Your NDAA Women Prosecutors Section: Busy Building A Culture Of Women Leaders.

• Author: Prior, Tracy
• Position: National District Attorneys Ass'n

Jan Scully, the first female president of NDAA once said, "What can we achieve if we are not afraid?" Scully's vision and leadership culminated in the 2013 formation of the NDAA Women Prosecutors Section (WPS). The purposes of the Women Prosecutors Section are to:

* Develop a network of NDAA members committed to leadership, mentorship and friendship,

* Provide education and promote increased opportunities for women seeking leadership positions within prosecution offices, and

* Assist NDAA in public engagement and education on issues of particular importance to women prosecutors.

The NDAA Women Prosecutors Section has been busy carrying out its mission.

DEVELOPING A NETWORK OF NDAA MEMBERS COMMITTED TO LEADERSHIP. MENTORSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP

WPS events started out small.There were informal gatherings at various NDAA meetings, or casual happy hours hosted by a local prosecutor's office. Currently, a Women Prosecutors Section meeting is designated at all NDAA national meetings and conferences, open to all attendees.WPS meetings include presentations by elected district attorneys about innovative ideas and programming. Recent presentations include those from Darcel Clark, Bronx County District Attorney; Sherri Bevan Walsh, Summit County District Attorney, and Stephanie Anderson, Cumberland County District Attorney. Section members are encouraged to bring new programming ideas to the table and invite fellow prosecutors to join the section. WPS has grown strong with now over 200 men and women NDAA members.

EDUCATION AND INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN SEEKING LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITHIN PROSECUTION OFFICES

WPS hosts informational receptions where section members meet other prosecutors with the goal of networking and inspiring others to lead. At one of the first section events, Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey encouraged other women prosecutors to "answer the call" if they had a desire to lead. Lacey and other section leaders discuss often the topic of mentorship as it is a cornerstone to developing more women leaders.

The section selects speakers dedicated to educational awareness surrounding topics facing women prosecutors. In July 2015, the section sponsored a reception banquet with keynote speaker Dr. Andrea Rees Davies, Associate Director of Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Dr. Davies lectured about the research surrounding the persistence of cultural biases and the consequences for women and their...