Deborah Lashley retired in October 2013 from the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, New York. She had held the title of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Juvenile Crimes Unit. She began her career as a prosecutor after graduating from Brooklyn Law School in 1979. During her tenure at the District Attorney’s Office Ms. Lashley has focused on adolescents, both as a prosecutor and an administrator of alternative sentencing programs. Deborah worked with the Senior Deputy District Attorney to develop and implement several programs targeting the adolescent population including Youth and Congregations in Partnership (YCP) a comprehensive alternative sentencing and mentoring program, Trauma Troopers teaching first responders skills and first aid to court involved youth, and Gender Responsive Reentry Assistance and Support Program (GRASP) for young woman returning from correctional institutions. In addition to a law degree, Ms. Lashley has a BA in Psychology and a MS in Education. She also received a certificate from Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute for Juvenile Justice Multi-System-Integration. Prior to becoming an attorney, she was a teacher specializing in early childhood education. Deborah was a member of the NYS Governor’s Task Force on Transforming the Juvenile Justice System, the NYS office of Family and Children’s Services Working Group for Parenting and Pregnant Girls, NYC’s Division of Youth and Community Development’s Interagency Coordinating Council on youth and court involved youth and the NYC Family Court Advisory Committee. As well, she was a member of the NYC School-Justice Partnership Taskforce. She has also been on the board of various organizations including the Brooklyn Bar Association, St Mary’s Community Services Inc., Catherine McAuley High School and the Youth Empowerment for Success program of the Children’s Aid Society.