz served in that acting position until August 2019. Mr. Hurwitz began his career at the BOP when he was selected as a Department of Justice honors attorney after serving a one-year clerkship at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He later held several positions in the BOP procurement office including as the Procurement Executive. Mr. Hurwitz received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Rochester, and his Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the American University, Washington College of Law. Mr. Hurwitz is an Adjunct Professor at the American University, teaching a course titled The Prison Community, and is a guest lecturer on Corrections, Leadership, and Procurement for multiple organizations.

John Scalia, Advisor

John Scalia is a professional statistician with expertise in detention management and detention population projection model development. As the former chief statistician for the United States Marshals Service Prisoner Operations Division, Mr. Scalia was responsible for development of the USMS’s detention population projection and cost estimation models. Over the course of his career, his methodologies have been audited by both the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Mr. Scalia is graduate of The George Washington University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology and a Master of Sciences in Forensic Sciences.

Subject Matter Expertise

The Insights You Need for Fair Federal Compensation

JailGeek's leadership team regularly contributes to industry publications, speaks at correctional conferences, and advises government agencies on detention management best practices.

Federal detention regulations and compliance

Correctional facility operations and management

Intergovernmental detention agreement negotiation

Data analysis and predictive modeling

Government financial systems and detention cost calculation

Corporate Sponsorships

Proud Supporters of Sheriff and Local Law Enforcement Associations

National Partnership Program

JailGeek maintains active partnerships with sheriff associations nationwide, providing educational resources, sponsoring key events, and supporting the associations' missions.

State-Level Engagement

Our regional partnerships with state sheriff associations allow us to address local jail budget challenges while supporting the broader law enforcement community.

Educational Support

Through these partnerships, JailGeek provides specialized educational content focused on jail management best practices and federal reimbursement strategies.