The APA team brings together a highly-experienced group of professionals with deep knowledge of prosecution, policy, operations, communications, and training. From executive leadership to legal experts, project directors, and fellows, each staff member contributes unique skills and perspectives to support prosecutors and justice partners across the country.
Our staff includes former district attorneys, city attorneys, policy advisors, and nonprofit leaders—many of whom have served in roles ranging from courtroom litigation to national advocacy. Together, they manage APA’s programs, grants, and partnerships, ensuring that our work remains responsive, innovative, and grounded in real-world prosecutorial practice.
Interns and fellows also play a vital role in APA’s day-to-day operations, contributing to research, outreach, and program development while gaining hands-on experience in the field.
We invite you to explore the bios below to learn more about the individuals who make APA’s work possible.
D. Nichole Parisi
CEO
Nichole Parisi is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for APA. Nichole returned to the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys in March 2015 as the General Counsel after formerly serving as a law clerk for APA following law school.
Steven Naugle
Treasurer/CFO
Mr. Steven Naugle is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA). He is responsible for maintaining and handling all accounting for APA’s expenses and grant management activities.
Marlene Biener
COO
Marlene Biener is Chief Operating Officer at APA, where she previously served as General Counsel. She leads operations and programs to support prosecutors nationwide.
David LaBahn
President
Mr. David LaBahn is President of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA), a national association representing elected and deputy or assistant prosecutors, and city attorneys.
Sasha D. Beatty
General Counsel
Sasha Beatty joined the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys in July 2019 after previously working for the Nashville District Attorney’s Office for two years as an Assistant District Attorney General.
Aviva Kurash
Senior Program Manager
Aviva Kurash joined the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys in September of 2022 after previously working at The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) for twenty-one years.
Robert Hood
Project Director
Robert W. Hood joined APA in 2010 as a contract Senior Attorney and played a key role in the development and execution of the 6th National Community Prosecution Conference held in Washington, DC.
Beth Merachnik
Project Director
Beth Merachnik serves as Project Director of the Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s (APA) Addressing Disparities to Reproductive Health Project.
April Doherty
Program Coordinator
April spent 20 years as a Paralegal at the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore County, working in both the Felony Review and Victim Witness Units.
Gretchen Halpern
Training Coordinator
Gretchen Halpern serves as the training coordinator for the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA). A graduate of Louisiana State University, Gretchen brings with her over 10 years of experience in her field.
Gabriel Ibarra
Accounting Business Associate
Gabriel joins the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys as a Business Accounting Associate. He graduated with a Degree in Accounting at CETYS University in Baja California.
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Sasha D. Beatty
General Counsel/IT Lead
Annmarie Taggart
Senior APA Fellow
Annmarie Taggart is a Retired Assistant Attorney General with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice. During her tenure at the Division of Criminal Justice, she was appointed Acting Prosecutor for both Somerset and Sussex Counties in New Jersey.
Mike Feuer
Senior APA Fellow
Mike Feuer has served as Los Angeles City Attorney; the Majority Policy Leader and Judiciary Committee Chair of the California State Assembly; a member of the Los Angeles City Council, where he was Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee; and as Executive Director of Bet Tzedek Legal Services, the House of Justice.
Jean Peters Baker
Senior APA Fellow
Jean Peters Baker has spent over twenty-five years in the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office in Kansas City, Missouri, serving in nearly every unit of the office. Baker tried 75 felony cases during her tenure and specialized in sexual violence, child abuse and street violence. She was appointed to lead the office in May 2011, only the second woman to lead the office; the first, former-U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, hired Jean as a young assistant prosecutor.
Niki Blumberg
APA Fellow
Niki has been a prosecutor at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for over 20 years. She has investigated and tried a wide variety of homicides, police shootings, rapes, robberies, burglaries, and other crimes of violence.
Mark Dumaine
APA Fellow
Mark Dumaine is the Retired Chief of Administration for the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office (Louisiana). He was responsible for the operations of a 160+ person prosecutor’s office.
Joy Repella
APA Fellow
Joy Repella was an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County for over 28 years and prosecuted felonies from Robbery to Murder. She also handled Involuntary Mental Health Treatment and Commitment as well as Expungement and Sealing.
Andrew Fogle
Andrew Fogle presents Continuing Legal Education (CLE) expungement seminars and assists local and State agencies in the development of expungement forms and training for pro-se petitioners and pro-bono attorneys.
Don Cocek
APA Fellow
Don Cocek’s legal career at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office spanned 32 years. He was the Supervising City Attorney in charge of both the Animal Protection Unit and the Code Enforcement Unit. Don prosecuted hundreds of cases from the spcaLA, LA Animal Services, CA & US Fish & Wildlife, and other agencies.
Kevin Rardin
APA Fellow
Kevin Rardin been a career prosecutor for well over thirty years. From 1984 to 2016, he was an assistant district attorney with the District Attorney’s Office in Memphis, Tennessee. During this period, he represented the state in many jury trials against defendants charged with murder, armed robbery, carjacking, and sexual offenses.
Maureen Renno
APA Fellow
Maureen Renno retired after a 28-year career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County serving the public and pursuing justice. She prosecuted many felony jury trials including murders, kidnapping, robbery, and weapon cases. She prosecuted cases on the south side of the city working with the community to prevent crime through problem solving issues impacting the area.
Merrill Mezzacappa
APA Fellow
Merrill Mezzacappa is a former Chief Assistant Prosecutor with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey. Throughout her 25 year career, Merrill successfully tried complex cases including vehicular homicide, homicide, sexual assault and strict liability for drug induced death, while mentoring assistant prosecutors.
Annia Hungerford
Summer Intern
Dea Hepburn
Summer Intern
Jackie Henley
Summer Legal Intern
Katie Crabtree
Summer Intern
Pranavi Gundu
Summer Intern
Rahul Kothari
Summer Legal Intern