2026 Summer Public Defense Conference: Directory

Reinette Arnold, LCSW, MAC, CFVIP, CACTS

With over 15 years of expertise in clinical practice, consulting, and transformative leadership, Reinette has dedicated her career to empowering individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve meaningful growth and sustained well-being.

The Empowerment Agency was founded on the idea that we can create innovative strategies and solutions to assist individuals and corporations in maximizing their purpose, performance, and productivity.Reinette graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelors of Psychology Degree and Minor in Sociology in 2005. She pursued graduate studies at the University of Georgia completing her Master of Social Work (MSW) in 2009. Currently Reinette is licensed in the state of Georgia and Florida as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and maintains a Qualified Supervisor (QS) designation in the... Read more

Company The Empowerment Agency
Position Owner
Location Dunwoody, GA

Richard Bailey

Richard Bailey is a veteran, technologist, and attorney with a diverse background in military service, information systems, and law. He holds a STEM degree in Science, Mathematics, and Technology with a concentration in Information Systems—effectively a computer science degree—and served 30 years in the U.S. Army, culminating as the Network Operations Officer for the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. After retiring from the military, he earned his J.D. from Liberty University and spent five years in private legal practice before joining the Public Defender’s Office in 2022. He currently...

Company Toombs Judicial Circuit
Position Chief Assistant Public Defender

Kate Barnett

I've been with the GPDC since 2018, first as general administrative support and now as the Circuit Administrator for the Coweta Judicial Circuit. I love being able to support the community where I've lived for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the GPDC, I worked administratively for Hella, Avaya, and Triumph Motorcycles. I'm a UVA grad (wahoowa!) and in my spare time, raise goats and chickens.

Company Coweta Circuit Public Defender
Position Circuit Administrator
Location Coweta County - Newnan

Doug Belisle

Position Investigator
Location Central office

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Zachary Bowman

Zach Bowman is a dedicated criminal defense attorney with a strong academic and trial advocacy background. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from University of South Florida, where he developed a deep appreciation for the legal, political, and historical forces that shape the justice system.He later received his Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, graduating from the school’s distinguished Criminal Justice Honors Program. This specialized program provided intensive training in criminal law and procedure and prepared him for a career focused on protecting the rights of... Read more

SB

Sophia Butler

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Alice Button

I am open to discussing just about anything as long as I am not called out for ignorance! I do regularly visit Facebook, and I do not have a Twitter or an Instagram Handle. I'd rather talk with people one-to-one.

Company GPDC
Position Assistant Public Defender
Location 30683

Destiny Byrd

Ask me about GA@WORK, going live Oct. 1!

I've worked across a variety of industries, focusing on increasing efficiencies and reducing pain points in organizational processes for the past 10 years. In May 2023, I earned a Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning, along with a Graduate Certificate in Workplace Performance Improvement, from Boise State University.

My approach to sustainable process improvement involves collaboration and access to meaningful information. I gather insights from subject matter experts across the state, including GPDC employees, as well as... Read more

Company Georgia Public Defender Council
Position Program Manager - Performance Measurements
Location Atlanta, GA

Kat Cadwallader

Position Public Defender
Location West Georgia Circuit

Imani Carter

Imani is from Pennsylvania but has called Georgia home for the past 13 years. She obtained her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University and moved to Georgia to attend UGA Law. Imani graduated from UGA Law in 2015 and has been practicing criminal defense ever since. As a public defender, she gives a voice to those who feel their stories often go unheard. In addition to public defense, Imani teaches the next generation of lawyers at the University of Georgia School of Law. She teaches criminal sentencing for second and third year law students. Imani advocates for her community by speaking... Read more

Company Western Judicial Circuit Public Defender Office
Position Assistant Public Defender
Location Athens, GA

JC

Jerry Chappell

Company Georgia Public Defender Council
Position Attorney

Melissa Clark

Company Towaliga Public Defenders Office
Position Chief Investigator

Jennifer Cooley

Company Office of the Public Defender, Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit
Position Assistant Public Defender IV

Donald Doerr

Company GCD - Brunswick
Position Trial Attorney

David Douds

David works for the GPDC Appellate Division with his law partner (cat) Barney serving the counties of Northeast Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia with degrees in German and Philosophy, which is useful, and from the Georgia State University College of Law. He began his career as a public defender in 2018, and spent several years as a trial attorney in Coweta County and Athens-Clarke County before transitioning to appellate practice.

Company GPDC Appellate Division
Position Appellate Attorney
Location Athens, GA

Joseph Dykstra

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Michelle Ellis

Company GCD Brunswick
Position Administrative Assistant III/Case Manager

Tamika Fluker

Company Clayton Circuit Public Defender's Office
Position Circuit Public Defender

Abigail Freeman

Company Alcovy Circuit
Position Office Administrator

Emily Galvin-Almanza

Emily Galvin Almanza is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Partners for Justice, a nonprofit creating a new collaborative model designed to empower public defenders nationwide. Prior to co-founding PFJ, Emily fought for clients inside the LA County Public Defender, Santa Clara County Public Defender, Bronx Defenders, and the Stanford Three Strikes Project. She believes that everyone is entitled not just to equal justice, but to equal mercy.

Emily is a graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School, where she earned the Deborah Rhode Prize for her work in the public interest. After her first year as a public defender, she clerked for the Honorable Thelton Henderson of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. She then returned to the Stanford Three Strikes Project, where she was one of the first attorneys bringing post-reform petitions for relief on behalf of individuals sentenced to life in prison under California's Three Strikes law. In 2017, Emily was honored as one of the American Bar Association's...

Company Partners for Justice
Position Executive Director

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jennifer guzman

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Shannon Hall

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Gary Hester

Company Georgia Capital Defender Office
Position Investigator

William Davis Hewitt

I am Davis Hewitt, and I am the Deputy General Counsel GPDC. I started as a contractor with GPDC and went full-time in February 2022. Previously, I was an Assistant Attorney General and SAAG, where I handled numerous murder appeals along with other types of appeals, State and Federal. In private practice, I handled many appeals, State and Federal. With Brian Spears in a companion case, we got the Georgia Supreme Court to overturn a record number of Court of Appeals cases as to governmental immunity.

Company Georgia Public Defender Council
Position Deputy General Counsel

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Kyle B. Hollomon

Josh Holt

Company Southwestern Judicial Circuit Public Defender Office
Position Assistant Public Defender

Jeanette Horowitz

Company Brunswick Judicial Circuit
Position Assistant Public Defender

Tony Howard II

I began practicing law in 2012 with the Augusta Circuit Public Defender Office, I was there until December of 2018. From 2019 through August of 2020 I was an Assistant District Attorney in the Toombs Judicial Circuit. From September of 2020 through May of 2021 I was with the Richmond County Office of the Solicitor General. July 2021 to Present I have been with the Columbia Judicial Circuit Public Defender Office.

I have been interested in Fitness and Nutrition for the vast majority of my life. I began competing in body building in 2013 where I became a Professional Natural Bodybuilder. I am also a ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist... Read more

Company Columbia Judicial Circuit Public Defender Office
Position Deputy Chief Assistant Public Defender
Location Evans, Georgia

Audra B Jennings

Company Southeast Regional Alternate Public Defender
Position Investigator II
Location Springfield GA

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Kira Jessup

Company GPDC
Position Paralegal 2

Dr Jeremy Jones

Company Lookout Mountain Circui
Position Attorney
Location Catoosa

Jonathan Lockwood

Background: I am a career Public Defender. University of Georgia Class of 2007 (history/philosophy). Washington & Lee University School of Law Class of 2010.From Hagan, GA. Currently, live in Liberty County, GA. Started as an Assistant Public Defender in the Middle Judicial Circuit in 2010. Moved to the Brunswick Circuit in 2012 where I became Chief Assistant Public Defender in 2013. I handle a variety of cases from start to finish including thefts, drug cases, homicides, sex crimes, violations of probation, and post conviction matters. I have argued before the Supreme Court of Georgia and the... Read more

Company Brunswick Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office
Position Chief Assistant Public Defender

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Connor Magill

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Michela Maxwell

Company Western Circuit Public Defender
Position Investigator

Len Myers

Position Asst. Public Defender 4/S.Claus

Rachel Newsome

Kyle Obiora

Kyle Obiora is a public defender in DeKalb County, Georgia. She is originally from Louisville, Kentucky and received her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Louisville. She moved to Atlanta to attend Emory Law where she was a Dean’s Teaching Fellow and served on the boards for the Emory Law Mock Trial Society, the Emory Public Interest Committee, and the Criminal Law Society. She received several awards for skill in trial advocacy, including the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for Outstanding Ability in Trial Advocacy. Kyle graduated from Emory with high... Read more

Company DeKalb County Public Defender
Position Assistant Public Defender

Doug Passon

Company Doug Passon Law
Location Scottsdale, Arizona

Happy Patti

Andy Paul

Don Plummer

Company Georgia Public Defender Council
Position Community and Media Relations Liaison

Carmen Ricks

Company Alcovy Circuit
Position Circuit Office Manager

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Joan L Russell-Alexander

Position Paralegal IV

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Sean Stewart

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Lucinda Strozier

Company GPDC
Position Investigator 2

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Nathanial Studelska

Email: [email protected]
Cell: (404) 480-2997

Company Georgia Capital Defender
Position Director

Kelly L. Turner

My State of mind: “Life is hard, misery is optional.”My Attitude: “I Love my job!” My Advice: “If you don’t love your job, get out now while you’re still young. This job will never inspire you to keep fighting if you don’t love it!” Working in the public defenders office has been challenging and rewarding. After 23 years of private practice it has been quite a transition. My first job with the Public Defenders Office was in American Samoa; it was an experience of a lifetime. My time there was short but I was hooked. Ask me about it! When I am not fighting against injustice...

Company Brunswick Judicial Circuit
Position Senior Attorney
Location Brunswick

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