OPD's Criminal Defense Training Academy was designed to strengthen public defenders by providing fundamental skills development in an interactive, supportive learning environment. Each year's class is comprised of attorneys from various corners of the state, most of whom have two or fewer years of public defense experience. Using a variety of educational methods, participants learn, develop, and apply client-centered defense advocacy skills.
To graduate from the Academy, participants must attend five days of training. All class sessions include a combination of lecture and small group exercises.
2023 Spring Graduates:
Shawn Plascencia
Rebecca Dellicker
Michael Paik
Charles Dow
Tyler Ashby
Natalie Feeney
Meredith D'Auteuil
Gloria Backus
Emily Stratmeyer
Elissa Furlong
Abby Hogan
Keith Kinzebach
Celia L. R. Lesh
Devin Higgins
Stephanie Vick
Sabina Ambartsumyan
Reed Manugian Clarridge
Krista Huff
James Keffeler
Taylor J. Wilder
Daniel Blue
Taylor James Reid
Caitlin Earnest
Nicholas Holce
Melissa London
Amro Abueloun
Abraham Banda
Anna Burica
Elizabeth Douglass
Spencer Christian Satin
Elizabeth Gagley
Abigael Pence
Kristen Bishopp
Charles Vasicek
2023 Fall Graduates:
Peter Bennett
Cory Bobeck
Patricia Capone
Hsiu-Lin Chang
Jewel Christensen
Darquise Cloutier
Mitchell Crook
Timera Drake
Annabel Goodson
Briggs Helton
Rachel Hunt
Britagne Johnson
Noach Koven
Chang Liu
Natali Magaña
Hermenegildo Martinez-Swalley
Michael Mattocks
Margaret McGinty
Desmond Naughton
Rebecca Newsom
Joshua Pazderka
Ruth Rivas
Chelsie Rommel
Gyasi Ross
Tonilynn Savage
Jeri Simmons
Jake Stillwell
Matthew Swisher
Joshua Weistaner
James Womack
Elliott Yug
2022 Graduates:
Justin J. Andrews
Norma Barajas
Marija Boise
Rebecca Dellicker
Iris Dowd
Jamie Foster
Kelsey Gasseling
Matthew Harget
Dustin Howie
Victoria Iverson
Ric Jacobs
Bridge Joyce
Peter James Kahl
Ashley C. Kulberg
Robert Lockhart
Kendra Lotstein
Russell Lytle
Saybin Medler
Shawn Morgan
Dawson Osborn
Andrew Perkins
David Phelan
Karrie Young Pratt
Jacyln Reynolds
Nicholas Saraceno
Ella Salvator
Skyler Schrader
Jamila E. Taylor
Caleb Jon. F. Vandenbos
Eli Wainman
Eleanor White
Dan Wu
2021 Graduates:
Angela Avery
Lee Coffin
Ben Jordan
Jeremy Riser
Samuel Backman
Amber Cognata
Robert Lockhart
Conner Sapp
Sapida Barmaki
Emily Coic
David Lund
Keith Schreckengost
Lucas Barringer
Melissa Derry
Melissa McLachlan
Mackenzie Taber
Rose Boughton
Sara Duross
Krista Ozimy
Nicholas Bilof
Caroline Burnett
Rachel Fitz
Shannon Richards
Lindi Westwood
Alexandra Burton
Stephania Greenwood
Genissa Richardson
Zachary Wiedman
Jordan Castellano
Briggs Helton
Summer Rife
Lucy Wilhelm
2020 Graduates:
John All
Jordan Hamberg
Cail Musick-Slater
Sarah Stabenow
Katharine Allison
Melissa Hane
Kara Palmer
Tobin Standley
Leila Arefi-Pour
Carly Hansen
Irving Rosenberg
Owen Sutanto
Isabelle Askanas
Ben Harris
Thomas Rossback
Kirsten Svendsen
Anthony Beattie
Katie Hawkins
Eric Schuler
Ryan Usher
Amylia Brown
Sandy Jones
Jennifer Shafer
Lindsey Wheat
Nicholas George
Rebecca Lemons
Jeri Simmons
Guy Zimmerman
Lane Gullette
Kyle Madsen
Jason Smith
Paul Haggerty
Kelly Murray
Sarah Stabenow
2019 Graduates:
Jenna Norden
Nadel Barrett
Kelli Cummings
Stephen Krake
Jacqueline Porter
Corey Bradbury
Kevin Enamorado
Stephen Liss
Katelin Sadler
Anna Burica
Bonnie Groller
Paul McBride
Jennifer Slemp
Shawn Carr
John Hartzell
Maxwell Mensinger
Graham Stone
Stuart Cassel
Daniel Havirco, Jr.
Andrés Muñoz
Breanna Tibbetts
Luis Cisneros, Jr.
Andrew Hays
Brittney Myles
Devon Waldman
Dana Corral
David Hearrean
Tim Nguyen
Courtney Whitten