Sheriff's Office

Employee Spotlight

Civilian Employee of the Year
Ryan Hensley

                                                               
After 17 years in engineering and construction, Ryan Hensley joined the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office as the Detention Services Manager where he has served since April 2011. He is fiscally responsible for the oversight of a $4.1 million budget. He leads seven departments: Inmate
Food Services, Loading Dock and Warehouse, the Sheriff’s Office Supply, Inmate Property and Laundry, Inmate Work Programs, Inmate Education and Counseling Programs, and the Sheriff’s Community Work Program. He empowers a staff of 27 full-time employees and 16 part-time
employees in support of the largest detention facility in Northern Nevada where the inmate average daily population is approximately 1,100. 
Mr. Hensley has also been the Construction Manager for all construction projects at the Sheriff’s Office, working closely with public works and contractors to improve usability and expand the facility. He is a member of the Commissary Board protecting, managing, and prioritizing the commissary fund for the benefit of the inmates. He served as a member of the Washoe County Training-Learning-Leadership Committee where he was recognized by the County Manager for his outstanding service. Recently, he volunteered to become a Human Resources Representative for the detention facility, becoming the conduit between HR and detention staff—both civilian and commissioned. 
Mr. Hensley has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno and a certificate in Project Management Essentials from the University of Nevada, Reno. He is a graduate of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy Class #10 and a recipient of the Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout Award. 
He and his wife, Cheryl, have been married for 16 years. They are raising their two daughters and a son just outside of Reno in Spanish Springs, Nevada, where they enjoy all the outdoor activities the area has to offer.