Leadership

Pima County Attorney

Laura Conover

Laura has a unique perspective on Southern Arizona’s criminal justice system. She was elected as the Pima County Attorney in 2020. As the third woman to hold the Office, second defense attorney, and first victims’ rights attorney, she has assembled a diverse senior leadership team and plans to revolutionize operations.

Reform, transparency, and accountability are Laura’s core objectives. She endeavors to reform cash bail, end all use of capital punishment, divert cases of substance use disorder and mental illness to treatment, and protect people with vulnerable immigration statuses. She is fortifying units in Conviction & Sentencing Integrity and Fraud & Consumer Protection to safeguard against unethical and exploitative behaviors. She is building the first adult restorative justice program in the state.

Laura was raised in Tucson and earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arizona, and is proud to serve the community she calls home.

Chief Deputy County Attorney

Baird Greene

Baird is responsible for the overall direction and management of PCAO administration and operations and serves as acting County Attorney when the elected official is unavailable. Baird is a lifelong Pima County resident who holds a degree in German from the University of Arizona and graduated from the James E. Rogers College of Law. He has practiced law for 31 years, including as a line prosecutor of misdemeanor and felony cases and as a supervising attorney of several units in this Office. Baird also served as a legal advisor to three Tucson Chiefs of Police, ran the Tucson City Prosecutor’s Office instituting several significant changes to operations and policy, and worked in tort and civil service defense for the City of Tucson.

Chief Criminal Deputy

Bruce Chalk

The Chief Criminal Deputy County Attorney supports all prosecution efforts to hold people accountable for their behavior along with diversion opportunities and promoting restorative justice. Bruce has served the citizens of Pima County through his work at PCAO for nearly three decades, most recently as the Supervising Attorney for both the Vehicular Unit and the Misdemeanor Unit. After serving six years in the United States Navy, Bruce worked as a law enforcement agent for the National Park Service, including at the Grand Canyon and Saguaro National Parks. He is an avid trail and “ultra” runner and loves being outdoors.

Chief Civil Deputy

Samuel E. Brown

The Chief Civil Deputy advises the Board of Supervisors and other county leaders, in addition to managing diverse units that enforce land use and environmental regulations, help to protect election integrity, defend the County against lawsuits, handle major transactions, pursue the forfeiture of crime proceeds, and secure treatment for people who are dangerous to themselves or others. Sam is a father, husband, and community leader in Southern Arizona, serving on several community boards and organizations, including the Dunbar Coalition at the Dunbar Pavilion. Sam graduated from Tucson High School in 1996, Pima Community College in 2000, the University of Arizona in 2004, and the Washington College of Law at American University in 2007. He is a member of the Arizona and California Bars, the Arizona Black Bar Association, and Junior Achievement of Arizona.

Legal Administrator

Arika Wells

The Legal Administrator is the Administrative Manager for PCAO professional staff, leading the Human Resources, Information Technology and Finance teams that operate within PCAO. Arika directs the important work of these departments within the Attorney’s Office while collaborating efforts between Pima County and PCAO. She has extensive experience in the public sector in human resources and finance, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of San Diego, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Senior Counsel

Brad Roach

As Senior Counsel for the Conviction and Sentencing Integrity Unit (CSIU), Brad leads the Pima County Attorney’s Office’s effort to re-examine previous convictions and sentences where claims of actual innocence and sentencing improprieties have been made. Brad also leads the office’s efforts in seeking expungement of marijuana convictions pursuant to Proposition 207. Brad graduated from the University of Arizona College of Law with a Juris Doctorate and master’s degree in Economics and began his career as a Deputy Pima County Attorney. His eight years as a prosecutor focused primarily on cases in the Special Victims Unit. After 17 years in private practice as a defense attorney, he has come back to the Pima County Attorney’s Office, where his experience in both prosecution and defense will be valuable as the head of CSIU, bringing both extensive knowledge of prosecution and considerable experience as a defense lawyer in reviewing these very serious claims.

Victim Services Director

Virginia Rodriguez

The Victim Services Director ensures that trained staff and volunteer advocates provide emotional support, information about the criminal justice system, and referrals for additional services to victims at the scene and throughout the life of the case. Virginia establishes collaborative relationships with the other providers in the community to facilitate effective care coordination for crime victims. She is a bilingual native to the Old Pueblo and has formerly served the state Attorney General’s Office, the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, and this Office as a Victim Advocate.

Communications Director

Shawndrea Thomas

The Communications Director manages the Office’s public platforms, including the People’s website, social media, and media relations. Shawndrea is a former news anchor and reporter who has worked as a journalist in cities all across the country. She brings more than 15 years of media experience to the Office, and spent time working at television stations in Texas, Ohio, Florida, Missouri and was most recently an evening anchor and investigative reporter at KGUN 9 News here in Tucson. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from Arizona State University in Boradcast Journalism and Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in African American Studies and Intercultural Communications.

Executive Assistant

Benny Gómez

The Executive Assistant provides administrative support for the senior leadership team and collaborates on various special projects. Benny is a proud Tucson native who has worked for Pima County for over 17 years, spending time as Special Staff Assistant for former Pima County Supervisor, Ramon Valadez, and working as a Strategic Partnership Coordinator for the Pima County Health Department. Benny is a husband, father, and serves on the board of the Victoria Teresa Arias Memorial Foundation, which provides scholarships to high school students from the west and south sides of Tucson. Benny graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School in 1999 and from Northern Arizona University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration.

Community Outreach Coordinator

Sofia Blue

The Community Outreach Coordinator is responsible for fostering relationships with people the office serves, including organizations and agencies across Pima County that are building community. Sofia is a life-long resident of Tucson with deep roots in Southern Arizona. She holds a degree in Cultural Studies and Communications from Prescott College. Sofia has nearly 20 years of experience serving her community as a Library Associate in the Pima County Public Library system before spending five years as a staff assistant to a Pima County Supervisor. Before coming to the County Attorney’s Office, Sofia was a Restart SMART Site Director at the non-profit organization, Higher Ground. Community building is at the heart of everything Sofia does.