Women's History Month is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and the vital role women have played and continue to play in American history. It's also a time to celebrate women who make a difference today!

Dawn Valentine, a Public Records Legal Support Assistant with the Civil Services Division, does precisely that! Dawn was looking to join a small team and work for a government agency when she found this position with the County Attorney's Office. "Criminal justice interested me, and I wanted to do something positive."

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office handles thousands of pieces of information daily, including case files related to felony and misdemeanor criminal matters, police reports, and much more. Under Arizona law, anyone can request and be furnished copies of these records. The County Attorney's Office is committed to being transparent and offering excellent customer service.

That's where Dawn's role comes in. On a day-to-day basis, Dawn handles multiple public records requests, including downloading body-worn camera footage, organizing criminal files, and contacting requesters to keep them up to date on their requests. She shares that the work is never the same as the office gets all kinds of requests, including from people in the community who want to know how the office works and how taxpayer money is spent. For Dawn, this keeps her work interesting, and she hopes that by fulfilling their request, she can "give all of them a glimpse into the office and what happens here."

Being part of a small team, Dawn appreciates her position's flexibility and independence. "I can decide every day what I want to work on and have the decision-making ability to juggle many deadlines and request expectations." In addition to providing the public excellent customer service, Dawn is described as a reliable co-worker who greets you with a smile and always has a positive attitude despite the hard work.

Dawn has also continued her career development and learned more about the law and processes related to public records. "I have opportunities to enhance my skills regularly, and that has helped me become more confident in my job."

Dawn encourages any woman interested in a career in criminal justice and public service to pursue it! "Public service is rewarding! All of us have a small piece in this bigger puzzle, but you can see where your part fits into the bigger picture."

In addition to being a public records extraordinaire, something many may not know about Dawn is that she is also a fan of heavy metal music such as Korn and Alice in Chains and recently attended her first rock concert.

Thank you, Dawn, for all you do to make this such a great place to work!