For three decades, Veronica Allen demonstrated unwavering dedication to public service, protection of public safety, excellence within the administration of justice. Her career reflects sustained professionalism, integrity, leadership, and commitment to the prosecution community. Veronica serves as Legal Secretary Supervisor with responsibility for 20+ staff members. Her leadership establishes accountability, consistency, and operational stability. She sets clear expectations, models professionalism, maintains a supportive environment that strengthens performance, morale. Veronica demonstrates advanced proficiency in the Prosecutor by Karpel case management system. She works diligently on system improvements, identifies remedies to ensure functionality, and supports accuracy within case processing. Her technical knowledge strengthens reliability across prosecutorial workflows. Throughout thirty years of service, Veronica has exemplified distinguished commitment to an Arizona prosecution office, exceptional supervisory leadership, operational resilience during leadership vacancies, technical excellence, dedication to justice. The Pima County Attorney’s Office is honored to nominate Veronica for the Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Attorney General’s Office nominates Ginamarie Montenegro for the Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her years of exceptional service to the office and the criminal justice system. Since joining the office in 2004, Ginamarie has distinguished herself through unwavering professionalism, deep institutional knowledge, and an extraordinary ability to manage complex, high stakes work. For two decades in the Drug Section, she supported major prosecutions involving multi defendant conspiracies and wiretap investigations, all while independently developing extensive expertise in extradition law. In December 2024, the office aligned her role with this specialization, appointing her as the full time Extradition Paralegal. In this statewide position, she serves as the primary point-of-contact for extradition matters, overseeing Governor’s warrants, IAD requests, waivers, and habeas proceedings. Her meticulous work ensures statutory compliance, prevents costly delays, and strengthens public safety. Ginamarie’s dedication and mentorship exemplify true lifetime service and make her deeply deserving of this honor.

The Pima County Attorney’s Office nominates Nicole Rogers for the Legal Assistant of the Year award in recognition of her exceptional work. Nicole has dedicated twenty-six years to prosecutorial service. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance, leadership, and commitment to the goals of the prosecution office. Her work reflects deep institutional knowledge, operational expertise, and relentless dedication to public safety. Nicole serves as Paralegal Supervisor, providing guidance, structure, and accountability for her team. During a prolonged period without a Felony Unit Manager, Nicole stepped forward to provide critical oversight for the Felony unit. She assumed additional responsibilities without compensation to maintain operational continuity. Nicole handled those responsibilities with accuracy, professionalism, and unwavering commitment.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office nominates Miriam Roth for the Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award. For over two decades, Miriam has exemplified professionalism, dedication, and commitment to justice. Beginning her career in 1999 in the Family Violence Bureau, she worked on emotionally challenging cases involving domestic violence homicides, child abuse, and vulnerable adult abuse. Her expertise and compassion quickly made her indispensable, and she rose to a supervisory role, mentoring paralegals and improving processes. After a brief period away from the office, Miriam was assigned to the Trial Group Bureau. But, Miriam quickly returned to her passion in 2016—prosecuting crimes against vulnerable victims. In 2023, she assumed leadership of the Family Violence West Bureau, prioritizing staff wellness, collaboration, and efficiency. She embraced new technologies and spearheaded strategies for better discovery-sharing. Miriam’s retirement marks the end of a truly distinguished career that has left an indelible impact on public safety and the administration of justice.

Robbi White has served the Yuma County Attorney’s Office for over 27 years. Throughout that time, she has kept numerous attorneys in line, trained countless members of the support staff, and kept the Juvenile Unit running on all cylinders. Robbi has a pervasive positive attitude and goes above-and-beyond every single day. She readily takes on extra assignments and is always seeking ways to make things better. She is currently the Senior Legal Office Supervisor for the Juvenile unit, and she is indispensable as the self-appointed Karpel guru. For all her contributions, the Yuma County Attorney’s Office nominates Robbi for the Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more than two decades, Laura Girard has contributed not only to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, but to the field of prosecution throughout Arizona. She has consistently demonstrated professionalism and a profound commitment to justice. Laura has supported countless attorneys, assisted with complex cases, and ensured that legal processes are handled with precision and care. Laura has demonstrated unwavering dedication to public service throughout her paralegal career, focusing on supporting prosecution efforts to ensure justice for victims and our community. With a deep commitment to continuous improvement, Laura has worked tirelessly on improving discovery systems and their implementation. Laura's commitment to public service continues to inspire colleagues and future generations in the legal field. Her exemplary career reflects the highest standards of public service, making her a truly deserving recipient for this prestigious award. .

In every office, there’s usually that one person. The one who has been there the longest, knows all of the tasks, and has seen all of the good and the bad that the criminal justice system throws at its servants. At CCAO, that person is Lupita. Since joining the office in 2004, she has survived four different County Attorneys, countless staff and lawyers, and yet somehow is still the kindest human one could ever want to meet. Lupita has gone from working with a legal pad and a typewriter to e-discovery and “the cloud”. In her over 20 years, she has consistently sought to train up new staff and the especially difficult to train LAWYERS in how we do what we do. All the while, maintaining a professional and kind attitude in everything she does. We are as happy to recognize her for her lifelong commitment as we are to have her continue working in our office.

Yadira Ortiz has served at the Yuma County Attorney's Office for 27 years, and has been a supervisor for 20 of those. She has trained and mentored countless individuals, and she has been the right hand of the toughest of prosecutors. She handles every challenge with grace and a smile. We are truly lucky to have had her guidance and assistance for all these years.

Karin Pilant has repeatedly demonstrated intense pride in her work throughout her eighteen-year career at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Karin has often been the paralegal with the most cases, and she has had to adapt to radically changing technology while working in several different bureaus. She is very independent and resourceful but is also a great team player who often shares her expertise with other paralegals. Karin assisted with high-profile investigations that led to arrests and convictions of dangerous individuals. Karin also consistently volunteered to help her fellow paralegals and the entire community.

We are pleased to nominate Julie Taylor for the APAAC Paralegal Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her 25 years of dedicated service. As the first paralegal at the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, Julie has made a lasting impact on the pursuit of justice. Her career began at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where her work on the Ring v Arizona case showed her attention to detail. At Pinal County, she played a pivotal role in the State v. Garcia case, organizing crucial evidence and ensuring justice for fallen Deputy Jason Lopez. Julie’s organizational skills were vital in the Bigger Schwartz case. She contributed to successful prosecutions and earned accolades from her trial attorneys. Julie continues to serve her community by supporting drug prosecutors and aiding in significant convictions. Her service and commitment to justice make her a deserving candidate for this award.

Peggy Wagner's extraordinary 45-year career in the legal field exemplifies dedication, excellence, and commitment to justice. Her career started in 1980, and Peggy joined the Yavapai County Attorney's Office in 1987, where she spent 38 impactful years holding roles such as Legal Secretary, Lead Legal Secretary, and Litigation Specialist. For the past 11 years, she served in the Early Disposition Court where her organizational expertise and professionalism transformed court operations. Peggy's ability to build trust and strong professional relationships earned her the affectionate title, "The Godmother of EDC." Her efforts ensured the court ran with integrity, efficiency, and fairness, benefiting colleagues and the judicial system alike. Peggy’s exceptional contributions and high standards have inspired countless legal professionals. As she concludes her remarkable journey, her legacy remains a benchmark for excellence. Peggy's unwavering impact makes her the ideal recipient of the 2025 Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award.

Linda Brinkley began her career in the criminal justice field in 1998 when she joined the Mohave County Superior Court. Linda has had 26 years of continuous service for Mohave County. Linda joined the Mohave County Attorney’s Office in September 2004. Linda is and has been the constant for the office in Lake Havasu City. There is no problem she can’t solve or situation she doesn’t know how to handle. She is the glue that has held the Lake Havasu City office together. Linda has always been very loyal, trustworthy, honest, and operates with the highest of integrity. Linda is an incredibly hard worker, helps to teach and train our newest Attorneys, and is a go-to resource for the Courts and all Lake Havasu City Law Enforcement Agencies.

Katy Brunson joined the Pima County Attorney’s Office in October 2003 and has been a paralegal in the Vehicular Unit for over 15 years. Katy has dedicated her life to the pursuit of justice for victims of vehicular crimes. With her extensive knowledge and experience, she works the unit’s most complex cases: vehicular homicides. Katy is the heart of the Vehicular Unit and is the glue that keeps an ever-changing unit together, even after nearly two decades. During that time, Katy has been the paralegal to every Vehicular Unit supervisor and has worked with over 75 prosecutors. She has dedicated her life to the pursuit of justice by providing the highest quality of work on each one of her cases. Katy is not only a reliable paralegal, a fierce advocate for teamwork, and a treasured friend, but also a beloved mother of three and the proud grandmother of two beautiful granddaughters.

It is my privilege to nominate Debbie Barnes for a lifetime achievement award for her outstanding dedication and achievement as a legal assistant, paralegal, and Office Manager for the Graham County Attorney’s Office. Beginning her time with the Graham County Attorney’s Office in August 1996 she worked through December of 1999. After taking a six-month hiatus to work with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, she returned to Graham County in July 2000 and has been working here every sense. Completing her associates degree in paralegal studies in 2002, Debbie was quickly promoted to Paralegal/Legal Assistant and eventually Office Manager. Debbie has always gone above and beyond her basic duties and, in fact, has been the lifeblood of the office for over 20 years.

Amiee Crenshaw has earned the 2022 APAAC Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award, not simply with her years of loyal public service, but with her dedication to prosecution, her commitment to victims and her incredible skill set. Amiee has been a Legal Assistant with the Pima County Attorney’s Office since 1998. In those twenty-four years, she has not only impacted the cases she worked, some of the most difficult in the office, but also impacted her co-workers as a loyal and hardworking colleague. Amiee started her career in the vehicular unit, a high-paced, trial-intensive unit that routinely tried 40-60 trials a year. Her caseload included felony DUIs, Aggravated Assault and Homicide cases. After her time in vehicular, Amiee worked on some of the most serious, notable cases in Pima County, including the post-conviction case resulting from the Pioneer Hotel Fire that killed 27 people in 1970 and the Pamela Phillips case, in which she paid a hitman to plant a bomb that results in the death of Gary Triano in 1996. Amiee has been a part of the team on 100’s homicide cases over the course of her career.

Arcelia “Arcy” Lizarraga has been a cornerstone in the La Paz County Attorney’s Office since she joined as an administrative specialist in August of 2003. She promoted to Legal Assistant in 2006 and became the Legal Assistant Supervisor in 2014. She has worked for four different county attorneys and has maintained the highest level of professionalism and courtesy throughout. A graduate of Parker High School, she has deep roots in the community. She has processed countless misdemeanor cases during her career. She is humble enough to ask questions and to seek ways to improve. She has embraced the challenge of switching software systems to PBK in 2019. No good deed going unpunished, she now handles all three justice courts, and she hasn’t missed a beat. We are blessed to have Arcy in our office. She is competent, caring, loyal, and a wonderful person.

Brett Reynolds has been a paralegal at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office since 1999 and has worked most of that time at his current assignment in the Sex Crimes Bureau. Brett is a shining example of professionalism as he handles a large and complex caseload with dedication and a true commitment to justice. He has assisted with many trials by contacting witnesses, preparing exhibits, and resolving numerous issues for his attorneys. Brett’s excellent communication skills are a key to his success as he forms great working relationships within the office and with outside agencies. Brett’s knowledge is a valuable resource, and he often volunteers to help paralegals, attorneys and others resolve unique challenges. Brett has made a significant contribution to MCAO, and his work has resulted in justice for victims of crime and protection for our community. Brett is very deserving of the 2022 APAAC Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jennifer Gluck is very deserving of the 2021 APAAC Legal Assistant Lifetime Achievement Award. Jennifer has been with the City of Phoenix Prosecutor’s Office for 21 years and exemplifies the highest standards of dedication. Throughout the years, Jennifer has made a positive impact in the Phoenix Prosecutor’s Office and the community as well with her innovative thinking and problem-solving skills. She always strives to find a way to get the job done more accurately, quickly and efficiently. Jennifer’s suggestions on improving workflow are always well thought out and never compromise the work produced. Jennifer’s research and investigation skills are top notch. She reviews each case she works on thoroughly and determines what is needed and the best process. Jennifer is a dedicated employee of the City of Phoenix Prosecutor’s Office and has made numerous contributions towards achieving the goals of the Office.

Christina Moan joined the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in 2004 as a Legal Secretary in the Fraud & Special Prosecutions Section. She excelled in that position and eventually was promoted to Legal Assistant position in the Section. Christina is currently a Legal Assistant Project Specialist where she works with two prosecutors who manage heavy caseloads. She also is a mentor and trainer to the other Legal Assistants in the Section. The AGO recognizes and presents its appreciation for the service and dedication Christina has given throughout her career.

Marion began her career in 1998 working in the Trial Division and was later assigned to Family Violence and the Repeat Offender Program (ROP) Bureau. In 2012, Marion became the Paralegal Lead in the Auto Theft Bureau. Marion has demonstrated true leadership skills in her role as a supervisor. She has handled a high volume of cases and she has always tackled her duties with good humor and professionalism. Marion has consistently exceeded expectations in her job performance and her personnel file is filled with emails from attorneys regarding her critical assistance in securing convictions at trial. Throughout her career, Marion has been a shining example of a prosecution paralegal and she has devoted her adult life to securing justice in our community. She is very deserving of this Lifetime Achievement Award.

Carol Keppler joined the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in 1985 and held two positions of Senior Legal Assistant Project Specialist and currently the Deputy Director of the Southwest Border Anti-Money Laundering Alliance. During her 34-year distinguished career, Carol worked in many areas throughout the AGO’s Criminal Division, assisting on high-profile cases, strategic legislation, and innovative public safety and crime prevention programs. As part of her many duties, Carol assisted in the legislative process on Arizona forfeiture, money laundering, RICO, and money transmitter statutes. She also was involved in the legal research and drafting of Amicus Curiae Briefs that helped Arizona’s appellate courts interpret these new laws and resulted in a number of favorable opinions. Carol is an asset to the AGO. As retirement is on the horizon for Carol, the AGO recognizes and presents its appreciation for the service and dedication she has given throughout her career.

Phillip Quihuis’ quiet and selfless dedication to criminal justice has been evident from the day he stepped foot into the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. In his quiet and unassuming manner, he accomplishes more toward justice before 10:00 a.m. than many do in a week. He is an asset to any prosecutor, victim, witness, or defendant who has the opportunity to have him work on their case. Phillip is intelligent, thorough, and driven. He has been with MCAO since 1999 and is currently assigned to the Capital Litigation Bureau.