NDAA Names New Dean of the National College of District Attorneys

Mary Galvin

NDAA is pleased to announce that Mary Galvin, currently the state’s attorney in Milford, Connecticut, has been selected to serve as the new dean of the National College of District Attorneys (NCDA). The National College of District Attorneys is a division of NDAA.

Robert Fertitta, who currently serves as dean of the National College, is retiring from the position after serving 30 years, 15 years as dean and 15 years as associate dean.

Thomas J. Charron, executive director of NDAA, remarked that, “Mary’s experience as a state’s attorney along with her enviable academic and professional background, make her imminently qualified to become the new dean of NCDA. She possesses the leadership, talent and knowledge to help create and promote successful training initiatives and programs that will enhance the knowledge and abilities of all state and local prosecutors who come to the National Advocacy Center and the NCDA.”

Galvin will assume her new role July 1. She will direct operations of NCDA both nationally and at the Earnest F. Hollings National Advocacy Center (NAC) in South Carolina. She will also be responsible for the provision of all educational programs, conferences and training conducted by the NAC and NCDA.

Mary Galvin has an extensive background working as a prosecutor and adult educator. Not only was Galvin the first woman to be appointed as a prosecutor in the state of Connecticut, but she was also the first woman to be elected state’s attorney in that state. She has been prosecuting since 1975 and has become the nation’s foremost authority on arson. She is a part-time law professor at Yale University Law School and teaches fire and arson investigation at the University of New Haven. She helped to develop the first arson prosecution course at the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and has also been an active faculty member for NDAA and NCDA.

Mary Galvin has also been very active as an advisor and leader at NDAA, NCDA and APRI. She serves as a member of the NDAA Board of Directors, sits on several APRI advisory committees and is the co-chair of NDAA’s Education Committee. In honor of her hard work and commitment to the education of prosecutors, Galvin received NCDA’s Lecturer of Merit Award in 1995 and its Distinguished Faculty Award in 1999.

Galvin’s experience and devotion to the pursuit of justice will serve NDAA well. We look forward to great things as we welcome Mary to the NDAA family.