Administration

  • Gerina D. Whethers – Commonwealth’s Attorney
  • Alex Dathorne – First Assistant
  • Karen Young – Director of Human Resources / Chief Financial Officer
  • Melissa DeLuca – Human Resources Assistant

Gerina D. Whethers Commonwealth’s Attorney

Gerina D. WhethersGerina D. Whethers has provided over 20 years of public service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky bringing experience in prosecuting cases, creating new program initiatives, trainings, and fostering lasting federal, state, and community partnerships. Prior to her appointment as Commonwealth Attorney, as Cabinet Secretary, she lead the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet in the development of innovative policies and procedures protecting the health and well-being of over 24,000 state employees. As Cabinet Secretary, Gerina lead the Kentucky Employees’ Health Plan (representing 7% of the state population), KY Work Compensation Plan, KY Employee Assistance Program, KY Deferred Compensation Plan, the Department of Human Resource Administration, and the Office of Diversity, Equality, and Training.

Whethers served as Executive Director of the inaugural Office of Senior Protection and Mediation for the Office of the Attorney General, created by then Attorney General Andy Beshear. There she cultivated and developed partnerships and key relationships with other state and federal agencies. Under her leadership, the state recovered millions of dollars in goods and services for Kentucky seniors. As guest speaker for the National Association of Attorneys General, she trained thousands of individuals on key issues affecting senior scams both locally and nationally.

Before leading Senior Protection and Mediation, she served four years as Executive Director of Victim Advocacy in the Attorney General’s Office where she assisted in creating the Commonwealth’s first Comprehensive Domestic Violence Fatality Data Report. Whethers also served as Assistant County Attorney for the trial division and later the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit in Jefferson County. She was one of the Commonwealth’s first Assistant County Attorney’s to work in the Veterans Treatment Court Program.

Prior to legal training, prosecuting, and joining the Commonwealth, Whethers worked in consumer and bank management and as Assistant Dean of Admission at Bellarmine University.

Whethers earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Louisville, with a Minor in the Inaugural Pan-African Studies, and her Juris Doctorate from the Brandeis School of Law.

Among her vast community involvement, Whethers currently serves on the board of Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana. She is an active member of the Louisville Chapter of the NAACP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Susan G. Komen. Whethers is also a member of St. Stephen Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School for over 18 years.

Alex Dathorne First Assistant

After over 30 years of legal experience, Mr. Dathorne has rejoined the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office as the First Assistant. Mr. Dathorne is a former prosecutor and defense attorney practicing both in state and federal court. He has tried and litigated all criminal subject matters ranging from death penalty cases to white collar crime to organized crime to general crime cases. Mr. Dathorne is a former law professor teaching Criminal Procedure to second-year and third-year law students. He also taught Trial Advocacy I, II, and III at the National Advocacy Center for several years. He is the former president of the Louisville Bar Foundation and also admitted to the Western District of Kentucky, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the Souther District of Indiana, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.