Albany County Attorney

Statement: 

If given the opportunity to serve as Albany County Attorney, I will strive to ensure the effective and efficient administration of justice and to instill faith in the criminal justice system in Albany County. To achieve this, I will prioritize the prosecution of violent crimes, including crimes against children, sexual crimes, crimes involving domestic violence and crimes involving injury or death. It will be my goal to retain and develop the talented prosecutors and support staff necessary to try cases when justice demands. I will maintain the diversion programs and Drug Court to assist people in addressing issues underlying criminal behavior, especially as to substance abuse. 

Additionally, I will continue to push for individuals with mental health issues to gain access to the support they require to keep these individuals healthy and safe, while also safeguarding the community. I will work hard to ensure that victims of crimes have an open line of communication with the Albany County Attorney’s Office and see to it victims’ rights are advocated for in the criminal justice system. As to the civil role of the Albany County Attorney position, I will strive to provide the best legal counsel possible to the County Commissioners and various departments of Albany County government and provide the support county government requires to complete projects in a timely manner. 

Finally, I understand the role of a prosecutor is not simply to win cases, but to protect the community, safeguard the rights of citizens, and, above all else, do what is right. Ultimately, the position of County Attorney is one of public service and the power entrusted to the County Attorney should only be used to achieve what is right and just, without bias or preference.

Statement:  

I wanted to take a few minutes to introduce myself to the people of Albany County and explain why I would like to be the next Albany County Attorney, and why I believe I am the best candidate for that position. I was born and raised in Northeast Wyoming and have received several degrees from the University of Wyoming, including my law degree.  I am a licensed Wyoming attorney in good standing with the Wyoming Bar.  My undergraduate and graduate degrees in business included minors/emphasis in management, and my work experience has included human resources, public relations and office/business management.  My current position as an Assistant District Attorney in the Laramie County District Attorney's Office has allowed me to prosecute various misdemeanor and felony crimes.  

In my present position I work with law enforcement, including but not limited to DCI, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Laramie County Sheriff's Office and the Cheyenne Police Department, on a daily basis.  I also have direct contact with many other state and federal agencies and departments, including but not limited to the Wyoming Office of the Public Defender, Wyoming State Crime Lab, various Clerks of Court, both Circuit and District Court Judges and employees, and the United States’ Attorney's Office.  

In my previous position as one of the Assistant District Attorney's responsible for misdemeanor prosecutions in Laramie County I was fortunate to be assigned the prosecutor's position on the Laramie County DUI Court team.  In my current position as the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Assistant District Attorney for Laramie County I have been fortunate to be the prosecutor on the Laramie County Drug Court team.  Both of these positions have allowed me to work closely with Magistrates and Judges, and other members of the treatment court teams, to support the rehabilitation of Defendants who have exhausted many of their other options.  I believe in the power of second chances for many defendants, and support treatment courts to aid in addicted offenders' recovery.  

Finally, beyond my recent experience in criminal law, I spent the first (roughly) three and one-half years of my legal career engaged in exclusively civil legal matters.  From family law, juvenile law and civil rights matters to some limited trust and estate and landlord/tenant practice, I am very familiar with the different responsibilities and processes involved in the civil realm.  I am uniquely situated at this point in my career, and very fortunate, to have experienced litigation, legal analysis, legal research and writing, and professional legal practices across a broad spectrum of civil and criminal matters.  I believe those experiences have prepared me, and qualify me, for this position.

 Statement: 

I have submitted myself as a potential candidate for Albany County Attorney. I realize that a county attorney has a tough job, but I am up for the challenge.

I have been a resident of Albany County practically all my life. I was born in Laramie. After I graduated from high school, I worked for the City of Laramie in a variety of jobs and ran my own small business while I was attending college. In both employments, I had to learn how to work with the folks and accommodate their needs.

For most of my twenty-eight years of legal work, I served the public. From this experience I'm well suited for the county attorney position. After approximately six years in private practice, where I did civil as well as criminal law, I became an attorney for the State of Wyoming Office of the Public Defender. I developed my legal and trial skills with this experience. I became a supervising attorney after several years with the agency, ultimately I became the supervising attorney for both the Albany County and Carbon County trial divisions. I was put in charge of recruiting employees for the offices, training them, and supervising them. 

I have always maintained good relationships with the county attorney's office. Because of my service as a public defender, I know the folks that are currently working in the Albany office, and believe that I have a good working relationship with them. I think I can assume the duties as the Albany County Attorney without disrupting the flow of work from that department.

Because of my experience and knowledge I would be a great candidate for the Albany County Attorney.