Monday, February 26, 2018

Opening Keynote: Jennifer Webb-McRae

Jennifer Webb-McRae is a native of Vineland, New Jersey. She is a proud graduate of the Vineland Public School System, Glassboro State University and Rutgers – Camden School of Law (where she earned her law degree in 1994).

She is also a graduate of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers College in Macon, Georgia. She is admitted to the bars of the State of New Jersey, United States District Court and the State of Pennsylvania. Jennifer was an Assistant Deputy Public Defender for the State of New Jersey for six years.

Jennifer ventured into private practice between 2002 and 2009. Her practice concentrated in the areas of Criminal & Municipal Court Defense, Business & Real Estate and Wills & Estates. She also served as Child Support Attorney for the Cumberland County Welfare Board, Solicitor for the Fairfield Township Land Use Board and Public Defender for Maurice River Township.

Jennifer’s professional affiliations have included: the Superior Court of NJ -Vicinage XV Minority Concerns Advisory Committee, serving as a trustee and officer for the Cumberland County Bar Association and being a member of the County Prosecutor’s Association of New Jersey and the Cumberland County Human Relations Commission. Prior to being appointed Prosecutor, Jennifer was active in the community (as a past member of the Vineland Planning Board and Vineland Board of Education).

In January of 2010, Jennifer was nominated by Governor Jon S. Corzine to be the first African American, first female Prosecutor of Cumberland County. In her capacity as Prosecutor, Jennifer is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the county. She is responsible for overseeing the 110 person office which prosecutes indictable crimes throughout the county.

Prosecutor Webb-McRae preaches that while prosecuting crimes and keeping Cumberland County residents safe is her primary responsibility, helping people make positive choices is equally important. 
Prosecutor Webb-McRae has continued her work with the community by launching an Annual Back to School Initiative where the office attends 30+ Back to School events per year to let parents know that the office has a Speaker’s Bureau that can educate them about topics that keep kids safe (such as Anti-Bullying, Internet Safety and Gang and Drug Awareness). Additionally, she oversaw the production of videos on both Healthy Choices for Youth and Domestic Violence and the creation of an Anti-Bullying educational curriculum. Finally, she has hosted a Youth Outreach Symposium, a Prescription Drug Abuse Symposium, an Anti-Violence Summit and Substance Abuse and Gang Awareness Conferences for School Professionals.

One of Prosecutor Webb-McRae’s proudest accomplishments was steering the move of the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office to 115 Vine Street, Bridgeton, New Jersey in August of 2014. The move consolidated 100+ employees from five buildings to the renovated, historical Vine Street School and has increased productivity due to consolidation of resources.  She is also proud of facilitating the Cumberland County Law Enforcement Community Engagement Series which hosted six public sessions in 2016 covering topics such as Use of Force; Use of Force Investigations; Law Enforcement Hiring Practices; Incarceration/Re-Entry/Expungement; Police Citizen Encounters; and Internal Affairs and Critical Incidents.  The series will continue in 2017.

In November of 2016, Governor Chris Christie nominated Prosecutor Webb-McRae for a second five year term as Cumberland County Prosecutor.  In January of 2017, Prosecutor Webb-McRae was sworn in becoming the first full-time Prosecutor in Cumberland County to serve a second term.

Prosecutor Webb-McRae motto for her work is “I will go anywhere, at any time to help the citizens of Cumberland County make healthy, positive choices.”

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