Inspiring Better Outcomes With the Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation
As his cell door clanked shut and the lights flicked off, Dave Sisson slowly stepped forward, grasped the bars, and lowered his head—his grip steadily tightening while he stewed in the deafening silence. It was the end of another day in what felt like an endless string of days, part of a 30-year prison sentence that stretched on like eternity.
This wasn’t Sisson’s first time in solitary confinement. Given his reputation for starting fights, he had come to know “the hole” all too well—to the point of embracing it as the only thing he deserved, and the only place where he could shut out the world.
But this time was different. By some miracle, even in this darkest of moments, Sisson started to see the light.
“I’m never coming back to this place,” he whispered decisively before releasing his hold, turning around, and climbing into bed. It wasn’t just the hole he was ready to leave behind, but the hollow way of life that had shackled him for far too long. As his head sank into the pillow, he drew a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Tomorrow, everything changes.”
Little did Sisson know, like many others before him, that life-changing decision would blaze a path away from recidivism and toward a future he never thought possible—and it would all hinge on an unexpected encounter with NDIT.
After spending 30 years incarcerated, Dave Sisson transformed his life through determination, technology, and a second chance—today building not only innovative designs, but brighter futures for others across North Dakota.
Becoming a Model Citizen
Fast-forward several years, and Sisson found himself in a much better place than the hole, one he never thought he’d visit: the library wing of the North Dakota State Penitentiary. Stranger still, he was browsing the software section.
Staying true to his vow, Sisson was done starting fights, because he now had something new worth fighting for. His journey to the library was one marked by humility, grace, and a sincere willingness to change.
That journey had begun years earlier, when Sisson was given one last chance to go on the straight and narrow—in the form of an opportunity with Rough Rider Industries, the penitentiary’s manufacturing affiliate that provides work opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
Dennis Fracassi, then-director of Rough Rider, ultimately stuck his neck out for Sisson and gave him a chance to prove he was serious about changing his life. It was the lifeline of a lifetime, and he took it.
“We had a gentleman’s agreement,” Sisson recalls. “Words can’t describe how thankful I am that it worked out.”
Sisson capitalized on every part of the opportunity. He started in Rough Rider’s furniture shop, working in assembly before moving into stain and spray. Later, fate nudged him into the computer-aided design (CAD) room, where specialized software is used to create furniture and other items. He suddenly found himself immersed in a whole new world.
Having never touched a computer before, Sisson went about educating himself about the technology, making regular trips to the library and checking out every CAD book he could find. He taught himself the software one page at a time, quickly discovering a passion for design and coding.
“You could say I swindled my way into the program by hoarding all those books,” Sisson says with a chuckle. “They were definitely my lifeline to learning the system.”
Sisson was well on his way to earning his CAD certification when he ran into a glitch. The software company released a new version of its tool with a whole new interface, and the only training resources available were now online. As an incarcerated individual with no internet access, Sisson’s hands were tied.
But what he didn’t realize was that there was still hope—in the form of a behind-the-scenes support team at NDIT.
The same technology that once seemed out of reach became the foundation for Sisson’s new career, opening the door to purpose, growth, and a future he never imagined.
A Beacon Beyond Bars
NDIT Service Delivery teams—made up of Technology Business Partners (TBPs), Enterprise Architects (EAs), and Information Security Officers (ISOs)—have a genuine passion for supporting agencies and citizens statewide. From delivering advanced tech to tailored support, they’re the quiet force behind essential operations.
It’s a service-driven culture embodied by many, including Corey Mock, Chief Information Officer for the State of North Dakota, who’s known for accompanying Service Delivery teams in visiting agency operations to see firsthand what’s needed—and what’s possible.
“Technology is at its best when it removes barriers and creates opportunities,” Mock says. “Our role at NDIT isn’t simply to provide technology—it’s to work alongside our agency partners to solve problems, strengthen their missions, and help improve outcomes for the people they serve. Sometimes that impact is measured in efficiency or security. Other times, it’s measured in a life that’s been given a second chance.”
So when an NDIT Service Delivery team eventually received word from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) that someone in the CAD room had the opportunity to turn their life around, and that this person needed temporary and secure access to online training materials, they jumped into action.
No one knew Sisson personally. All they knew was that he—and the society he was striving to re-enter as a changed man—were counting on them.
And that was enough.
What started as a request for training access grew into a partnership that helped change Sisson’s life. Today, he works alongside current DOCR residents in the AutoCAD department, supported by the NDIT team whose guidance helped make his second chance possible.
Designing a Future
Between an extensive approval process, handwritten notes, and a communication system that would make a carrier pigeon blush, Sisson began relaying what he needed to the NDIT group. On their side, team members worked closely with prison staff to figure out the logistics. It may have felt like one of the longest and most complex IT support calls in history, but the collaboration was nothing short of remarkable.
“It’s just nice to have an impact on people’s lives,” says Ryan Kramer, Enterprise Architect Team Lead and one of the NDIT team members who helped Sisson from beyond the firewall. “Playing even a small role in this particular win was a wonderful reminder for our team that access, opportunity, and belief in someone’s potential can truly make a difference.”
That impact is on full display today, with Sisson’s workspace being a far cry from the hole. Instead of basic belongings, it’s filled with colorful sketches, intricate renderings, and unique prototypes—like a custom-built control booth for Missouri River Correctional Center and a sleek, modern library desk designed from scratch.
Sisson has since served out his sentence and today works as a full-time Product Development Specialist at Rough Rider. He walks through his designs with pride, pointing out the layers, the logic, the craftsmanship. The way he sees it, he’s not just building furniture—he’s building something other people will use to learn, work, and grow, the same way he did.
The best part? He’s not doing it alone. Thanks to NDIT’s ongoing support, Sisson now oversees the CAD department, training current residents who’ve been inspired to follow in his footsteps.
“It’s truly amazing to see what’s possible when one shifts their mindset—from punishment to potential,” says Rick Gardner, current Director of Rough Rider Industries. “Most people think of prison as a place to lock people up. We see it as a place to unlock something better.”
When people invest in potential, extraordinary things can happen. Sisson’s story is proof.
Making Second Chances Possible
Sisson’s story is about so much more than one person’s redemption—it’s about what happens when agencies like NDIT and DOCR choose to invest in people’s potential. For Sisson, a tech team working quietly behind the scenes turned a simple request for training access into an opportunity to learn, grow, and eventually mentor others.
Today, that story is reaching beyond North Dakota, shared in a video by AutoCAD at national conferences and featured in correctional industry publications. But its greatest impact isn’t measured by where it’s told—it’s measured by the lives it continues to change.
After 30 years of incarceration, Dave Sisson has found purpose, earned his freedom, and built a future he once thought was impossible.
And he’s just getting started.