Vicki Reed’s career has spanned almost every facet of child welfare and juvenile justice. She worked as line staff in juvenile detention, served as a juvenile probation officer, and while as director of a private agency, opened up a youth shelter that remains today as the only one for children in Lexington, Ky. She implemented Fayette County’s first foster care review board. While with the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children, she headed up the agency’s training branch and later served in the Commissioner’s office as the head of youth services. When the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) was established, she transferred to there as Director of Classification. One of her many accomplishments was the beginning of using therapeutic foster care for delinquent youth. She eventually left the agency but returned many years later when she was appointed Commissioner and served for almost three years before retiring from state government to concentrate on writing, speaking, and consulting.

Her novel The Car Thief: One Boy’s Perilous Journey through the Juvenile Justice System, was the winner of two national/international awards and the inaugural pick of the national Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s book club. She was also the only author of a fiction book ever featured on the Global Center for Woman and Justice’s podcast, broadcast in 169 countries. In March of 2025, she released her second novel Sleight of Hand which focuses on a youth in foster care.

Vicki has been the keynote speaker at numerous national, regional, and state conferences. Her presentations are known for their high-energy, humor, and perhaps most importantly, practical strategies that attendees can implement once they return from the event.  This is because she understands the challenges of providing services to an often difficult to serve population. Having worked  on “both sides of the coin” brings a unique perspective to her work.

Vicki continues to be active with the National Partnership for Juvenile Services and the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators.