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Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Position

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney

Job Description

The Fayette Commonwealth Attorney’s Office is seeking an experienced Prosecutor to join our engaged, supportive, focused and service-oriented team. The Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney will be responsible for all aspects of prosecuting felony cases in a fast paced and exciting litigation environment.

Minimum Requirements

· Requires a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school. With satisfaction of continuing legal education according to the requirements of the Kentucky State Bar.

· Experience and demonstrated skill in the practice of criminal law.

· Must be an active member in good standing of the Kentucky State Bar and admitted to practice.

· Must be Licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

· Applicants must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Kentucky and must have a satisfactory driver’s record based on the City of Lexington criteria.

· Must successfully pass a background check related to this position prior to any offer of employment or promotion.

Additional Requirements

· Ability to communicate and collaborate with a variety of individuals in different agencies. Demonstrated ability to conduct effective meetings and trainings. Ability to multi-task and learn new subject matter quickly and thoroughly. Commitment to collaboration, agency growth and the highest ethical standards.

· Requires continuing legal education in subjects affecting the work assigned to the incumbent.

· Understanding of criminal law and the quality of evidence necessary for proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Familiarity with criminal procedure and Constitutional law.

· Understanding of the ethical requirements imposed on both police and prosecution.

Job Duties

· Evaluating and preparing cases for grand jury

· Weekly motion dockets, and representing the Commonwealth in Trials

The Starting salary is $72,100 for entry level prosecutors. For experienced lawyers, salary is commensurate with experience.

Please email a cover letter and resume with a list of references to Christie Coffman at ccoffman@prosecutors.ky.gov

Company Description

We believe in Fairness in Prosecution, Responsibility for Violation of the Law, and Rights for Victims.

Director of Crime Victim Services

Job Title: Director of Crime Victim Services

Office of the Fayette Commonwealth Attorney

Reports to: Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney

The Director of Crime Victim Services leads and manages a comprehensive support system for crime victims and their families throughout the criminal justice process. The role ensures compliance with victims’ rights laws, coordinates victim advocacy services, and collaborates with prosecutors, law enforcement, community agencies, and statewide partners to improve outcomes for victims of felony crimes committed in Fayette County, KY.

Responsibilities:

Program Oversight and Development:

– Plan, implement, and evaluate victim services programming.

– Develop policies, procedures, and training to ensure effective delivery of services.

Staff Supervision and Leadership:

– Train, supervise, and support victim advocates and interns.

– Encourage open communication, mutual support, and a shared commitment to serving victims with empathy and respect.

Victim Support and Advocacy:

– Ensure timely notification and communication with victims regarding case developments, court dates, and their rights.

– Oversee direct service, including court accompaniment, safety planning, and referrals for counseling, housing or financial assistance.

Interagency Coordination:

– Serve as liaison to local and state partners including law enforcement, social services, and victim services agencies.

Compliance and Reporting:

– Ensure compliance with the Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights, Marsy’s Law, and applicable state regulations.

– Maintain accurate data, prepare reports, and assess program impact to guide continuous program improvement.

Please send resume, references and any salary requirements to Christie Coffman at ccoffman@prosecutors.ky.gov

2026 Conference Page 2

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2026 CAA Conference

Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association

Conference Information

Conference Announcement

Complete details about the 2026 CAA Conference including dates, location, and registration information.

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Summit Dinner Information

Details about the Summit Dinner event including venue, schedule, and special guests.

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Meet Our Distinguished Speakers

Learn from leading experts in prosecution, law enforcement, and criminal justice

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Our 2026 Conference Sponsors

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2026 Full Bios Page

Full Speaker Bios – CAA 2026 Winter Conference

Full Speaker Bios

Commonwealth Attorneys Association • 2026 Winter Conference

Back to All Speakers
Chris Allen
Director, Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center
KY Office of Homeland Security

Chris Allen was raised in central Kentucky. He earned a law degree at the University of Louisville and maintains a license to practice law in Kentucky. He is also a registered/licensed private investigator in Kentucky and Virginia. Chris earned 3 master’s degrees in military strategy, military operational art and science, and security studies.

Chris is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with over 22 years of leadership and operational experience, including deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, and sub-Saharan Africa. His decorated military service spanned several functional areas including 13 years as an Air Force Office of Special Investigations special agent and supervisory agent driving numerous federal criminal and fraud cases, counterintelligence and counterterrorism activities, and protective service details (including for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of the Air Force, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force), and 7 years leading cyberspace operations (including service as a squadron commander). He is a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Criminal Investigator Training Program graduate, where he earned Academic and Driver Training Awards. He is an Air Force Special Investigations Academy Distinguished Graduate of the Basic Special Investigations Course.

Prior to his current role as the Director of the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center, Chris served briefly as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky. He worked as a private investigator for Capital Security & Investigations, LLC, in Lexington, Kentucky. He previously taught an undergraduate counterintelligence course as an adjunct faculty member at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. For his final military tour of duty, he served as a professional military education instructor at the Command and Staff College, United States Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia.

Lieutenant Tyson S. Carroll
Lieutenant
Lexington Police Department

Lieutenant Tyson S. Carroll has served with the Lexington Police Department for 15 years, bringing broad investigative and supervisory experience across multiple specialized units. He has worked as an Internet Crimes Against Children Detective, a Homicide Detective in the Personal Crimes Unit, a Personal Crimes Sergeant, an Intelligence Sergeant, and now serves as Lieutenant over the Technology Section in the Bureau of Administration.

Lieutenant Carroll is a recognized subject matter expert on cellular device–based investigations, with over a decade of experience testifying in criminal cases and training officers at the Lexington Police Academy. He has completed advanced training in mobile device forensics, peer-to-peer network investigations, undercover online investigations, and cellular record analysis through the National White Collar Crime Center, FBI, and National Computer Forensics Institute.

Beyond his police work, Lieutenant Carroll holds a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from the University of Kentucky and is a graduate of the Lexington Police Academy. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard, gaining valuable leadership and operational experience.

At this conference, Lieutenant Carroll will share insights into the dynamics of dating violence and stalking, examine the role of technology in these offenses, and offer practical guidance for effective investigation and victim-centered response.

Justice Michelle M. Keller
Kentucky Supreme Court Justice
6th Supreme Court District

Justice Michelle M. Keller was appointed to the Kentucky Supreme Court in April 2013. She was subsequently elected in both 2014 and 2022 for two full terms on the Court. Prior to her service on the Supreme Court, Justice Keller was elected as a Judge to the Kentucky Court of Appeals in November 2006. Justice Keller has served on the Judicial Conduct Commission, was Chairperson of the Court of Justice’s Technology Governance Committee and is currently Chairperson of the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission and Criminal Rules Committee.

Prior to her service on the bench, Justice Keller practiced law for 17 years. She served as an Assistant County Attorney for her home county of Kenton. Her private practice concentrated in the areas of medical negligence and product liability defense, personal injury, family law and criminal defense. Justice Keller also practiced administrative law, representing numerous clients before state regulatory and licensure boards. She is Chairwoman Emeritus of the Kentucky Personnel Board and has served as a hearing officer and member of that Board. Justice Keller is licensed to practice law in Kentucky, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the United States Supreme Court. She is a member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels and has twice been commended by the Kentucky House of Representatives for her service to the Commonwealth.

Justice Keller attended Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law while working as a licensed registered nurse in critical care. At Chase, Justice Keller was an IOLTA Scholar, earning her Juris Doctor in 1990. Chase presented Justice Keller with both the Chase Excellence and Chase Exceptional Service Awards in 2007 and 2011, respectively.

Additionally, Justice Keller was named a 2012 Outstanding Woman of Northern Kentucky honoree. In 2013 she received the Richard D. Lawrence Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Northern Kentucky Bar Association (“NKBA”). Justice Keller was honored in 2014 with the Liberty Bell Award for her service to the Court of Justice, and in 2016 she was inducted into the Lloyd Memorial High School Alumni Hall of Fame. In December 2017, Justice Keller was the first woman presented with the Distinguished Lawyer of the Year Award by the NKBA. The Kentucky Bar Association (“KBA”) honored Justice Keller with the 2020 Distinguished Judge Award. She was presented the 2024 Justice For All Award by the Northern Kentucky Volunteer Lawyers, was honored as a 2024 Phenomenal Woman by the New Beginning Community Church Women’s Ministry and received the 2024 Fair Administration of Justice Award from the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In 2025, Justice Keller was presented with the Seeds of Hope Award from Mentoring Plus.

Justice Keller has served in various positions for the NKBA, KBA and the American Bar Association. In 2009, she received the KBA’s Donated Legal Services Award for her commitment to Pro Bono service and support of Kentucky’s legal services organizations. She is a Master in the Salmon P. Chase Inn of Court and served as President of the Inn from 2012-13. Justice Keller is also a Fellow of both the American and Kentucky Bar Foundations.

A lifelong Northern Kentuckian, Justice Keller and her husband, Jim, a physician, are the proud parents of two adult daughters. One serves as a public health practitioner and the other is a practicing attorney.

L. Scott Miller
Attorney at Law
L.S. Miller Law, Lexington

L. Scott Miller represents police officers across Kentucky and Tennessee in state and federal courts, with a focus on representing them during investigations of officer-involved shootings and other critical incidents.

A former Kentucky State Police Trooper and Lt. Colonel and a Sheriff’s Deputy in Tennessee, Scott brings more than 20 years of experience defending police officers and helping create preventative department policies. He is distinctively credentialed to represent officers during critical incidents and officer-involved shootings and to defend the expanding area of lawsuits filed against police officers, such as malicious prosecution, illegal search and seizure, false arrest, and excessive force. He also provides expert review of police policies and makes recommendations for best practices.

His career with the Kentucky State Police began as a trooper and expanded to include legal work as he earned his law degree while maintaining full-time employment as an officer. He oversaw litigation and has represented the Kentucky State Police and troopers in a variety of matters including civil rights cases and employment law cases. Prior to joining the Kentucky State Police in 1998, Scott was a Sheriff’s Deputy in Tennessee for five years. During college, he completed an externship with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and with the District Attorney for Tennessee’s 8th Judicial District.

Scott currently provides representation to Kentucky State Police Troopers and is panel counsel for the Kentucky Association of Counties, the Kentucky League of Cities, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Tennessee Local Government Insurance Pool, PLEA (Professional Law Enforcement Association), and the Southern States Police Benevolent Association.

Kathy Phillips
Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor
Office of the Attorney General, Frankfort

Kathy Phillips is the Kentucky Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor (DVRP) for the Office of the Attorney General. In this role, she provides training and support to enhance the capability of Kentucky prosecutors and police to effectively prosecute domestic violence cases and to protect victims of intimate violence and abuse. As DVRP, Kathy works with PAC on ongoing training programs for Kentucky prosecutors.

Prior to joining the Kentucky Attorney General’s office, Kathy was an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Fayette County where she served as the Director of the Special Victim’s Unit (SVU). There, Kathy prosecuted all types of serious felony offenses, worked numerous high-profile cases, and had expansive jury trial experience. She has always embraced the importance of working with and providing training and support for police and prosecutors and has trained on a variety of issues involving investigation, evidence collection, testifying in court and legal presentations. During her prosecutorial career, Kathy served on numerous community boards and worked with other local and state-wide organizations and multi-disciplinary groups as a prosecution liaison, providing training and guidance on many subjects. In her role as DVRP, Kathy continues to serve as a prosecution liaison on state-wide committees to improve collaboration and systemic responses to issues related to Interpersonal Violence.

Kathy also advocated and worked with groups for the enactment of important legislation, the Kentucky Felony Strangulation law, and she continues to lead training and educational efforts on strangulation-related prosecutions. She is a contributor to the Responding to Strangulation in Kentucky Manual, released by the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General in 2025, and to the Domestic and Interpersonal Violence Prosecution Policy Procedure Manual, both being resources designed to assist prosecutors, law enforcement, victim advocates, and multi-disciplinary partners in handling these critical cases by equipping them with the necessary resources and information to address interpersonal violence more thoroughly and effectively.

Kathy originally began her career at the Department of Public Advocacy which she found an invaluable learning experience. After serving as a prosecutor for over 24 years, she retired from that position but returned to prosecution in her part-time role as the newly created position of the Kentucky DVRP.

Rob Sanders
Commonwealth’s Attorney
16th Judicial Circuit, Covington

Rob Sanders has served as Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 16th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky (Kenton County) since 2007. Rob oversees Kentucky’s third largest felony prosecutor office while personally maintaining an active caseload. He previously served as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the same office from 1999-2000. Prior to election, Rob was a partner with his father, wife, and brother, in The Sanders Law Firm, PSC in Covington, Kentucky where he practiced personal injury, small business, domestic relations, and criminal defense law. From 2004-2006, Rob served as Vice-Mayor in the City of Covington after finishing first in a field of eight candidates for City Commission.

In 2022 Rob was elected by his fellow Commonwealth’s Attorneys to serve on the Prosecutors Advisory Council (PAC) and re-elected in 2024. Rob previously served on PAC, twice, pursuant to appointments from both Republican and Democrat Governors. Rob was also appointed by the Kentucky Attorney General to the Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse, and the Kentucky Search Warrant Task Force. Rob also serves on the Kentucky Supreme Court’s Judicial Workload Assessment Committee and their Criminal Rules Committee. Rob has served in every elected office in the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association, including President in 2015-2016. He is now co-legislative chairman for the Association. In 2023, the Association honored Rob with their highest honor, the Carroll M. Redford Award naming him “Outstanding Kentucky Prosecutor.” Also in 2023, the Attorney General named Rob’s office “Outstanding Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.” Rob has achieved the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating of AV-Preeminent, the pinnacle of professional excellence for legal ability and ethics, every year since 2003.

Outside the practice of law, Rob served for twenty years as a volunteer firefighter on the Ft. Mitchell Fire Department where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant before retiring. Rob and his wife live in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky with their daughter. When away from the office, Rob enjoys Cross-fit, hunting, fishing, cooking, and being a girl-dad. He is also an avid fan of the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals.

Judge John Lindsay Tackett
Judge, Fayette District Court
22nd Judicial District, Division 5, Lexington

Judge John Lindsay Tackett was born and raised in Lexington Kentucky. He attended and graduated from the University of Chicago in 1998. He returned to Lexington and worked for the Lexington Fair Housing Council as First Assistant to the Director. Judge Tackett attended and graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2003.

Prior to being elected to the Fayette District Court Bench, Judge Tackett worked for multiple law firms including, Ward, Hocker and Thornton PLLC and Phillips, Parker, Orberson & Arnett PLC. In 2013, Judge Tackett started his own general law practice, John L. Tackett, Attorney at Law PLLC, which he ran until his election to the bench in 2018.

As a District Judge, Tackett serves on the Statewide District Judges Educational Committee, Chairs the Bob Heaton Award Subcommittee and is a ranking member of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. Judge Tackett also presides over the nationally recognized Fayette Mental Health Treatment Court.

He has also been publicly engaged throughout his life, working with several non-profits, and serving on several organizational boards including but not limited to The American Red Cross (Bluegrass Region), The Makenna Foundation, Lexington Children’s Theater, and the Foundation for Affordable Housing. He is married to Sarah Merlin, who is employed as a Special Education Teacher at STEAM, and they have a daughter, Stella (age 6).

Rewa Zakharia
Criminal Chief
Office of the Attorney General, Frankfort

Rewa Zakharia is the Criminal Chief in the Office of Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. She oversees the prosecution, investigation, advocacy and training in the Special Prosecutions Division, Medicaid Fraud Division and the Office of Victim Advocacy. She consults and assists prosecutors in complex cases and manages the investigation and prosecution of felony crimes including election law violations, public corruption cases. Rewa provides continuing professional education programs and assists law enforcement officers and other professionals to improve Kentucky’s ability to investigate and prosecute cases.

Prior to this role, Rewa served as the Executive Director of the Special Prosecutions Division where she specialized in prosecuting cases involving child abuse and sexual assault and provided training on special victim cases, investigations and constitutional law. Rewa previously served as a state felony prosecutor in Lexington, Kentucky in the Special Victim’s Unit where she prosecuted homicide, human trafficking, child abuse, sex crimes and violent offenders.

Some of her more notable prosecutions include trying the first labor human trafficking case in Kentucky, a homicide for the killing and dismemberment of a victim, a sexual assault case from 1981, and receiving the first Kentucky conviction in a bestiality case by zealously advocating for Kentucky’s furry friends.

2026 Conference Speakers

CAA 2026 Winter Conference Speakers

Conference Speakers

Commonwealth Attorneys Association • 2026 Winter Conference

Chris Allen
Director, Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center
KY Office of Homeland Security
Panelist
Targeted Violence Awareness and the Threat to Elected Officials

Chris Allen was raised in central Kentucky and earned his law degree from the University of Louisville. He is licensed to practice law in Kentucky and is a licensed private investigator in Kentucky and Virginia. He holds three master’s degrees in military strategy, military operational art, and security studies. A retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Chris brings more than 22 years of leadership and operational experience, including deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, and Sub-Saharan Africa. His decorated career included 13 years with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations, and protective details for senior defense leaders. He also spent seven years leading cyberspace operations, including service as a squadron commander. Chris is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Special Investigations Academy and a Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers criminal investigator graduate, earning academic and driver training awards. Before becoming Director of the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center, he served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Jefferson County, worked as a private investigator, and taught counterintelligence at George Mason University. His final military assignment was an instructor at the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA. Click here for full bio

Tyson Carroll
Lieutenant
Lexington Police Department
Panelist
From Cyber Bullying to Sextortion: Tech Use in Abuse

Lieutenant Tyson S. Carroll has served with the Lexington Police Department for 15 years, bringing extensive investigative and supervisory experience across specialized units, including Internet Crimes Against Children and Homicide. He currently oversees the Technology Section in the Bureau of Administration and is a recognized expert in cellular device investigations. Lt. Carroll has testified in numerous criminal cases, trained officers at the Lexington Police Academy, and completed advanced national training in digital forensics. He holds a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and is a U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard veteran. Click here for full bio

Blake Chambers
Commonwealth’s Attorney
38th Judicial Circuit, Morgantown
Panelist
Ethical Advocacy

Blake Chambers has served as Commonwealth’s Attorney for Kentucky’s 38th Judicial Circuit, encompassing Ohio, Butler, and Hancock Counties, since 2017. A career prosecutor since 2011, he previously served as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney and Assistant Warren County Attorney. He was President of the Commonwealth Attorneys Association from 2023-2024.

Tim Cocanougher
Executive Director, Special Prosecutions Division
Office of the Attorney General
Panelist
Special Prosecution Requests: A Procedural Guide for Prosecutors

Tim Cocanougher currently serves as the Executive Director of the Special Prosecutions Division. He is a career prosecutor having served as an assistant county attorney, assistant Commonwealth Attorney and as the Commonwealth Attorney for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Cocanougher served in the military with the United States Marine Corp and Kentucky Army National Guard retiring with the rank of Colonel. Cocanougher attended law school at the University of Louisville. He grew up in Springfield, Kentucky and now resides in Bardstown, Kentucky where he resides with his wife, Ruth Ann. They have two sons, one daughter and seven grandchildren.

Jason Darnall
Marshall County Attorney
Marshall County Attorney, Benton
Panelist
Anatomy of a School Shooting: Case Study – 2018 Marshall County High School Shooting

Jason Darnall has served as the Marshall County Attorney since his election in 2018. Prior to that, he spent 14 years as an Assistant County Attorney in the same office while also maintaining a private law practice. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and graduated magna cum laude from Salmon P. Chase College of Law. Mr. Darnall lives on a farm in Marshall County with his wife, Jenny, and their animals, and enjoys travel and athletics.

Dennis Foust
Commonwealth’s Attorney
42nd Judicial Circuit, Benton
Panelist
Anatomy of a School Shooting: Case Study – 2018 Marshall County High School Shooting

Bio not provided.

Tony Hardin
Detective
Kentucky State Police
Panelist
From Disappearance to Conviction: The Crystal Rogers Case

Tony Hardin is an investigator with the Kentucky State Police, currently assigned to DESI West Division. He began his career with KSP in April 2010 after graduating from the Academy and was initially assigned to Post 16 in Henderson, Kentucky. After one year, he transferred to Post 4 in Elizabethtown, where he served approximately three years as a Patrol Trooper before being assigned to the General Detective Unit. As a detective, Investigator Hardin worked a wide range of complex criminal investigations, including homicide, sexual abuse cases, financial crimes, and other major felony offenses. In 2015, he was selected for assignment to the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force, where he served for three years as a narcotics investigator and K-9 handler. He later transferred to the DESI West Division, continuing his focus on narcotics enforcement. Investigator Hardin remains assigned to DESI West where he investigates narcotics related cases. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for outstanding service, receiving the Post 4 Detective of the Year Award twice and being named the Kentucky State Police Statewide Detective of the Year in 2024.

Jill Justice
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney
38th Judicial Circuit, Morgantown
Panelist
Ethical Advocacy

Jill Justice is the First Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 38th Judicial Circuit in Ohio, Butler, and Hancock Counties. A career prosecutor, she previously served as First Assistant Warren County Attorney. Jill has taught at the Bowling Green Law Enforcement Academy, the Kentucky Prosecutors Institute, and as an adjunct professor at Western Kentucky University. She lives in Bowling Green with her husband, Shawn, and their three children.

Justice Michelle M. Keller
Kentucky Supreme Court Justice
6th Supreme Court District
Panelist
Kentucky Supreme Court Law Updates

Justice Michelle M. Keller was appointed to the Kentucky Supreme Court in April 2014. She was subsequently elected in both 2014 and 2022 for two full terms on the Court. Prior to her service on the Supreme Court of Kentucky, Justice Keller was elected as a Judge to the Kentucky Court of Appeals in November 2006. Justice Keller has served on the Judicial Conduct Commission, was Chairperson of the Court of Justice’s Technology Governance Committee and is currently Chairperson of the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission and Criminal Rules Committee. Click here for full bio

Jim Lesousky
Retired Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney
Panelist
From Disappearance to Conviction: The Crystal Rogers Case

Jim has served as a prosecutor for over 30 years. He began his prosecutorial career at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in Jefferson County and then served for over 20 years as an Assistant United States Attorney. After retiring from the US Attorneys Office, Jim returned to the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in Jefferson County. Following his time with Jefferson County, Jim worked with the 9th Judicial Circuit and Special Prosecutions with the Office of the Attorney General. He has trained numerous prosecutors over the years and served as an adjunct professor with the Brandeis School of Law. Jim is the recipient of many awards including the Carroll M. Redford Award for Outstanding Kentucky Prosecutor.

Bryan Luckett
Retired KSP Detective
Currently Assistant Chief of Police, University of Louisville
Panelist
From Disappearance to Conviction: The Crystal Rogers Case

Bryan Luckett was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and began his law enforcement career in 1999 with the Louisville Division of Police. He spent much of his career working street-level plainclothes assignments in Louisville’s urban districts, later founding the LMPD Fugitive Unit and serving in multiple roles on SWAT. He went on to become a supervisor in the Homicide Unit, overseeing complex violent crime investigations. In 2017, Bryan joined the Kentucky State Police, where he served for seven years, including work on Cold Case Homicide investigations that helped solve numerous long-unsolved and high-profile cases. He is currently the Assistant Chief of Police for the University of Louisville, overseeing Operations, including Patrol and Investigations. Bryan is a veteran of the Kentucky Army National Guard and the U.S. Navy Reserve. He is married to Kelly, a former Louisville Metro Police Officer and they have five children.

L. Scott Miller
Attorney at Law
L.S. Miller Law, Lexington
Presenter
Critical Incidents

L. Scott Miller represents police officers across Kentucky and Tennessee in state and federal courts, with a focus on officer-involved shootings and other critical incidents. A former Kentucky State Police trooper and lieutenant colonel, as well as a former Tennessee sheriff’s deputy, he brings more than 20 years of experience defending law enforcement officers and advising agencies on preventative policies and best practices. Scott is uniquely credentialed to represent officers during critical incidents and to defend claims such as malicious prosecution, illegal search and seizure, false arrest, and excessive force. He also provides expert review of police policies and procedures. During his career with the Kentucky State Police, Scott oversaw litigation and represented the agency and its troopers in civil rights and employment matters while earning his law degree. He currently represents Kentucky State Police troopers and serves as a panel counsel for the Kentucky Association of Counties, Kentucky League of Cities, Fraternal Order of Police, Tennessee Local Government Insurance Pool, PLEA, and the Southern States Police Benevolent Association. Click here for full bio

Kathy Phillips
Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor
Office of the Attorney General, Frankfort
Panelist
From Cyber Bullying to Sextortion: Tech Use in Abuse

Kathy Phillips is the Kentucky Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor for the Office of the Attorney General, where she provides training and support to prosecutors and law enforcement to enhance the prosecution of domestic violence cases and protection of victims. She previously served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Fayette County and Director of the Special Victims Unit. Kathy has extensive trial experience, has contributed to statewide policies and manuals on domestic and interpersonal violence, and continues to lead training programs on strangulation-related prosecutions and legislative advocacy. Click here for full bio

Rob Sanders
Commonwealth’s Attorney
16th Judicial Circuit, Covington
Presenter
Prosecutor Wellbeing: SWAT for Secondary Trauma

Rob Sanders has served as Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 16th Judicial Circuit (Kenton County) since 2007, overseeing Kentucky’s third largest felony prosecutor office while maintaining an active caseload. He previously served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the same office and practiced law at Sanders Law Firm, PAC in Covington. Rob has held leadership roles on the Prosecutors Advisory Council, the Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse, and the Kentucky Supreme Court’s Judicial Workload Assessment Committee and Criminal Rules Committee. In 2023, he was named Outstanding Kentucky Prosecutor and recognized for office excellence. Rob and his wife live in Ft. Mitchell with their daughter. Click here for full bio

Amanda Sayle
KY Department of Corrections
Presenter
Kentucky Prison System: Understanding Calculations and Program Credits

Bio not provided.

Elizabeth Smart
Child Safety Advocate and Author
Elizabeth Smart Foundation
Featured Speaker
Elizabeth Smart: Trauma, Healing, and the Pursuit of Justice

Elizabeth Smart is a child safety advocate, author, and founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. She works nationally to educate communities, families, and law enforcement on preventing abduction and supporting victims. Ms. Smart has shared her expertise in schools, law enforcement agencies, and conferences across the country.

Judge John Lindsay Tackett
Judge, Fayette District Court
22nd Judicial District, Division 5, Lexington
Panelist
Mental Health Courts

Judge John Lindsay Tackett was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1998 and returned to Lexington to work with the Lexington Fair Housing Council as first assistant to the director. He earned his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2003. Before his election to the Fayette District Court bench in 2018, Judge Tackett practiced law with several firms including Ward, Hocker, and Thornton PLLC, and Phillips, Parker, Orberson Law PLLC, and later operated his own general practice, John L. Tackett, Attorney at Law, PLLC. As District Judge, Judge Tackett serves on the Statewide District Judges Educational Committee, chaired the Bob Heaton Award Subcommittee, and is a ranking member of the Kentucky Judicial Commission over the nationally recognized Fayette Mental Health Treatment Court. Judge Tackett has long been active in the community, serving on boards for organizations such as the American Red Cross of the Bluegrass Region, Lexington Children’s Theater, and the Foundation for Affordable Housing. He is married to Sarah Merlin, a special education teacher at STEAM and they have one daughter, Stella. Click here for full bio

Jennifer Taylor
Criminal Intelligence Analyst
KY Office of Homeland Security
Panelist
Targeted Violence Awareness and the Threat to Elected Officials

Jennifer Taylor is a Criminal Intelligence Analyst with the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center within the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Her work focuses on targeted violence and terrorism prevention, behavioral threat assessment and management, and school safety, including oversight of Kentucky’s anonymous K-12 reporting system, the STOP Tip line. Prior to joining Homeland Security, Jennifer spent 10 years working in the judicial system in both family and criminal courts. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from the University of Louisville and is currently completing her Ph.D. in criminal justice.

Shane Young
Commonwealth’s Attorney
9th Judicial Circuit, Elizabethtown
Panelist
From Disappearance to Conviction: The Crystal Rogers Case

Shane Young is in his third term as Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit. After serving in the United States Navy, Shane returned to Kentucky to attend college and law school. While in law school, Shane was the only applicant for a law clerk position with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Upon completing law school, he became a prosecutor with the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, eventually serving as Division Chief of the Narcotics Division. During that time, he had the opportunity to learn from some very talented prosecutors including the original odd couple, Dave Stengel and Harry Rothgerber. He left prosecution for private practice, but his desire to return to prosecution led him to run for Commonwealth’s Attorney in Hardin County. During his time in Hardin County, he is proud to have built a team of dedicated prosecutors. Shane has previously served as President for the Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association, as a member of PAC, and currently serves on the Appalachian HIDTA Executive Board. He loves T-shirts, good western Kentucky barbeque, and the outdoors.

Teresa Young
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney
9th Judicial Circuit, Elizabethtown
Panelist
From Disappearance to Conviction: The Crystal Rogers Case

Teresa Young grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Cecilia, Kentucky. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and of Brandeis School of Law. She has practiced as a prosecutor for over 20 years. Teresa began her prosecutorial career in the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office handling appeals. Upon leaving, she worked with her husband, Shane, in criminal defense. Since 2013, Teresa has been an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit. She and her husband, Shane, have worked together for the majority of the last 28 years. As a couple who practiced law together for years, she has the unique experience of not getting bored when her spouse talks about work.

Rewa Zakharia
Criminal Chief
Office of the Attorney General, Frankfort
Panelist
Special Prosecution Requests: A Procedural Guide for Prosecutors

Rewa Zakharia is the Criminal Chief in the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, overseeing prosecution, investigations, advocacy, and training within the Special Prosecutions Division, and Office of Victim Advocacy. She assists prosecutors statewide in complex cases and manages investigation and prosecutions of felony offenses, including public corruption and election law violations. Rewa previously served as the Executive Director of the Special Prosecutions Division where she specialized in prosecuting cases involving child abuse and sexual assault and provided training on special victim cases, investigations and constitutional law. Rewa previously served as a state felony prosecutor in Lexington’s Special Victims Unit, where she prosecuted homicide, human trafficking, child abuse, sex crimes and violent offenders. Click here for full bio

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2025 CAA Speakers

Blake Chambers

Blake Chambers has served as Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 38th Judicial Circuit (Ohio, Butler, and Hancock counties) since 2017. A career prosecutor since 2011, he previously served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney and Assistant Warren County Attorney. He served as past President of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association for 2023-2024. Chambers lives in Morgantown, KY with his wife Jodi and their children. His passions include his three kids, his three dogs, and his three favorite constantly underachieving sports teams.

Ronnie Bowling

Ronnie Bowling is the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 34th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky (Whitley and McCreary counties). Prior to taking office, Ronnie was a partner at Butcher, Bowling & Dixon where he practiced personal injury, medical malpractice, and state and federal criminal defense.

Ronnie is a vocal supporter of capital punishment, having prosecuted eight (8) death penalty cases to verdict since 2019. Ronnie has testified before the Senate and House judiciary committees on the death penalty, in support of HB 248, Kimber’s Law, making the intentional killing of a child under 12 a death penalty eligible defense, and HB 5, the Safer Kentucky Act.

Everyone in Ronnie’s office hates trial prep and being within 5 square miles of him the week before a trial. A countless number of resignation letters have been penned and withdrawn amidst the ludicrous amount of requests Ronnie makes amidst trial preparation. Ronnie’s approach to trying a case is borderline insane and zero percent fun for all involved.

Ronnie currently serves as Vice President for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Association. Ronnie is a lifelong Corbin native, where he resides with his wife Sarah, their children Jack and Lucy, and three spoiled dogs. In his next to no free time, Ronnie is an avid hunter and fisherman, serves on the board of directors for the Corbin High School Redhound Varsity Club, and is co-owner of Carlson Gracie Corbin where he trains & teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA.

Frank Patercity

Frank Patercity Directory of Corporate Security, Investigations & Organized Retail Crime at Kroger.

As Kroger’s Corporate Security Director, Frank leads a team of seasoned investigators across the country charged with disrupting & dismantling complex Organized Retail Crime (ORC) networks. In addition to his ORC duties, Frank is responsible for Kroger’s Threat Assessment & Management, Major Crimes, Active Assailant response and Protective Intelligence/Executive Protection functions.

Prior to joining Kroger, Frank spent time in a Global Security leadership role at Trane Technologies and worked in Protective Intelligence & Investigations at Wells Fargo.

With more than 20 years of security experience, Frank began his public safety career by serving as a United States Marine. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Frank joined the Raleigh Police Department, where he held multiple roles over more than a decade of service – Gang Suppression, Drugs & Vice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Task Force Officer, Field Operations leadership and Training Academy Commandant. Frank is a recipient of Raleigh Police Department’s Medal of Valor (2009) and Lifesaving Medal (2008).

Frank and his family live in the greater Cincinnati area. When he is not ferrying children between lacrosse practice or guitar lessons, he enjoys reading and attending live music events.

Leanne Beck

Leanne Beck works as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 54th Judicial Circuit. In 2024, she received the Outstanding Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney award from the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Association. She specializes in the felony prosecution of personal crime cases including sexual assaults, criminal abuse, and homicides. She was born and raised in Northern Kentucky. Prior to working in Boone County, Leanne worked as a felony prosecutor in Kenton County, Kentucky.

Leanne is a member of the Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy multidisciplinary team and the NKY Violence Prevention Taskforce. She previously served as a board member for NorthKey Community Care. She has given presentations at the Kentucky Prosecutors Conference

Admitted to the Bar in 2006, Leanne is a member of the Kentucky and Northern Kentucky Bar Associations. She received her B.B.A from the University of Kentucky graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2003 and her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law graduating with honors in 2006.

Sierra Merida

Sierra Merida is an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 54th Judicial Circuit. Sierra handles a variety of cases. She also serves as the Rocket Docket Coordinator for Boone and Gallatin Counties. In that role, she coordinates quick and treatment-centered resolutions for drug possession cases.

Prior to joining the Commonwealth’s Office, Sierra had spent five years as a trial attorney for the Department of Public Advocacy where she represented clients from Boone and Owen Counties in juvenile, district, and felony proceedings.

Admitted to the Kentucky Bar in 2014, Sierra is a member of the Kentucky and the Northern Kentucky Bar Associations. She received her B.A. from Berea College and her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati.

Rob Sanders

Rob Sanders has served as Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 16th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky (Kenton County) since 2007. Rob oversees Kentucky’s third largest felony prosecutor office while personally maintaining an active caseload. He previously served as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the same office from 1999-2000. Prior to election, Rob was a partner with his father, wife, and brother, in The Sanders Law Firm, PSC in Covington, Kentucky where he practiced personal injury, small business, domestic relations, and criminal defense law. From 2004-2006, Rob served as Vice-Mayor in the City of Covington after finishing first in a field of eight candidates for City Commission.

In 2023 Rob was elected by his fellow Commonwealth’s Attorneys to serve on the Prosecutors Advisory Council (PAC) and re-elected in 2024. Rob previously served on PAC, twice, pursuant to appointments from both Republican and Democrat Governors. Rob was also appointed by the Kentucky Attorney General to the Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse, and the Kentucky Search Warrant Task Force. Rob also serves on the Kentucky Supreme Court’s Judicial Workload Assessment Committee and their Criminal Rules Committee. Rob has served in every elected office in the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association, including President in 2015-2016. He is now co-legislative chairman for the Association. In 2023, the Association honored Rob with their highest honor, the Carroll M. Redford Award naming him “Outstanding Kentucky Prosecutor.” Also in 2023, the Attorney General named Rob’s office “Outstanding Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.” Rob has achieved the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating of AV-Preeminent, the pinnacle of professional excellence for legal ability and ethics, every year since 2003.

Outside the practice of law, Rob served for twenty years as a volunteer firefighter on the Ft. Mitchell Fire Department where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant before retiring. Rob and his wife live in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky with their daughter. When away from the office, Rob enjoys Cross-fit, hunting, fishing, cooking, and being a girl-dad. He is also an avid fan of the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals.

Margaret Martin

Margaret Martin is an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney for the 54th Judicial Circuit. She served as a law clerk in the office until she was hired as a full-time prosecutor after passing the Kentucky Bar in 2022. Margaret graduated Magna Cum Laude from Miami University in 2019 and Summa Cum Laude from Salon P. Chase College of Law in 2022. Margaret prosecutes a wide variety of felony cases, including many possession and drug trafficking cases. Marget also represents the Commonwealth in the Boone County Mental Health Court Program.

Alexandria Torres

Alexandria Torres earned her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Print Journalism from the University of Kentucky in 2017 and her Juris Doctorate from Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase School of Law in 2020. While Alexandria attended Salmon P. Chase School of Law she was an associate Editor of the Northern Kentucky Law Review, a Co-Founder of the Intellectual Property of the Legal Associate of Women, and a student with the Constitutional Litigation Clinic through the Ohio Justice and Policy center. Alexandria currently serves as a member of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association.

Alexandria prosecutes a wide variety of felony cases including property, drug, theft, and other violent crimes.

John Carnesi

John Carnesi is a dedicated social worker with a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Licensed Social Worker credential, specializing in supporting individuals with substance use disorders and those involved in the criminal justice system. With proven experience in assessment, intervention, and resource coordination, John is committed to fostering personal growth and promoting long-term stability for individuals battling challenging circumstances. In his current role as Enrollment and Boone County MRRT(Multidisciplinary Recovery Reentry Team)Coordinator, John works with individuals navigating the criminal justice ecosystem by diverting them to appropriate treatment and aftercare programming for their specific needs. John is a Cincinnati native achieving his graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Cincinnati.

Gerina Whethers

Gerina D. Whethers Louisville’s Chief Prosecutor, Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina D. Whethers, brings over 20 years of legal experience and professional expertise to her current efforts supporting public safety and safeguarding the rule of law in the 30th Judicial Circuit. Since taking office in May 2023, she has incorporated insights from her previous roles as an executive and community leader on the local, state, and national levels to pursue justice ethically and fairly. Attorney Whethers puts particular focus on advocating for justice for the victims of crime and on making sure all persons are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect throughout the legal process. To ensure over 700,000 citizens in Jefferson County receive due process in the legal system, she leads an office of 100 attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other team members whose daily work supports the mission to prosecute the guilty and protect the innocent. She is the first African American woman to serve as Commonwealth’s Attorney for Jefferson County since the office’s inception.

Elizabeth Jones Brown

Elizabeth Jones Brown became the First Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 30th Judicial Circuit in January 2025. She received her law degree from Georgetown University (DC) Law Center in 2002 and is a licensed member of the bars of the Commonwealths of Kentucky and Virginia. Prior to law school, she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology from Centre College in 1996 and a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from the University of Kentucky in 1998. In the past, Ms. Jones Brown worked as a Law Clerk for a judge in the DC Superior Court, and she served as Assistant General Counsel to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2004 to 2007. Ms. Jones Brown joined the office as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2007, and in 2015 became the Division Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit. She also served as the Second Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney and Homicide Liaison before her appointment as First Assistant.

LtJosephFox

Lieutenant Joseph Fox has served with the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) for 11 years. Currently, he leads the Focused Intelligence Unit within the Criminal Interdiction Division. This unit comprises the Firearms Intelligence Squad, LMINTEL (Gang Investigation Squad), the PFP Project Team, and the GVI (Group Violence Intervention) liaison for LMPD’s role in the GVI program.

Lt. Fox holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. During his tenure at LMPD, Lt. Fox has served in the 1st Division as a Patrol Officer and Detective (investigating a range of crimes from property to felonious assault), a Violent Crime Unit Sergeant in the Criminal Interdiction Division, and a Late-Watch Patrol Lieutenant in the 1st Division.

DtHaygood

Detective Ivan Haygood has served with the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) for 10 years. Currently, he leads LMPD’s Group Violence Intervention efforts as part of the Criminal Interdiction Division’s Focused Intelligence Unit. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville.

Throughout his career, Detective Haygood has served as a patrol officer in LMPD’s 1st Division, covering areas such as the downtown business district, medical district, and the Portland and Russell neighborhoods. The Community Engagement Unit where he utilized his extensive experience to connect and foster relationships in the community to advance the safety of all. Raised in a loving military and religious family, Ivan developed a deep sense of duty and responsibility. He is dedicated to living by example and inspiring others to reach their full potential. Outside of his professional life, Ivan is a devoted husband, father, coach, musician, role model, and mentor.

Erwin Roberts

Erwin Roberts currently serves as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, prosecuting violent crime and national security matters. He began his legal career as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office where he prosecuted general felony crimes. In 1999, Roberts served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky in Louisville, Kentucky where he prosecuted federal drug, white collar, immigration, and anti- terrorism cases. As part of his anti-terrorism duties, he served as the Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATTF) Coordinator. The ATTF consisted of over 100 federal, state, and local first responder agencies. In 2004, he served as the first Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security where he was responsible for the coordination of all homeland security efforts for the Commonwealth and for compliance with U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiatives. In 2004, Roberts was appointed Secretary of the Personnel Cabinet where he served as a member of the Governor’s Executive Cabinet. From 2006 to 2016, Roberts worked in private practice in Louisville, Kentucky focusing in the areas of criminal defense and business litigation. From 2016 to 2023, Roberts served as the First Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the Office of the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney. In 2023, Roberts retired from the United States Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 23 years of service. He is a graduate of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky College of Law.

A.J.Gibes

A.J. Gibes is an Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) for the Louisville Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. He was promoted to this position in January 2023. In this role, ASAC Gibes oversees ATF’s criminal investigative offices in Louisville, Bowling Green, and Paducah, Kentucky as well as the division’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center which focuses on addressing armed violent offenders, criminal groups and gangs, and firearm trafficking organizations. ASAC Gibes began his career with ATF in 2008 as a Special Agent in the Tucson, Arizona Field Office. During that time, Special Agent Gibes focused on investigating international firearms trafficking cases that spanned the globe and served as a Certified Explosives Specialist. In 2017, Special Agent Gibes was promoted to a Program Manager with ATF’s Internet Investigations Center located in Washington, D.C. In 2019, Agent Gibes returned to Arizona and served as the Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) of the Tucson II Field Office until 2022. In 2020, Special Agent Gibes was selected to represent ATF as a subject matter expert and a strategic planner while assigned to the U.S. Council on Transnational Organized Crime – Strategic Division located in Vienna, Virginia.

ASAC Gibes began his federal career as an immigration officer with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2002 to 2008. ASAC Gibes earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Arizona in 2003. ASAC Gibes also earned graduate certificates in Forensic Science and Explosives Technology and completed the Leadership and Command Course at the U.S. Army War College.

Critt Cunningham

Critt Cunningham is the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the newly formed VCRT (Violent Crime Reduction Team) operating out of Louisville. He has been a prosecutor for the better part of 20 years. He was a second-generation juvenile prosecutor at the Office of the Jefferson County Attorney; then as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Jefferson County, he was the Deputy Division Chief of VCU (Violent Crimes Unit) and the Head of the Juvenile Division. Critt also helped establish KIPA (Kentucky Indiana Prosecutors Association). He is a proud UK Law graduate and received his bachelor’s degree with honors from Vanderbilt University. Critt is an Eagle Scout and avid kayaker. He enjoys his life with his wife Anna, who is a public-school teacher, his two big dogs, one cat, and his approximately 180,000 bees.

Olivia Amlung

Olivia F. Amlung has been a Member of the firm since January 2025, but began her legal career as an associate attorney at the firm in June 2017. With the firm, Olivia developed her general civil litigation skills primarily while representing local governmental entities and officials, as well as some private businesses and individuals. After four years with the firm, Olivia served the Commonwealth for a year as an Assistant Attorney General in the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Civil and Environmental Law. While with the Attorney General’s Office, Olivia gained invaluable experience in government defense, open records, and a variety of constitutional matters. In 2022, Olivia returned to Adams Law to resume her local government practice. In her current role with Adams, Olivia is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, primarily focusing on claims involving local government defense, civil rights, municipal liability, school and special education law, and a variety of other civil litigation matters. Throughout her career, Olivia has successfully litigated numerous trials in state and federal courts and administrative tribunals. She also provides day-to-day contract review and general advising services for local businesses, cities, counties, school districts, and quasi-governmental entities to guide them through the daily complexities of issues faced by local government.

Olivia graduated from the University of Louisville in 2013 with honors and continued her education at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, graduating in 2016. She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the State of Ohio, along with their respective federal courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Olivia has repeatedly been named to the Super Lawyers® Rising Stars List for her excellence in defending civil litigation claims. In 2020, Olivia was named the Kentucky Defense Counsel’s Young Lawyer of the Year for significant contributions to KDC and excellence in the practice of law.

Passionate about the community’s youth, Olivia actively volunteers with multiple leadership programs focusing on the professional and personal development of local high school students. Following this passion, she often takes an active role volunteering with the Boone County Schools, the Boone County Education Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, and various local political groups. In her spare time, Olivia can often be found attending local community events, practicing in her church’s worship band, or spending time with family and friends. Olivia is a life-long resident of Boone County, where she currently lives with her family.

Justice Keller

Justice Michelle M. Keller was appointed to the Kentucky Supreme Court in April 2013. She was subsequently elected in both 2014 and 2022 for two full terms on the Court. Prior to her service on the Supreme Court, Justice Keller was elected as a Judge to the Kentucky Court of Appeals in November 2006. Justice Keller has served on the Judicial Conduct Commission, was Chairperson of the Court of Justice’s Technology Governance Committee, and is currently Chairperson of the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission and Criminal Rules Committee.

Prior to her service on the bench, Justice Keller practiced law for 17 years. She served as an Assistant County Attorney for her home county of Kenton. Her private practice concentrated in the areas of medical negligence and product liability defense, personal injury, family law, and criminal defense. Justice Keller also practiced administrative law, representing numerous clients before state regulatory and licensure boards. She is Chairwoman Emeritus of the Kentucky Personnel Board and has served as a hearing officer and member of that Board. Justice Keller is licensed to practice law in Kentucky, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and the United States Supreme Court. She is a member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels and has twice been commended by the Kentucky House of Representatives for her service to the Commonwealth.

Justice Keller attended Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law while working as a licensed registered nurse in critical care. At Chase, Justice Keller was an IOLTA Scholar, earning her Juris Doctor in 1990. Chase presented Justice Keller with both the Chase Excellence and Chase Exceptional Service Awards in 2007 and 2011, respectively.

Additionally, Justice Keller was named a 2012 Outstanding Woman of Northern Kentucky honoree. In 2013 she received the Richard D. Lawrence Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Northern Kentucky Bar Association (“NKBA”). Justice Keller was honored in 2014 with the Liberty Bell Award for her service to the Court of Justice, and in 2016 she was inducted into the Lloyd Memorial High School Alumni Hall of Fame. In December 2017, Justice Keller was the first woman presented with the Distinguished Lawyer of the Year Award by the NKBA. The Kentucky Bar Association (“KBA”) honored Justice Keller with the 2020 Distinguished Judge Award. She was recently presented the 2024 Justice For All Award by the Northern Kentucky Volunteer Lawyers, was honored as a 2024 Phenomenal Woman by the New Beginning Community Church Women’s Ministry, and received the 2024 Fair Administration of Justice Award from the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Justice Keller has served in various positions for the NKBA, KBA, and the American Bar Association. In 2009, she received the KBA’s Donated Legal Services Award for her commitment to Pro Bono service and support of Kentucky’s legal services organizations. She is a Master in the Salmon P. Chase Inn of Court and served as President of the Inn from 2012-13. Justice Keller is also a Fellow of both the American and Kentucky Bar Foundations.

A lifelong Northern Kentuckian, Justice Keller and her husband, Jim, a physician, are the proud parents of two adult daughters. One serves as a public health practitioner and the other is a practicing attorney.

Kori Bumgarner

Kori Beck Bumgarner is proud to have been born and raised in Bowling Green and Warren County, Kentucky. Bumgarner graduated from Bowling Green High School and then attended Western Kentucky University, graduating in 2008, summa cum laude.

Upon graduating from WKU, she attended Salmon P. Chase College of Law. During the summers, she returned to Warren County to work for then-Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Kelly Thompson.

After law school, Bumgarner returned to Bowling Green and worked a staff attorney for Circuit Court Judges John Grise and Judge Steve Wilson.

In 2012, Kori was hired by Hon. Christopher Cohron as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. In January of 2023, Bumgarner was appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to serve Warren and Edmonson Counties as the Commonwealth’s Attorney and then elected to the position in November of 2023 and again in November of 2024. In 2023, she was awarded the Excellence Award for Teamwork by the Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center. And in 2024 she was honored as WKU’s Young Alumni Council’s Under 40 at the Top.

Bumgarner considers it a great honor to serve as the first female Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 8th Judicial Circuit. Kori and her husband are proud to raise their two boys in Warren County.

Kyle Burns

Kyle Burns currently serves as the Chief Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in the 17th Judicial Circuit. Out of law school, Kyle spent a year clerking in a local personal injury firm and quickly realized that his legal carer was not meant to be spent behind a desk. He began pursuing prosecution opportunities that would given him time in a courtroom and eventually obtained a position with long-time Commonwealth Attorney Jim Crawford in the 15th Judicial Circuit. While working under Jim Crawford, Kyle learned the intricacies of prosecuting felony cases across a multi-county circuit and the need for close attention to details when building a strong case. Kyle’s early years with the 17th Circuit were spent heavily focused on drug crime, as he took over the majority of the trafficking caseload as the heroin epidemic continued to hit the Northern Kentucky region. It was in that capacity that he had the first jury verdict in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for Importing Heroin after the development of the statute. Kyle’s learned attention to detail naturally drew him to the complicated, high-profile murder cases that the office had pending. This paved away for Kyle’s present caseload which consists primarily of violent crime and repeat offenders. A true trial attorney, Kyle has obtained jury verdicts for a myriad of crimes including, but not limited to, Murder, Tampering with a Witness, Burglary in the First Degree, Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon Rape in the First Degree, Trafficking of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, Importing Heroin, and Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree.

Michael Zimmerman

Michael Zimmerman was elected as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Campbell County (17th Judicial Circuit) in November of 2024. He has been with the office since 2014, and during his time there, has handled thousands of cases that cover the spectrum of criminal activity ranging from drug possession and shopliftings up to murders and sexual assaults against children.

Prior to being elected Commonwealth’s Attorney, Michael served as Chief Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, handling a caseload comprised of the highest-level charges in Campbell County, predominantly consisting of Class A and Class B felonies.

Violent crime has become Michael’s focus, as these cases often result in trials, which is Michael’s expertise. Michael has received convictions at trial for a wide array of crimes including: • Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree • Trafficking in a Controlled Substance in the First Degree • Importing Heroin • Burglary in the Second Degree • Burglary in the First Degree • Persistent Felony Offender • Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon • Wanton Endangerment in the First Degree • Assault in the First Degree • Sexual Abuse in the First Degree • Rape in the First Degree • Reckless Homicide • Murder In his first jury trial conducted in Campbell County after the reopening of the court system from the COVID-19 restrictions, Michael received a guilty verdict for Murder in less than an hour following a three-week trial. The jury recommended a sentence of Life in prison, which was subsequently affirmed by the Supreme Court of Kentucky. In the final jury trial of 2022, Michael received a conviction for Rape in the First Degree for a child under twelve years old.

Michael’s complex caseload, trial record, and fierce advocacy on behalf of both victims and the community in Campbell County led to be him being selected as the “2023 Outstanding Assistant Commonwealth Attorney of the Year” by the Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney’s Association.

Emily Arnzen

Emily Arnzen is an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the 16th Judicial Circuit, (Kenton County, KY), where she prosecutes victim-centered major cases including murder, robbery, assault, and sex crimes. In 2022, Emily was honored by the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association with the “Outstanding Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney” award. She is a frequent presenter at the Association’s conferences and is often called upon to assist other jurisdictions with Internet-based cases.

As a prosecutor, Emily has developed an expertise in prosecuting crimes involving child sexual assault material and internet crimes against children. In 2022 she founded Kenton County’s “E-Crimes Task Force” creating a group of police and prosecutors specially trained in internet crime and digital evidence. In addition, Emily has been instrumental in drafting and lobbying for new legislation to outlaw child sized sex dolls and AI generated child sexual assault material, and to make all sex crimes “violent offenses” in Kentucky, all of which was passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2024.

Emily also serves on the Board of Directors for the NKY Children’s Advocacy Center and teaches trial practice at Miami University as one of the coaches of their competitive mock trial team.

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