Attorney General Holder Appoints Six New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory Committee

Press Release

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of six new U.S. Attorneys to serve two-year terms on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Barlow, District of Utah; Richard S. Hartunian, Northern District of New York; Barbara L. McQuade, Eastern District of Michigan; Wendy J. Olson, District of Idaho; Ronald W. Sharpe, District of the Virgin Islands; and Anne Tompkins, Western District of North Carolina.

"It's a pleasure to welcome the newest members of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee, a group of U.S. Attorneys with whom I regularly consult on some of the most critical law enforcement and public safety issues facing our country," said Attorney General Holder. "I'm grateful for their service and leadership on the AGAC. I applaud the excellent work that each of them is leading in their home districts. And I look forward to working closely with them as we work together to confront the present challenges and seize new opportunities to protect and ensure justice for the American people."

The Attorney General also thanked the U.S. Attorneys who have completed their two-year terms and are rotating off the committee: Paul J. Fishman, District of New Jersey; Benjamin B. Wagner, District of Eastern California; Steven M. Dettelbach, Northern District of Ohio; John F. Walsh, District of Colorado; and Stephanie A. Finley, Western District of Louisiana.

The AGAC, chaired by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch, was created in 1973. The committee, which reports to the Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General, represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys.

A brief bio on each appointee is below:
David Barlow was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah on Oct. 15, 2011. He previously served as the General Counsel and Chief Counsel for Judiciary for Senator Michael S. Lee in 2011. From 2000 to 2010, Mr. Barlow worked at Sidley Austin LLP; first as an associate from 2000 to 2006, and then as a Partner from 2006 to 2010. Prior to this, Mr. Barlow was an Associate at Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP from 1998 to 2000. Barlow serves as chair of the AGAC's Local Government Coordination Working Group, and as a member of the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee, Native American Issues Subcommittee and White Collar/Fraud Subcommittee.
Richard Hartunian was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York on Feb. 19, 2010. Prior to his appointment, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York (1997-2010). From 1990 to 1997, Hartunian worked both as an Assistant District Attorney for the Office of the District Attorney in Albany County, New York, and as a partner at Hartunian and Clark. Prior to that, he was an associate attorney at Devine, Piedmont and Rutnik. Hartunian serves as vice chair of the AGAC's the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee, and as a member of the Native American Issues Subcommittee, Environmental Issues Working Group and Health Care Fraud Working Group.

Barbara McQuade was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan on Jan. 4, 2010. She previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1998 to 2010, becoming Deputy Chief of the National Security Unit in 2005. Previously McQuade was an associate attorney at Butzel Long P.C., from 1993 to 1998. She began her legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Bernard A. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1991 to 1993. McQuade serves as Vice Chair of the AGAC's Terrorism/National Security Subcommittee, and as a member of the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee, Civil Rights Subcommittee, Local Government Coordination Working Group, and Medical Marijuana Working Group.

Wendy Olson was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho on June 25, 2010. Prior to her appointment she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho from 1997-2010, including as Senior Litigation Counsel (2006-2010). Olson worked for the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, where she was a trial attorney from 1992 until 1996, and Deputy Director of Operations and Assistant to the Director on the National Church Arson Task Force from 1996 until 1997. Olson was also an Adjunct Professor of Legal Writing at the George Washington University School of Law from 1994 until 1997. Olson serves as a member of the AGAC's Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee, Civil Rights Subcommittee, Native American Issues Subcommittee, and Local Government Coordination Working Group.

Ronald Sharpe was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands on July 7, 2011. He was the court appointed U.S. Attorney from July 2011. From 2008 to 2009, he served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia from 1995 to 2008. Prior to this, Sharpe was an associate at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, from 1991 to 1995. Sharpe serves as a member of the AGAC's Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee, LECC/Victim/Community Issues Subcommittee and Environmental Issues Working Group.

Anne Tompkins was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina on Apr. 26, 2010. Prior to her appointment Tompkins was a partner at Alston & Bird, LLP, from 2005 to 2010. From 2000 to 2005, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, serving as deputy criminal chief from 2002 to 2004 and on detail in the Regime Crimes Liason Office in Baghdad, Iraq, from 2004 to 2005. Tompkins serves as Vice Chair of the AGAC's Civil Rights Subcommittee, and as a member of the Native American Issues Subcommittee, Office Management and Budget Subcommittee, White Collar/Fraud Subcommittee and Health Care Fraud Working Group.

The full AGAC membership is listed below:

Loretta E. Lynch, U.S Attorney, Eastern District of New York, Chair
Sally Quillian Yates, U.S Attorney, Northern District of Georgia, Vice Chair
David Barlow, U.S. Attorney, District of Utah
Laura E. Duffy, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of California
Richard S. Hartunian, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of New York
Timothy J. Heaphy, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Virginia
Brendan V. Johnson, U.S. Attorney, District of South Dakota
Pamela Cothran Marsh, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Florida
Barbara L. McQuade, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Michigan
Wendy J. Olson, U.S. Attorney, District of Idaho
Carmen Milagros Ortiz, U.S. Attorney, District of Massachusetts
Robert L. Pitman, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Texas
James L. Santelle, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Ronald W. Sharpe, U.S. Attorney, District of the Virgin Islands
Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Ohio
Anne Tompkins, U.S. Attorney, Western District of North Carolina
Ronald C. Machen, U.S. Attorney, District of Columbia, ex officio
Daniel Bella, Criminal Chief, Northern District of Indiana, ex officio
Suzanne Bauknight, Civil Chief, Eastern District of Tennessee, ex officio
Robert Zauzmer, Appellate Chief, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, ex officio

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