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November was a month marked by recruitment moves, new challenges, wins, and a continued commitment to helping others. Your November 2025 PCAO Community Newsletter has arrived.
After an extensive search, we are pleased to announce that Sara Moody has joined the Senior Leadership Team as the new Victim Services Director, effective December 1.
Sara brings more than two decades of experience in child welfare, behavioral health, and clinical program leadership to The People’s Office. She began her career as a CPS Specialist and Unit Supervisor, dedicating over a decade to protecting vulnerable children and families. Sara recently served as the Clinical Site Director at Easterseals Blake Foundation in Tucson, where she handled operations across two sites. In this role, she developed and implemented programming, managed budgets, conducted quality audits, and led community outreach initiatives to strengthen partnerships and expand services.
Sara also served as the Clinical Director of Care Coordination at Casa de los Niños, where she managed multiple programs, supervised a large team, and coordinated services for more than 2,200 clients receiving behavioral health support.
Her deep clinical knowledge and genuine ability to connect compassionately with staff, supervisors, and victims make her an amazing fit for PCAO. Those qualities, along with her fairness, composure, and confident leadership, will serve our organization and community well.
Sara holds a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Arizona. Welcome to the team!!!
PCAO and EMERGE Join Forces in Crisis Response Agreement
TUCSON, ARIZONA –November 26, 2025, A critical service for people experiencing domestic violence (DV), the After-Hours Crisis Response System (AHCRS), will give more support to the community thanks to a partnership between the Pima County Attorney’s Office (PCAO) Victim Services Division and Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse (Emerge).
Earlier this year, the PCAO Victim Services Division met with Emerge to develop a plan to assist PCAO with maintaining the vital service of triaging after-hours and weekend crisis calls. Emerge teams will also support volunteer victim advocates who are dispatched to 911 domestic violence calls to provide continued services as needed.
Through the AHCRS, law enforcement officers responding to DV calls in Pima County can request victim service advocates to provide on-scene support to survivors. The system, a central component of Pima County’s coordinated community response to DV that helps connect survivors to immediate support, was at risk of being eliminated without the infrastructure to sustain it. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover says the collaboration is another extension of the office working with key organizations for the well-being of the community.
“Our agreement with Emerge makes good sense. Not only do we want to be a strong partner in our community, but we also want to ensure that there’s no lapse in access to the crucial services needed for some of our most vulnerable residents. This will enable us to optimize our precious resources effectively to get the best possible outcomes for victims who have nowhere else to turn.” Conover said.
“The 24/7 nature of our work through our emergency shelter and crisis hotline allowed Emerge to quickly jump in and provide this essential service,” said Anna Harper, Emerge CEO. “Domestic abuse can be life-threatening, and our community cannot afford to let resources for survivors go away. We urge the community to do everything they can to support the work and vision of our much-needed services.”
DV is the number one generator of 911 calls for local law enforcement agencies, and PCAO and Emerge recognized the need to protect this essential service. Many of the after-hours calls involve high-risk DV situations identified through the Arizona Intimate Partner Risk Assessment Instrument System (APRAIS). During the 2025 fiscal year, Emerge alone served 2,128 APRAIS victims. In the first month of operating the After-Hours Crisis Response System, Emerge noted that more than half of the calls were APRAIS referrals.
As part of the one-year pilot program, PCAO has provided $50,000 in special revenue to Emerge. Emerge will operate as PCAO’s victim services provider from 5 pm to 8 am Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day on weekends, and on holidays. While volunteer victim advocates with PCAO respond to requests for on-scene support, Emerge staff will fill in telephonically when no volunteers are available.
Justice Served
The Pima County Attorney’s Office congratulates the team of Deputy County Attorneys Shelby Aguallo and Brad Roach, Paralegal Megan Gallagher, Legal Secretary Leann Lievanos, and Tucson Police Detective Alexandra Frieberg for their work to secure a conviction in the case of State v Gilbert Anthony Rodriguez Jr. for First-Degree Premeditated Murder.
Rodriguez was found guilty of fatally shooting Alvy Ndayishimiye in October 2023. Video of the crime helped the jury decide on the verdict. When sentenced, Rodriguez faces a sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole.
Serving the People of Pima County
Pima County Attorney – The People’s Office
The People’s Office was pleased to see the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the Tucson City Council sit down together and collaborate on problems that we all agree need solutions.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, both elected bodies met on appropriately neutral ground, inside the Pima Association of Governments meeting room, and shared information about what each jurisdiction is doing to address the crises of unhoused people, mental illness, and substance abuse disorder that results in open lawlessness throughout our community.
County Attorney Laura Conover attended the meeting along with Communications Director Shawndrea Thomas.
They found it encouraging to hear of the many programs and commitments the County and City have in place, with the sincere hope that working together will begin to make the kind of difference our citizens and business operators need to see.
We heard from both jurisdictions that there is new energy to continue working together, and as the top law enforcement agency in Pima County, we look forward to being part of bringing positive change. Laura also spoke to the media about the importance of collaborating with our local law enforcement partners .
Laura was pleased to participate in a Nov. 19 panel discussion on a related topic: “Safe Passage: Transit, Crime & News Media in Tucson, hosted by Hey Joe Media.
The goal of the forum, held at La Suprema Works & Events space in the historic downtown neighborhood Barrio Viejo, was to bridge the gap between news reporting on topics involving crime on public transit and those who work most closely with those needing help.
County Attorney Laura Conover joined the discussion along with TucsonSpotlight editor and publisher Caitlin Schmidt; Danny Howe, founder of The Earnest House, a transitional housing facility for formerly incarcerated people; Dr. Jesús Magaña, a clinical social worker; and Zion Alderette, a community advocate and housing expert.
The forum was attended by numerous local news reporters, who we hope made the kind of connections that help improve our community’s understanding of the issue of crime in our community, along with the importance of solutions-based reporting.
Attorneys in Training
In November, our misdemeanor attorneys participated in critical training needed to help them make the transition into felony caseloads.
During the weeklong program, attorneys held mock trials in Superior Court courtrooms along with practice in giving opening statements, cross-examinations, and closing arguments. Teams also learned more about the rules of criminal procedures, issuing cases, Donald records, victim compensation ethics, and more.
Restorative Justice Training
On November 13th, PCAO was fortunate to have the Vera Institute of Justice visit from NYC and host a participatory workshop for attorneys and staff on Restorative Justice (RJ) in practice. RJ is gaining traction in prosecutor’s offices across the country as an effective, victim-centered approach that promotes accountability, healing, and safety.
Vera brought along RJ practitioner Jon Powell from the Restorative Justice Clinic at Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law to speak about his experience in the field and highlight some big questions about RJ—what does it look like in practice? When is it appropriate? How does it support both victims and communities while maintaining accountability? It was an enlightening experience for both trainers and staff.
Reaching Our Community
With former PCAO Outreach Coordinator Patrick Robles joining Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva’s team, we appreciated the chance to meet Ben Hernandez, who has joined Senator Gallego’s southern Arizona office. At PCAO, we try to ensure that whenever our congressional delegation needs on-the-ground information, we are responsive and supportive.
It’s easy to see that Ben will be a great addition to the Senator’s office, with his inquisitive mind and thoughtful interactions with PCAO staff. Tucson continues to produce high-quality young leaders, and they keep us all informed and grounded in the community.
Our pioneering Victim Services Division is looking for new volunteers to help provide support to victims and witnesses of crimes in Pima County.
Over a half-century, PCAO’s Victim Services Division has relied on the work of trained volunteers to assist victims and witnesses from the time of the crime, through the legal process – including courtroom trials – and beyond the conclusion of cases.
Through October 2025, PCAO’s Victim Services Division assisted with more than 6,300 victims on the year, providing crisis response along with law enforcement, by phone, or through court advocacy. More than 50 members of the community have graduated our 2025 volunteer training session.
If you would like to be part of this important and gratifying program, contact PCAO Communications Director Shawndrea Thomas at (520) 724-5738 or at shawndrea.thomas@pcao.pima.gov.
We at the Pima County Attorney’s Office aren’t the only ones gushing over the newest arrival to our team of Courthouse Facility Dogs.
The training program “Dogs for Better Lives” recently published a story about Jacob, our two-year-old yellow lab, featuring PCAO handler Kristin Carter sharing how the calm and loving pup makes difficult moments for young crime victims and witnesses easier.
And they should know how special our Jacob is. They trained him, after all.
Jacob went to the Oregon-based training facility after a Texas outfit that had begun to train him as a guide dog for blind people realized his full potential.
Since arriving at PCAO and spending some time getting familiar with his new surroundings, Jacob has shown his ability to provide comfort in uncomfortable situations.
To read more about our furry, soft-eyed coworker, click here.
Laura paid a visit to the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona in mid-November to talk to 3L law students Nick Flores, Justin Bowen, and Christian Freeman about the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
They were curious about why she decided to run for office, the dynamics of her relationships with the community after key decisions, her leadership style, growth, and recruitment.
Laura was happy to oblige.
She also talked with the future lawyers about the complicated role she plays as both the traditional district attorney who prosecutes crimes and the County’s Attorney, which makes her the top lawyer for Pima County government officials and departments.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office set up collection sites for food donations to assist families in need at Thanksgiving and will do the same as we approach the rest of the winter holiday season.
If you are able, please consider bringing non-perishable food items to the Pima County Legal Services Building located at 32 N. Stone Avene in downtown Tucson. A food collection box will be located in the ground floor lobby.
Just check in with security as you enter and know that your donation is going to make the holidays better for somebody. After all, that’s the spirit of the season!
On the latest of numerous guest appearances on local radio legend Bill Buckmaster’s show on KVOI Radio, Laura Conover learned that it would be her last.
During his program on Nov. 7, Laura discussed recent Page 1 news out of the office with Bill and cohost Joe Ferguson of the Tucson Agenda online newspaper.
At the end of that show – Laura’s 19th appearance dating back to her first campaign for Pima County Attorney – Buckmaster informed her that he was stepping away from the microphone.
We are grateful to Bill for his long career reporting the news in Tucson and Pima County. He has been tough, but fair in our many visits to his studio, and we wish him a well-earned happy retirement.
PCAO’s Civil Division just added two new law clerks from the University of Arizona to help serve the people of Pima County.
Camilla Rivera (right) is a native Tucsonan and third-year law student at the university. Camilla will spend her time focusing on tort, probate, family, and education law. The self-proclaimed animal lover enjoys good movies, books, and taking care of her pets.
Ivy Clements is a second-year law student and a former 5th grade teacher. After graduating from the university and passing the bar exam, Ivy says she plans to focus on environmental law. In her spare time, the Tucson native enjoys bread baking, sewing, and book binding.
We recruit legal researchers, litigators, and professional staff who use their unique talents to move our Office forward. You’re invited to apply to work for a progressive prosecuting agency that values accountability, public service, and outcome-driven thinking.
We offer excellent work-life balance, great incentives, and a generous benefits package, including:
All open PCAO positions APPLY HERE
There are a variety of positions to apply for at PCAO
Here’s a look at some of the links to social media and podcast messages we’ve shared throughout the year.
All Podcast episodes are available here:
https://thepeoplesofficepodcast.podbean.com/
Social Media Posts:
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