(3/1/2023) Derrick Howard received his B.A. in history from Alice Lloyd College in 2012 and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2015. Derrick joined DPA in 2015 in the Bell County Office before transferring to the Hazard office in 2019. He lives in the Red Bird area of Clay County with his wife and three sons. In his spare time, Derrick enjoys spending time outdoors and playing the guitar. 

(3/1/2023) Jason joined DPA in 2008 as Staff Attorney in the Owensboro Trial Office. He grew up in Louisville and obtained an undergraduate degree in history from the University of Louisville.  He is a graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law.  Jason lives in Owensboro with his wife, Jennifer.   

(12/1/2022) Lacy graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2010, where she participated in EKU’s Mock Trial Team program, and graduated with a degree in Communication Studies.  Lacy then attended the University of Kentucky College of Law, where she graduated in 2013.  Lacy is an EKU School of Communication Distinguished Alumni (2018) and received a Young Alumni Award from EKU in 2019.  Lacy accepted a position with the DPA Columbia Trial Office in 2014, where she worked diligently representing clients in the 29^th and 11^th Judicial Circuits until 2018.  At that time, Lacy accepted a position as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 29^th Judicial Circuit, where she served until returning to DPA earlier this year.  Lacy is glad to be back where she belongs and is once again representing clients in Boyle, Lincoln, and Mercer counties.  Lacy lives in Liberty with her husband, Phillip, and their son, Gage.  She is a Harry Potter aficionado, enjoys painting classes that she is not particularly good at, and collects Jurassic Park t-shirts.

(12/1/2022) Isaac Abner has lived in Eastern Kentucky his entire life. He attended Chase College of Law, graduating and passing the bar in 2015. After law school, Isaac went to work at a private firm doing primarily civil work and administrative law. In early 2020, he joined DPA as a staff attorney with the London Trial Office. He began working in Laurel Circuit Court and eventually began working in Clay and Leslie counties. In December 2022, Isaac became the Directing Attorney of the London Trial Office.

(11/1/2022) A Kentucky native and lifelong resident, Clay began his DPA career in the Hopkinsville Trial Office in March, 2015.  During his 3 years there he had approximately a dozen District Court trials and half as many Circuit Court trials.  He transferred to the Capital Post Conviction section where he worked on several cases attempting to get the clients death sentences overturned or reduced.  In October 2019 he was appointed as Directing attorney of the Harlan Trial Office.  After three years he transferred again to be the directing attorney of the Frankfort Trial Office.  During his preparations for various trials he has become very well versed in several forensics issues, as well as trial practice techniques.  He has participated in the NACDL’s Forensics College training, the 39^th Annual NAACP/LDF Capital Punishment Training Conference, and the National Criminal Defense College Trial Practice Institute.  During the course of his career with DPA Clay has practiced in 18 of Kentucky’s counties.

(5/16/2022) Jason J. Pfeil is a 1999 graduate of Marquette University Law School.  He has been employed with DPA since 2001, serving clients in the Owensboro Trial Office, CTB West, Henderson Trial Office, and as the Directing Attorney in the Princeton Trial Office.  Jason is currently the Directing Attorney of the Bowling Green South Trial Office. Jason is a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College’s Trial Practice Institute.  He is often consulted by the local criminal defense bar for advice on trial strategy and preparation, and frequently leads case reviews to help other attorneys’ preparation for trial. Jason is a self-admitted “geek,” and has a love of board games, cooking, and science fiction.  He met his wife Stephanie during freshman orientation when they were both undergrads at the University of Evansville, and they’ve been together ever since.  They have three children – Sarah, Cassie, and Molly – as well as two pets who fight like cats and dogs.

(5/1/2022) Valerie Church received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kentucky in 2010. In 2014 she graduated from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. After law school, Valerie worked for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and was in private practice taking conflict public defender cases in Northern Indiana until relocating to her hometown of Lexington in 2020. Valerie began her career with DPA as a staff attorney in the Frankfort Trial Office and is now in Lexington South.  Valerie is involved with B.U.I.L.D. (Building a United Interfaith Lexington through Direct-Action) as a volunteer. Valerie lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and fellow Lexington South DPA attorney, Ben Church, and their dogs, Bartlet and Hermes.

(5/1/2022) Kami Granade received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the College of Charleston in 2010, and she received her Juris Doctor from the Charleston School of Law in 2014.  After law school, Kami moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where she briefly worked in civil practice until finding her passion for indigent defense.  Kami worked as the only Assistant Public Defender in Abbeville County, South Carolina, for two years until moving to the Louisville area in July of 2018.  Kami is thrilled to work in Shepherdsville, KY, representing the indigent populations of Bullitt County and Nelson County.  Kami lives with her husband, Mike Granade, in southern Indiana, and they enjoy spending time outside with their dogs, Keira and Aidyn. 

(4/16/2022) Ashley Graham works as a Staff Attorney in the Covington DPA Trial Office and represents clients in Kenton County, Kentucky. Over the course of her public defender career, Ashley has had approximately 30 jury trials, ranging from misdemeanor to murder charges. She began working at the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy in August 2011 as a member of the Public Defender Corps, a joint fellowship program between Equal Justice Works and Gideon’s Promise. She graduated from Emory University School of Law in May 2010.

(3/25/2022) Jennifer received her B.A. in Chemistry from Eastern Kentucky University in 2006 before earning her J.D. from NKU Chase College of Law in 2009. She began her career with DPA in 2014 as a staff attorney in the Boone County trials office and later transferred to the Bullitt County office. Most recently, she has worked in DPA’s Conflicts office. She lives in Louisville with her partner, Matt Brown. In her spare time she enjoys learning Finnish and gardening.