Position/philosophy statement
The role of DA requires day one readiness. As a career prosecutor, my experience in the courtroom and leadership in the criminal justice system have prepared me to step into the role on day one - not to learn the job, but to continue doing it.
Current Occupation
First Assistant District Attorney - 15th Prosecutorial District
I am a career prosecutor and the First Assistant District Attorney for the 15th Prosecutorial District, where I maintain a full caseload while helping lead the office. I believe in being a voice for victims, maintaining a police-prosecutor team approach to investigations and prosecutions, and leading from the front. It is that battle-tested experience that equips me to spearhead complex investigations, achieve maximum justice in the courtroom, develop and maintain strong partnerships with law enforcement and other system stakeholders, and inspire and empower my colleagues. The experience that I have and lessons that I have learned over a career of being a prosecutor simply cannot be learned overnight or in a few months.
In a three county district, it is most important to ensure that the DA's Office has the necessary resources, by way of Assistant District Attorneys and Legal Assistants, in each of its counties. While part of one prosecutorial district, each county is different in its needs, and that is something that is important to be aware of in order to best serve the citizens of each of those counties. Having worked as a prosecutor in the district and Chief ADA in two of the three counties, I am acutely aware of the differing needs of each and know how to surge resources in order to address those needs as they arise.
I would like to work toward implementing a program where ADAs, in conjunction with local law enforcement, give presentations to local youth and parents about issues that they are confronting in their daily lives and often land them in the criminal justice system. Educating our youth about the decisions they are making, the ripple effects of those decisions, and the intended and unintended consequences is vital to empowering them to make the right choices. Educating parents provides them with additional tools in their toolbelts for conversations with their kids. In a world where kids are growing up faster and faster, it is imperative we stay current with the topics and issues they face and work to be proactive in their lives.
More funding for Assistant District Attorney (ADA) and Legal Assistant (LA) positions would lead to the more efficient administration of justice, while still allowing the focus to be on maximum justice.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Position/philosophy statement
Justice guided by deep roots in the community, respect for the rule of law, and a commitment to protect victims and families.
Current Occupation
Attorney
Age (optional)
62
My qualifications are rooted in my long-standing ties to the community, my legal experience, and the need for a fresh approach to address staffing issues plaguing the DA’s Office for Brunswick, Bladen, and Columbus counties. I am an experienced attorney who handled more than 400 cases in 2025 alone, including criminal, civil, and family matters involving jury and bench trials. That broad experience provides me a practical understanding of the issues facing our community and the community ties to help address them. Enhancing community safety does not begin and end in the courtroom. Instead, we need leadership who knows the community and can work with community leaders within and beyond the law enforcement community to keep us safer.
We need the swift, fair administration of justice to preserve what makes our area special. A major obstacle to achieving that, however, is the significant staffing retention issues within the DA's Office. The DA’s Office cannot fulfill its potential as a force for good without attracting and retaining talent at all levels to serve the public. Within the last 24 months, however, the DA's Office has lost more than 20 assistant DAs. That staffing churn undermines efforts at enhancing public safety and delays justice for victims. Addressing this issue will be an immediate focus on my election.
The passage of Iryna’s Law last year after the vicious murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte has ushered in needed, stricter pretrial release and bail policies for violent offenders. This fall NC Supreme Court's Pretrial Release Task Force will report out findings and make recommendations of best practices moving forward. I fully support those efforts and look forward to reviewing their findings. To tailor those recommendations to our area, I would establish a task force including community leaders from all three counties to review the Pretrial Release Task Force findings and develop recommendations specific to our communities with respect to pretrial release and policies in setting bonds.
We can do more with community engagement to ensure that existing programs--and new ones--reflect the needs and values of the communities the DA's Office serves. Crimes relating to drug addiction could be prevented and deterred in the future through partnership and referrals to community resources. Additional resources should also be used to enhance protections for our most vulnerable residents who are victims of child abuse, domestic violence, or elder abuse. Sadly, needs often exceed available resources. More funding to enhance DA Office coordination with and support of community resources are essential to crime prevention and victim services and are a worthy investment in public safety.
Thank you for reviewing my information. I humbly ask for your vote for DA in the Republican primary.
