Kathleen Hawk Sawyer is a former director of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Federal Bureau of Prisons

Federal Bureau of Prisons

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...

. She served as director between 1992 and 2003.

Hawk is a graduate of Wheeling Jesuit College, where she obtained a bachelors in psychology

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...

, and West Virginia University

West Virginia University

West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...

, where she obtained her masters degree and an Ed.D. counseling and rehabilitation.

Starting her career in 1976 as a psychologist at the Federal Correctional Facility, Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

, Sawyer moved up and has held positions at different prisons across the country.