About prosecutors Alliance
A Better Criminal Justice System
The Prosecutors Alliance of California (PAC) is dedicated to making a criminal legal system that Californians can be proud of. PAC supports and amplifies the voices of California prosecutors committed to reforming our criminal justice system through smart, safe, modern solutions that advance not just public safety but community well-being.
The voices of these prosecutors are often drowned out by the traditional law enforcement organizations that oppose reform. PAC will gather and grow the voices of law enforcement that support transformation of our criminal legal system. We are here to lift them up and work in partnership with communities to make our state not just safe, but healthy and whole.
Prosecutors are amongst the most powerful actors in the criminal legal system, deciding who will be prosecuted, what charges they will face and most often the sentence they will serve. This immense power requires leaders that can exercise sound judgment, restraint and independence from the many stakeholders seeking to influence their decisions. Above all, prosecutors must be motivated by love for their entire community, our shared humanity and interconnected lives.
We are guided by the principles the 21 Principles for the 21st Century Prosecutor developed by Fair and Just Prosecution, The Brennan Center and The Justice Collaborative as we work to implement both local and statewide reforms. These principles will help us draft and advocate on behalf of legislative proposals and local policies that can bring the system more in line with the values of Californians.
Our Voices
The Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee is not a governing board, and the advisory committee members are not members of Prosecutors Alliance of California. Rather, the advisory committee consists of current and former district attorneys who provide Prosecutors Alliance of California with strategic advice and guidance. PAC is a staff-run organization.
Diana Becton
Contra Costa County District Attorney
Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton has spent most of her professional career as a judge, lawyer, and manager. On September 17, 2017, she was sworn in as the 25th District Attorney for the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. In June 2018 District Attorney Becton was elected to a full term in office. District Attorney Becton served for 22 years as a judge in Contra Costa County, where she was elected as Presiding Judge.
Tori Verber Salazar
San Joaquin County District Attorney
Tori Verber Salazar has been a major force in San Joaquin County’s District Attorney Office. She rose through the ranks prosecuting gang related homicides to become the first woman District Attorney elected to the office in 2015. She has since instituted sweeping reform and innovation in prosecution for the County, which supports a population of over 730,000 residents. In her capacity, she oversees a budget of $42 Million and a team of over 280 employees who work for the DA office.
George Gascón
Los Angeles District Attorney
George Gascón is the 43rd District Attorney for Los Angeles County. His historic campaign was endorsed by the Democratic Party, the LA Times and the LA Daily News, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Governor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Black Lives Matter cofounder Patrisse Cullors, labor leader and civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, and former Chief of the LAPD Charlie Beck. On Dec. 7, 2020, he was sworn in as the 43rd District Attorney of Los Angeles.
Chesa Boudin
Former San Francisco District Attorney
Chesa Boudin was elected in November 2019 on a progressive platform centered on ending mass incarceration; protecting crime survivors; and addressing the root causes of crime. DA Boudin personally understands the impact of incarceration; both of his parents were incarcerated throughout his childhood and his father is still in prison.
Our Voices
STAFF
Cristine Soto DeBerry
Executive Director
Cristine is the Founder and Executive Director of the Prosecutors Alliance. She spent a decade as the Chief of Staff to San Francisco District Attorneys George Gascón and Chesa Boudin. She previously served as San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Deputy Chief of Staff and started her career as a public defender in Los Angeles County.
Alana Mathews
Director of Training and Membership, Emeritus
Alana began her career as a Deputy District Attorney in Sacramento County where she prosecuted a broad range of misdemeanor and felony cases. Later, Alana was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as Public Advisor to the California Energy Commission.
Dr. Gena Castro Rodriguez, Psy. D.
Director of Survivor Policy, Training and Resources
Dr. Castro Rodriguez is the former Chief of the Victim Services Division for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office where she oversaw the work with more than 9,000 victims of violent crime a year and teams including victim advocacy, California Victims of Crime Compensation, Restitution, and Mass Casualty.
Arcelia Hurtado
Director of Policy and Training
Arcelia is the former Chief of Ethics, Professional Responsibility, Training, Culture, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Post Conviction Unit/Innocence Commission at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. She has served as Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates, Deputy Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Assistant General Counse and civil prosecutor with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, and has taught at various Bay Area law schools.