Laura Rivas received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology from CSU Bakersfield in 2000. She began her career with the Probation Department as an Extra Help Deputy Probation Officer in 2000. She was promoted to Deputy Probation Officer in 2003. Mrs. Rivas has held various assignments in the department including Juvenile investigations, Juvenile Supervision-Aftercare, Gang Intervention and Suppression Team (G.I.S.T.), Adult AB 109 units, and the Professional Standards Unit. In 2019, Mrs. Rivas was promoted to Assistant Probation Division Director and assigned to James G. Bowles Juvenile Hall. Mrs. Rivas was promoted to Probation Division Director in 2021.