About Me
I am a lifelong Central Pennsylvania resident. I graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School in 1997 and went on to graduate from Kutztown University in 2001. After graduation, I was employed full-time by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue while attending the night division student program at Widener University School of Law. After graduating from law school, I remained employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue until accepting a position at the Dauphin County Public Defender’s Office.
The Public Defender’s office hired me under a MacArthur Foundation grant which was created in the wake of the Luzerne County “Kids for Cash” scandal and sought to improve juvenile representation in the state of Pennsylvania. As an attorney committed to ensuring that all children receive exemplary representation in the criminal-justice system, I participated in drafting and editing a juvenile defense manual that is used by attorneys throughout the state of Pennsylvania. For over five years, I served as a board member of the Juvenile Defenders Association of Pennsylvania. I have also lectured at numerous presentations on the effective representation of juveniles in the state of Pennsylvania.
While at the Dauphin County Public Defender’s Office, I also represented hundreds of adult clients in various stages of the criminal process. I have represented clients at both the magisterial district judge and court of common pleas levels. In this capacity, I gained invaluable trial experience that ranged from representing clients in less complex misdemeanor trials to serious felony trials.
After leaving the Dauphin County Public Defender's Office, I joined the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania's Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). While serving in the AOPC's Judicial Education Department, I provided continuing legal education to trial judges across the Commonwealth regarding new and emerging areas of the law. In addition, I was a contributing writer for one benchbook and oversaw the creation of another benchbook, which state trial judges reference to assist in the disposition of cases.
The Public Defender’s office hired me under a MacArthur Foundation grant which was created in the wake of the Luzerne County “Kids for Cash” scandal and sought to improve juvenile representation in the state of Pennsylvania. As an attorney committed to ensuring that all children receive exemplary representation in the criminal-justice system, I participated in drafting and editing a juvenile defense manual that is used by attorneys throughout the state of Pennsylvania. For over five years, I served as a board member of the Juvenile Defenders Association of Pennsylvania. I have also lectured at numerous presentations on the effective representation of juveniles in the state of Pennsylvania.
While at the Dauphin County Public Defender’s Office, I also represented hundreds of adult clients in various stages of the criminal process. I have represented clients at both the magisterial district judge and court of common pleas levels. In this capacity, I gained invaluable trial experience that ranged from representing clients in less complex misdemeanor trials to serious felony trials.
After leaving the Dauphin County Public Defender's Office, I joined the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania's Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). While serving in the AOPC's Judicial Education Department, I provided continuing legal education to trial judges across the Commonwealth regarding new and emerging areas of the law. In addition, I was a contributing writer for one benchbook and oversaw the creation of another benchbook, which state trial judges reference to assist in the disposition of cases.
Professional Associations and MembershipsDauphin County Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers |
Past Volunteer ExperienceHarrisburg YWCA VIP Advisory Board Chair
Vice-President, Kutztown University Alumni Association Secretary, Juvenile Defender Association of Pennsylvania |