Corrections Leadership to Serve with the American Correctional Association

Marlah Mardis Elected 

FORSYTH, Ga. –  The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) announced Marlah Mardis, Statewide Medical Director of GDC’s Health Services Division has been elected to serve on the American Correctional Association’s (ACA) Delegate Assembly as a Delegate for Institutions (Healthcare). More than 150 delegates constitute the assembly including at-large representatives from every 16 components of the correctional system.  The Delegates study proposed policies to ensure the documents are clear and concise and effectively communicate ACA’s Principles and Vision as well as the collective will of the Delegate Assembly.

“As the accrediting body for corrections agencies across the nation, the ACA sets the standards we should all strive towards and we are proud to serve and represent our correctional colleagues as we share in our collective commitment to public safety,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. 

Dr. Mardis is board-certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine, with more than 30 years of healthcare experience, including clinical expertise in Family Medicine, Occupational Health, and Correctional Health. She possesses broad knowledge in managing acute and chronic diseases and handling utilization and reimbursement. She has worked with federal occupational health and case management and is familiar with Federal and State regulatory practices. Additionally, she has experience delivering correctional health care in line with the standards laid out by the American Medical Association and the American Correctional Association. Dr. Mardis also possesses comprehensive knowledge of correctional health, having served in leadership positions in several states and with multiple correctional healthcare delivery vendors before joining the agency as Deputy Statewide Medical Director. In 2024, she was promoted to Statewide Medical Director, where she currently serves.

Dr. Mardis graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Xavier University. She then attended Morehouse School of Medicine and became the Chief Resident in Family Practice at Howard University.  Dr. Mardis is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Correctional Physicians (ACCP), and the National Medical Association (NMA)

###

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising approximately 49,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 9,000 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit http://www.gdc.ga.gov .