Franzoni Named Franklin County’s New Warden

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Franklin County Commissioners are pleased to announce Heather Franzoni as the new warden of the Franklin County Jail. Franzoni replaces Christopher Schell, who stepped down from the role earlier this year.

In her new position, Franzoni will supervise overall operations and administration of the jail, a 500-bed facility with a staff of approximately 150. As a key stakeholder in the criminal justice continuum, she will also collaborate with the county's probation departments, law enforcement agencies, county administration, courts and other entities with the ultimate goal of ensuring public safety.

Franzoni has more than a decade of experience in corrections. She began her career as a correctional treatment specialist at the jail in 2011. In this role, she provided consultation and supportive counseling to inmates, served on the jail's hostage negotiations team, and handled crisis intervention, among other responsibilities. In 2022 Franozni became the deputy warden of inmate custody where she oversaw the jail's inmate records department, fiscal operations, vendor contracts, operational supplies and the central processing/central booking center.

"We are excited to hire Heather Franzoni as our new warden," said Franklin County Commissioner John Flannery, chair of the county's Prison Board. "Through a process of multiple interviews, Heather was selected over a strong list of qualified applicants. Heather has had a tremendous amount of success serving as a deputy warden at the Franklin County Jail. She is highly respected by her peers and was a unanimous choice for the position."

On multiple occasions, Franzoni has been recognized for her work at the jail. She was named the 2018 Franklin County Jail Correctional Professional of the Year and received the county's 2022 SERVICE Value Award for Continuous Improvement. Franzoni was also the recipient of the 2024 Pennsylvania Prison Wardens Association Presidents Award.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to accept the position of warden at the Franklin County Jail," said Franzoni. "I am committed to ensuring the safety, security and well-being of both the staff and the individuals in our custody. I look forward to collaborating with various entities to promote rehabilitation and support successful reentry into society. The Franklin County Jail has a strong team, and I am excited to work alongside them to foster positive change and continue moving forward."

Franzoni earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Shippensburg University and a Master of Science in psychology from California Coast University. She holds a number of certifications: certified hostage negotiator; Pennsylvania Department of Corrections instructor/train the trainer; certified moral reconation therapy facilitator; certified advanced emergency medical technician; and tactical emergency casualty care, among others.

In addition to her career at the Franklin County Jail, Franzoni has been an advanced emergency medical technician with Shippensburg Area EMS since 2009 and currently serves as captain.

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