Salem, Oregon – Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission is entering its next chapter with a familiar face already at the helm. After more than a year serving in an interim role, Ryan Keck is officially taking over as the agency’s permanent executive director.
Gov. Tina Kotek announced Keck’s appointment this week, with the change taking effect Oct. 1, 2026. The appointment gives the commission continuity at a time when it is preparing for significant changes to the way several public safety grant programs are organized and administered.
Keck brings 27 years of public service experience to the position. He began his career as a corrections deputy before moving into leadership roles with the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
While there, he helped establish the Center for Policing Excellence, described by the Governor’s Office as the nation’s first statewide effort focused on educating law enforcement officials about evidence-based policing.
“Ryan has done excellent work leading the agency as the interim executive director, and I believe he will continue to deliver an effective, collaborative, and evidence-based approach to strengthening community safety throughout Oregon in the permanent role,” Kotek said.
Keck’s connection to the Criminal Justice Commission dates to 2021, when he joined the agency as programs director and deputy director. In that position, he helped oversee seven statewide grant programs aimed at innovation within Oregon’s justice system and worked on aligning the agency with statewide workforce and workplace development expectations.
His move into the top job began in April 2025. Keck became interim executive director after Ken Sanchagrin left the position to serve as interim executive director of the Oregon Public Defense Commission.
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One of Keck’s major responsibilities will be guiding the commission through changes created by House Bill 3069, approved during the 2025 legislative session. The law reorganizes most individual CJC grant programs into two broader structures, the Oregon Public Safety Coordination Grant Program and the Oregon Law Enforcement Grant Program, while also making other changes to justice-related programs administered by the commission.
Keck will also continue supporting the Criminal Justice Commission and Juvenile Justice Policy Commission as they provide data, analysis and evidence-informed policy work across Oregon’s justice systems.
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The appointment turns what began as a temporary leadership assignment in April 2025 into a permanent role, placing Keck in charge as the commission moves from planning for structural changes to carrying them out.
