Attorneys
Public defender offices provide legal services for indigent defendants charged with criminal offenses. Attorneys are responsible for trying cases in General district, Juvenile, and Circuit Courts for their respective locality. Cases may be handled at the trial and/or appellate level.
Tracy Paner
Public DefenderTracy Paner, a graduate of Mary Washington College and the University of Richmond, has built a career in public defense, culminating in her appointment as the Chief Public Defender for Richmond by the Indigent Defense Commission in 2016. With experience in every attorney position within the Richmond Public Defender's Office and a member of several bar associations, including the Virginia Criminal Bar Association, Richmond Criminal Bar, and the National Association of Public Defenders (NAPD), her comprehensive understanding of the legal system is extensive. Tracy has a strong commitment to fairness and fighting for her clients, and she balances her professional life with a love for family, hiking, gardening, knitting, and fostering kittens with the SPCA.
Maggie Pitts
Deputy Public DefenderMaggie is a Canadian native, who has fled the harsh winters and unyielding kindness of the great white north in search of adventure and freedom. She graduated from Vermont Law School in 2013 and was lucky enough to be hired as an Assistant Public Defender in the Richmond office after graduation. She is currently one of two deputies in the Richmond office, and could not be prouder of the incredible work being done by the entire Richmond team. Maggie teaches as an adjunct professor in the Forensic Science Department at Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Richmond School of Law. In her spare time, she likes to cook and play basketball and touch football.
Ashley Shapiro
Deputy Public DefenderAshley Shapiro, a Deputy Public Defender in Richmond City, has extensive experience litigating jury trials and motions, representing both children and adults. Previously, she was an Immigration Resource Attorney for the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, training public defenders on immigration consequences of criminal convictions. Ashley is actively involved in criminal justice reform as the Legislative Director for Justice Forward Virginia, advocating for fairer laws in the Virginia General Assembly. She also participates in the national Racial Justice Initiative, working towards holistic justice collaborations. A graduate with Honors from The George Washington University Law School, Ashley was a Thurgood Marshall Scholar and earned a Pro Bono Service Certificate. Before law school, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from San Diego State University.
Jamie Almallen
Assistant Public DefenderJamie Almallen graduated from Roanoke College in 2017 and from the University of Virginia School of Law in May 2020. She has been licensed to practice law in Virginia since Oct. 2020. She loves being a Public Defender because she enjoys working hard for her clients and their families in a criminal legal system that forgets humanity. When not working, she loves spending time with her husband and two dogs.
Meredith Childs
Assistant Public DefenderMeredith Childs received her J.D. from Charleston School of Law, where she interned with the Capital Trial Division of the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense. Before law school, she attended East Carolina University where she received degrees in both Psychology and Political Science. She also earned her Paralegal Certificate from Duke University.
Gianna Fienberg
Assistant Public DefenderGianna Fienberg is a graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law, where they received The Nina R. Kestin Service Award and served as the Executive Editor for the Richmond Public Interest Law Review. They began their career in the Fredericksburg Office of the Public Defender before joining the Richmond office in 2021.
Annalisa Feinman
Senior Trial AttorneyAnnalisa Feinman is a West Virginia native and has lived in Richmond since 2014. She is a graduate of Elon University and Washington & Lee University School of Law, where she defended individuals through the W&L Criminal Justice Clinic. Annalisa has represented clients across Virginia, both as a public defender and in private practice. In addition to her experience, Annalisa works to bring enthusiasm and understanding to each case. When she’s not in court, Annalisa can be found enjoying the scenery (and especially the restaurants) around Richmond with her family.
Liddy Gallagher
Assistant Public DefenderLiddy Gallagher is an Assistant Public Defender. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Richmond School of Law. She currently serves as one of the Internship Coordinators for the Public Defender's Office. In her free time she likes to run half marathons, read, and spend time with her husband and their dog and cat, Lilo and Stitch.
Chase Gunter
Assistant Public DefenderChase Gunter is an Assistant Public Defender. Originally from Richmond, he attended the University of Virginia for undergrad and law school. While in law school, he was a member of the Program in Law and Public Service and participated in the Innocence Project Clinic, the Federal Sentence Reduction Clinic, and the Criminal Defense Clinic. Before joining the Richmond Public Defender's Office, he interned with the MacArthur Justice Center in New Orleans, Louisiana; the ACLU Capital Punishment Project in Durham, North Carolina; and the Brooklyn Defender Services in Brooklyn, New York.
Brenna Hill
Assistant Public DefenderBrenna Hill has been an assistant public defender with the Richmond office since 2020.
Adam Howard
Assistant Public DefenderAdam Howard is a graduate of Richmond School of Law and a native of Virginia. He chose a career in public defense because of his work before law school with cross-border immigration advocacy and his work with the disabled communities through his younger sister who has Rett Syndrome. Adam is a fluent Spanish speaker and is passionate about access to justice for Spanish speaking communities. Adam spends time making music, biking and playing with his cat Miso.
Pete Johnson
Assistant Public DefenderPete is an Assistant Public Defender II. Pete graduated from Roanoke College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and went on to graduate from the University of Richmond School of Law. Prior to joining the Richmond office, he served as an assistant public defender in both Chesterfield and Alexandria. Pete started his legal career as a law clerk for the 23rd Judicial Circuit based in Roanoke. While originally from Kentucky, Pete has called Virginia home for many years. When not zealously advocating for his clients Pete can be found somewhere in Western Europe or watching the Lord of the Rings (extended edition of course).
Ashley Jones
Senior Assistant Public DefenderAshley Lewis Jones is a Supervising Senior Public Defender. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia. She obtained her juris doctorate from Harvard Law School and her masters of law from Georgetown University Law Center. Before joining the Richmond Office of the Public Defender, she was an E. Barrett Prettyman Fellow at Georgetown, clerked on the Massachusetts Appeals Court, and interned at the Southern Center for Human Rights and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Ashley decided to become a public defender after being a paralegal at Neufeld Scheck & Brustin, LLP working on the civil cases of men wrongfully convicted of crimes.
Daniel Lange
Assistant Public DefenderDaniel Lange is an Assistant Public Defender I. He received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and English from Florida State University and his J.D. from University of Richmond. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and hound dog Tycho.
Brianna Mashel
Assistant Public DefenderBrianna Mashel is originally from New Jersey and received her J.D. from William & Mary Law School, where she interned with the Federal Public Defender's Office in Norfolk, Suffolk Public Defender's Office, and Newport News Public Defender's Office. Prior to law school, she attended the University of Maryland where she received degrees in both History and Government & Politics. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and exploring the outdoors.
Sarah Midkiff
Assistant Public DefenderSarah Midkiff is an Assistant Public Defender. She received her Bachelor of Anthropology from James Madison University and her Juris Doctor from the Northeastern University School of Law. In her spare time she enjoys playing volleyball and spending time with her family.
Samantha Mier
Assistant Public DefenderSamantha Dardick Mier is a graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law where she received the Orell-Brown Award for Clinical Excellence in Children’s Defense. Samantha graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a B.A. in History and the University of California, Berkeley, with a Master’s in Public Policy. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys playing tennis and spending time with her family and two unruly dogs.
Zack Miller
Senior Assistant Public DefenderZack is a Senior Assistant Public Defender with the Richmond Public Defender Office. He's originally from West Virginia, but moved to Virginia to attend law school at William & Mary, and has lived in Richmond for the last six years. He has tried multiple felony and misdemeanor cases to juries, and represented hundreds of clients in the juvenile and domestic relations court, general district court, and circuit court. Outside of work, Zack enjoys spending time with his fiancée and their puppy, playing board and card games, and grilling in the backyard.
Madison Neal
Assistant Public DefenderMadison is originally from Blacksburg, VA and obtained her B.S. in Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University and her J.D. at the University of Richmond School of Law. As a law student, she had multiple internship opportunities in the Richmond Public Defenders Office and transitioned to working as an attorney for the office after graduation. She has experience representing adult and juvenile clients in a wide variety of criminal cases. Having spent nearly a decade in Richmond, she enjoys all things RVA, including spending time on the river, hiking the North Bank and Buttermilk trails, and eating at as many restaurants as Richmond has to offer.
Rebecca Pensak
Senior Trial AttorneyRebecca Pensak is a Supervising Senior Public Defender. She received her Bachelor of English Literature from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and her Juris Doctorate from the College of William & Mary Law School. She's previously served as the Mental Health Docket specialist and the Internship Coordinator for the Public Defender Office. In her spare time she enjoys exploring Richmond's amazing urban forests and public libraries.
Elena Pruett-Fiederlein
Assistant Public DefenderElena (Ellie) joined the Richmond team in 2025 from the Petersburg Public Defender's Office, where she began her legal career. Originally from Harrisonburg, VA, Elena received a J.D. from William & Mary Law School and a B.A. in International Relations from Brown University. When she is not at work, Elena can usually be found outdoors -- she enjoys rock climbing, trail running, hiking, skiing, biking, and exploring Richmond's many parks.
Julia R. Snyder
Senior Assistant Public DefenderJulia graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2011 and joined the Richmond Public Defender's Office in February of 2012. Since then, she has handled thousands of cases ranging from trespass to murder. In her role as a senior public defender, Julia also manages a courtroom and provides supervision and guidance to newer attorneys in the office. Julia's favorite part of her job is her clients, but jury trials are a close second.
Erin K. Topp
Assistant Public DefenderErin joined the office in October 2019. She earned her law degree from the University of Virginia in 2012 and spent the first three years of her legal practice in Chicago, first as Clinical Fellow at Northwestern's Center for Wrongful Convictions and then as a Litigation Associate at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. In 2016, she moved back to her home state of Virginia where she served as a law clerk for a federal district judge in Norfolk for three years. During that time, she developed a passion for criminal justice reform and decided to become a public defender. She loves helping her clients, working with her talented colleagues, and litigating constitutional violations in court. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking with her husband, Brett, and playing with her Vizsla pup named Duck.
Alanna Trivelli
Assistant Public DefenderAlanna Trivelli was born in Colorado and graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law after obtaining her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma City University. Prior to becoming an Assistant Public Defender, Alanna clerked for a Chesterfield County Circuit Court Judge. Since her time in the Richmond Public Defender's Office, Alanna has handled many case, including numerous jury trials on serious felony charges. She has litigated issues in cases ranging from driving charges to first degree murder. Alanna has tried cases in every courtroom in the City. She is certified in juvenile defense and has assisted with multiple specialty dockets, including the Juvenile Behavioral Health Docket. She prides herself on being a zealous advocate for her clients and defending the constitution on a daily basis.
Brian Warren
Assistant Public DefenderBrian Warren is an Assistant Public Defender. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and his Juris Doctorate from Washington and Lee School of Law. He previously clerked on the Virginia Court of Appeals for the Honorable Lisa M. Lorish. In his spare time, he enjoys dancing and watching horror movies.
Mitigation Specialists
Mitigation Specialists identify and address the collateral issues contributing to system interaction by connecting clients to community and social services, treatment programs, education and job training, housing and more.
They also work closely with the defense team to recommend alternatives to incarceration, develop mitigation evidence, as well as advocate for client safety and medical attention while in jail, language access, re-entry planning, and eligibility for specialty courts. They work to offer comprehensive solutions to the social, psychological and human needs of our clients to reduce recidivism and increase the health and safety of our clients and community. Client advocacy is central to all we do.
Megan Duberg
Migitation SpecialistSample DescriptionMegan DuBerg is a Mitigation Specialist in the Richmond Public Defender’s Office. She is originally from the Metro Detroit area. She received her Bachelor of Psychology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, her post-graduate Paralegal Certificate from Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Michigan and received her Master’s in Forensic and Legal Psychology from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. Megan enjoys meeting with clients to help tell their story and advocate for them as much as possible. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, reading and staying active.
Erykah Michael
Mitigation SpecialistErykah Michael is a mitigation specialist. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and her Master of Arts in Forensic and Legal Psychology from Marymount University. In her spare time she enjoys exploring local coffee shops in Richmond.
Investigators
Our highly-skilled investigators work to put together the story of each individual case in order to provide the best possible defense. Investigators search for, collect and preserve evidence, locate and interview witnesses, and work alongside the attorneys throughout the duration of the case. They are a critical part of our work.
Haley Norris
InvestigatorHaley is originally from Tennessee and has resided in the Richmond area since 2019. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and minor in psychology from Tennessee Tech University. She continued her education and completed her master’s degree in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida. Haley has worked as an investigator in indigent defense for almost 6 years and serves as supervisor to the investigative team. She has worked on numerous high profile felony cases within the city of Richmond and Chesterfield. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to different countries, attending concerts, and spending time with her loved ones.
Alannah Odom
InvestigatorI have a diverse background with degrees in Criminology/Human Services and Cyber Crime. My experience as a Victim's Advocate, Private Investigator, and Digital Forensic Junior Analyst has provided me with the skills necessary to perform objective and compassionate investigations. Outside of work, I have too many hobbies that include home projects, writing, playing music, and being outdoors with my dog!
Makinna Dykes
InvestigatorMakinna Dykes holds a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice: Forensic Investigations from Washburn University. Makinna also holds associates degrees in forensic anthropology and intelligence operations from Washburn University and Cochise College. In college Makinna was an intern with the U.S. Marshals service and took part in operations in the courtroom and on the field. In the Army, Makinna served as a strategic debriefer at ARNORTH and later became an analyst with the National Ground Intelligence Center. Makinna has a desire to learn everywhere she goes and strives for tenacity and efficiency in her investigative work.