KINCHELOE — Former Marquette resident Connie Horton has been named Warden of Chippewa Correctional Facility.

Horton is the seventh warden of the facility and has spent 29 years of her career with the Michigan Department of Corrections. She was appointed to the position following the retirement of former Warden Jeffrey Woods, according to a release from the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Horton began her career as a corrections officer at Standish Correctional Facility in 1989. She promoted to sergeant at Newberry Correctional Facility in 1996 and worked her way through the custody ranks from sergeant, lieutenant then captain.

Horton was a team leader on Newberry’s Emergency Response Team since its inception and later became the assistant commander. She was a member of the Region One Mobilization Team and a facilitator for MDOC Supervisor Leadership Training for Women.

In 2006, she promoted to assistant deputy warden and deputy warden in 2011 at Chippewa. Her appointment as warden was effective Dec. 31.

Connie (Tuimala) Horton is a graduate of Marquette Senior High School. She earned her Corrections Certification from the Criminal Justice Program at Northern Michigan University.

Horton believes protecting the community and providing necessary programming is essential to assist in offender success.