Goals Accomplished in Membership and Legislation
This will be my last president’s message to you. As my term as NDAA president comes to an end, I find myself looking back on the progress our organization has made over the past 12 months. I feel proud of our accomplishments and what we have planned for the future. I am also grateful to have had the support of our board, staff and membership as we have grown and strived for greater things for prosecutors.
NDAA’s members are the most critical component of this organization’s functionality and prosperity. NDAA’s ultimate mission is to serve prosecutors through education and research services, and by providing the guidance and impetus to develop new programs, our membership keeps this organization alive. As president, one of my key goals for NDAA was to increase membership over the course of my term, and I am proud to report that this goal has been achieved. NDAA has increased membership by six percent over the past year—the highest increase in NDAA history. I would like to commend the work of our staff and the membership committee, for their dedicated efforts on this front. It has truly paid off. I am proud of our organization’s growth and am confident that NDAA will continue to prosper in the coming years.
In addition to increasing the size of our organization, the face of NDAA’s membership has begun to transform. Minority membership recruitment was a goal I set for this year. Steps toward increasing minority presence in NDAA were achieved this year by seating the presidents of the National Black Prosecutors Association and National Hispanic Prosecutors Association on our board of directors. As board members, the presidents of these organizations will strengthen the voice of the African American and Hispanic populations in NDAA so that we may better represent the needs of our diverse nation. Equally significant, additional minority member DAs have been elected to our board of directors.
NDAA has grown nationally as well as internationally. This year I had the opportunity to meet with countless prosecutors throughout the U.S.A., as well as our counterparts in Europe and Canada. NDAA now has a solid working relationship with our neighbors to the north.
Significant progress has also been made in our organization’s legislative efforts, specifically with regard to student loan repayment assistance for prosecutors and public defenders. For years, NDAA has worked for the passage of legislation that would assist young prosecutors with the heavy burden of student loans and low salaries, and this year significant action was taken in support of their plight. In January of this year, Senator Durbin introduced the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007. This bipartisan bill would support our efforts to recruit and retain qualified prosecutors. The bill provides for student loan repayment (up to $10,000/year) for prosecutors and public defenders who commit themselves to public service for at least three years. NDAA’s efforts to pass this important piece of legislation have spanned the country and we have rallied support for our cause from state and local prosecutors, senators and congressmen.
The next legislative pursuit for NDAA on Capitol Hill is to secure funding for NDAA training programs at the National Advocacy Center (NAC) in South Carolina. Due to federal funding cuts, this invaluable training facility has been limited this year in its ability to deliver critical training to state and local prosecutors. As my term ends, I call on all NDAA members to voice their support for the NAC so that we may continue to provide the training that our nation’s prosecutors deserve.
Our association is becoming proactive in addressing challenges that confront us daily. Whether it is an issue on ethics, DNA, reentry, or line-up procedures, NDAA must remain at the forefront and make our voices heard. Special thanks to all of the committee co-chairs and active members. These committees provide a forum to discuss these important issues and to develop policies that will help improve the nation’s criminal justice system.
We have also begun dialogue with other organizations, most notably the American Bar Association. In what some have called “historic,” representatives of NDAA and ABA met and discussed a number of issues. As a result, we co-sponsored several resolutions presented to the ABA House of Delegates. And recently, the presidents of the ABA and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers joined me in signing a letter in support of the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act, establishing loan repayment assistance. In November, NDAA will co-sponsor the ABA Criminal Justice Section 2007 Fall Conference in Washington D.C.
The NDAA Executive Committee has worked tirelessly on many issues this year and has provided me with great ideas, recommendations and sound advice in order to further the mission of NDAA. The executive committee members were: Deb Armanini, Jerry Blair, Tom Charron, Dan Conley, Dick Devine, Jim Fox, Paul Logli, Bob McCulloch, Mark Nash, Jim Reams and John Sarcone. Thank you for giving your time and hard work.
I want to give thunderous applause and thanks to our great staff. You are the backbone of NDAA. I appreciate all you did to make this president appear to be in charge and always prepared.
It is hard to believe that my year as president is over. I cannot begin to thank all of those who made this year a most rewarding and enjoyable one for me. I am indebted to my family, especially my wife, Cindi, for without her support all of the travel and work would not have been possible; my office staff, especially Deb Armanini, my first assistant, and KB Landis, my executive assistant, who both “covered” and took my place at many events during the year and assured the continued and smooth operation of our office.
The opportunities that have been extended to me via NDAA have been incomparable. I have traveled to many places, met many wonderful people and have witnessed first hand the positive influence the work of NDAA has on prosecutors nationwide. I am honored to be a member of this organization and have truly enjoyed my time as president. I am proud to turn the presidency over to Jim Fox, the long time DA of San Mateo County, Redwood City, California. He is a good friend and a bright and talented gentleman who will bring extraordinary passion and energy to the office. I look forward to this next year when Jim and his wife, Bonnie, lead our wonderful association.
Again, I thank you for the privilege to have served as your president.
