From Local to Global: Justice Reform & Community Engagement in the United States and Ukraine

Around the world and here at home in Washington, justice systems continue to reform and evolve to be more just, fair, and equitable for all. Please join representatives from Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor-General and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to learn about efforts in Washington and Ukraine to implement community prosecution initiatives aimed at building trust and increasing participation in the prosecutorial process. Ukraine’s prosecutors, in the context of persisting conflict, continue to take bold steps to strengthen their justice system. This event will demonstrate the impact of sharing practices across borders and its vital role in promoting the rule of law in the United States, Ukraine, and beyond.

Please come early for the wine reception at 5:30-6 PM before the program begins and connect with fellow Council enthusiasts!

Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice will make introductory remarks preceding the panel discussion.

About Our Speakers

Rachel Rossi was appointed to serve as Director of the Office for Access to Justice in May 2022.

Prior to her appointment, Director Rossi served as Deputy Associate Attorney General in the Office of the Associate Attorney General, Vanita Gupta. In that role, she also served as the inaugural Anti-Hate Coordinator for the Justice Department.

Director Rossi began her career as a public defender in Los Angeles, where she served for almost a decade. She practiced in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender’s Office, and the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California, where she vigorously defended thousands of low-income clients in state and federal courts.

Director Rossi then served as Counsel to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Richard J. Durbin, where she was the lead staffer on the First Step Act, a major U.S. federal criminal justice reform bill signed into law in 2018 that created comprehensive sentencing and prison reforms. She then transitioned to the role of Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, working for then Crime Subcommittee Chair Karen Bass.

In 2020, Director Rossi was the first former public defender to run for the nonpartisan seat of District Attorney of Los Angeles County, where she was only five points shy of qualifying for the runoff election, receiving almost half a million votes. She then served as the Legal Director for the REFORM Alliance, where she launched the development of a litigation program for direct representation in matters surrounding issues of probation, parole, supervised release, and community supervision.

Director Rossi received her law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law, and attended Azusa Pacific University, Vanguard University and Bethany University, where she received her bachelor’s degree. She grew up in Los Angeles, California, and is the daughter of immigrant parents born in the Dominican Republic and Greece.

Panelists

Ben Santos is a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the King County Prosecutor's Office. Currently, Ben is the Chair of the District Court Unit. From 2011 to 2016, he was Vice Chair of the Domestic Violence unit. Since joining the office in 2004, the majority of Ben's trial work has been in the prosecution of domestic violence and sex crimes. Ben earned his J.D. from American University as a Thurgood Marshall CLEO fellow and has a B.A. in Communications from Washington State University. Prior experience includes a clerkship for the Honorable Mary I. Yu, consulting for the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development in Washington, D.C., and non-profit advocacy in Seattle's Chinatown/International District.

Roman Shpyrka is an advisor to the Prosecutor General in Ukraine. His work includes engaging in strategic planning, negotiations with international partners and representatives of embassies and governments, the implementation of the pilot project "Community Prosecutor," and addressing war crimes against cultural heritage. He is currently working on launching the first Crime Survey in Ukraine according to international standards.

Prior to his current role, Roman was a practicing attorney from 2012, and in 2017, he became a co-founder and managing partner at Solid Partners Attorneys at Law. His work portfolio consisted of managing company processes, representing clients in court, and supporting the economic activities of foreign businesses in Ukraine.  In 2019-2020 he became the Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Bar Association Council in the Lviv region. He was also recognized as "Lawyer of the Year 2019" in the field of administrative law and procedure by the Ukrainian Attorneys Association.

Zoriana Nykerui is the current deputy head of prosecution for the Galytska district prosecutor's office in Lviv. Her background in the prosecutor's office spans 12 years where she worked in court administration and, more recently, public prosecution. Personally invested in effective case administration, Zoriana believes in the proper functioning of the fundamentals of the court system, strong prosecution, and realizing legal, fair sentences.

About Our Moderator

Dan Satterberg served as the former prosecuting attorney for King County. Dan joined the office in 1985 in the Criminal Division and then became Norm Maleng's chief of staff for 17 years. Following the sudden passing of Maleng in 2007, Dan succeeded him as the top prosecutor for King County and held the position until 2023, when he retired. As the King County prosecuting attorney he led an office of 230 attorneys and 250 staff handling 25,000 criminal cases a year and providing legal counsel to all parts of the King County government.

Dan was born and raised in the Seattle area, a graduate of Highline High School. He received his undergraduate and law degree from the University of Washington. 

Amazon is an underwriting sponsor of all World Affairs Council Community Programs.