qm_spring

irginia

apitol

onnections

, S

pring

2015

In a public safety field traditionally

dominated by males even in recent years,

the McAuliffe Administration can point

with justifiable pride to the 10 women who

hold leadership positions in the Secretariat

of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

“The public safety world has many

facets, ranging from law enforcement

officers and firefighters all the way to

forensic science and juvenile justice,” says

Brian J. Moran, Secretary of Public Safety

and Homeland Security. “The women who

hold leadership positions in our Public Safety and Homeland Security

Secretariat bring a wealth of experience, along with their perspective

as women, that make them extremely effective leaders. We are

fortunate to have them on our team.”

Karen Brown

Chair, Virginia Parole Board

Ms. Brown is an experienced former prosecutor who began her

career as a judicial law clerk at District of Columbia Superior Court.

She served as Commonwealth’s Attorney in the cities of Newport

News and Chesapeake for 16 years, prosecuting cases in the Juvenile

and Domestic Relations, General District and Circuit Courts with a

concentration on child abuse and sexual assault cases.

“My background allows me to effectively balance victims’ rights

with fairness toward offenders,” Ms. Brown says. “It’s a unique—and

necessary—perspective when dealing with these types of cases.”

Jane Sherman Chambers

Director, Commonwealth Attorneys’ Services Council

“I know Virginia’s prosecutors,” says Ms. Chambers, “and I

firmly believe that they are strong, ethical and dedicated to serving

crime victims to the very best of their abilities. My mission, which I

am very proud to carry out, is to support them in their ethical pursuit

of justice.” She prepared for the directorship by serving for nine years

as CASC’s Violence Against Women resource prosecutor. Before

joining the CASC, she prosecuted for the City of Hampton for 11

years, five of which she served as Hampton’s only domestic violence

prosecutor. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the Marshall-

Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary.

“I understand the needs and challenges of the newest prosecutors

and also those of the seasoned veterans,” Director Chambers says.

Victoria Cochran

Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security

For the last 14 years, Ms. Cochran has worked as a criminal justice

andmental health “boundary spanner,” leading key stakeholder groups

throughout the Commonwealth to develop programmatic, policy and

process initiatives that enhance systems interoperability and improve

outcomes for justice involving individuals with behavioral health

issues. Her leadership was instrumental in establishing Virginia’s

first Crisis Intervention Team and the program’s ensuing statewide

expansion. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the College

of William & Mary’s Marshall Wythe School of Law, and spent 17

years as a public defender in southwest Virginia. Just prior to her

appointment as Deputy Secretary, she was Director for the Office of

Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Services in the Department

of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).

“We achieve our best outcomes when we work collaboratively

across traditional boundaries,” Ms. Cochran says. “We make data-

driven decisions together that improve public safety and enhance the

lives of our citizens.”

Francine C. Ecker

Director, VA Department of Criminal Justice Services

Fran Ecker believes a key ingredient to preparing her to become

director was her work in the late 1980s as manager of the Children’s

Justice Act Program for DCJS. “That experience brought me

into contact with prosecutors, chiefs and sheriffs, judges and law

Front row, from left: Jane Chambers, Director, Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Services Council; Judy Napier, Commissioner, Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC);

Brook Pittinger, Deputy Director, Virginia Department of Fire Programs; Katya Herndon, Chief Deputy Director, Virginia Department of Forensic Science; Francine

C. Ecker, Director, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Back row, from left: Angela Valentine, Chief Deputy Director, Virginia Department of Juvenile

Justice; Victoria Cochran, Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; Brian J. Moran, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; Gov. Terry

McAuliffe; Tonya Vincent, Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; Karen Brown, Chair, Virginia Parole Board.

Virginia Public Safety and Homeland Security:

Women Leading The Way

By Brian Moran, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security