The Domestic Violence Unit specializes in prosecution of crimes involving relationship violence, and child (physical and sexual) abuse. This unit, through focused prosecution, espouses both the sensitive support of victims and education to break the "cycle of violence" which perpetuates in such situations.
Carol Cobb - Division Chief, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. Cobb came to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in November 1987 after having been admitted to the Kentucky Bar in 1987. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Gilbertville State University in Piano studies and Spanish. She went on to receive her Masters Degree in Elementary Education from the University Alabama at Birmingham in 1979. Ms. Cobb received her Juris Doctor for the University of Kentucky School of Law in 1987. Ms. Cobb was in private practice prior to her hiring at the Commonwealth from 1988 to 1999. Ms. Cobb currently serves as the Division Chief of the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Ms. Cobb has been instrumental in many aspects of domestic violence legislation. Ms. Cobb served as a volunteer and Board Member for the Exploited Children Help Organization (E.C.H.O). She worked on the statewide steering committee for the Sexual Assault Response Team and as Chairman of the Jefferson County Adult Sexual Assault Council. Ms. Cobb served on the Governor's Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, the Attorney General's Committee on Interviewing Children, the Jefferson County Domestic Violence Prevention Coordinating Council. Ms. Cobb serves as a presenter at numerous training programs for police, attorneys, health care professions, and rape relief volunteers. She also trains in the areas of domestic violence, child sexual abuse and has conducted training on an international level in Constanta, Romania. Ms. Cobb was awarded the Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office Prosecutor of the year for 1990-1991 and was the recipient of the Prosecutor of the Year Award from the Kentucky Voice of Crime Victims in 1999. She is a Professional Member of the Kentucky Bar Association, the Louisville Bar Association and the Jefferson County Women Lawyer's Association.
Dorislee Gilbert - Deputy Chief, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. Gilbert received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2002, and joined the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney in June of 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies from Kentucky State University in 1999, and her Juris Doctor in 2002, from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.Ms. Gilbert's prior legal experience includes a judicial clerkship for Kentucky Supreme Court Justice James Keller, a position as a Bankruptcy and Litigation Associate with a private law firm in Chicago, and a judicial clerkship for Honorable Justice Margaret S. McBride of the Illinois Appellate Court.
Ms. Gilbert is the director of the Kidstuf drama at Ninth and O Baptist Church and has participated in the Awana ministry and the Upwards Soccer program there. She is a member of the Exploited Children’s Help Organization’s (ECHO) newsletter committee and writes regularly for them. She is secretary of her homeowners association. She is involved with Family & Children’s First, both as a committee member and a speaker. She was actively involved in 4-H clubs for most of her youth and has continued to speak at events and serve as a judge for talk meets. Formerly, Ms. Gilbert was a member of the New Millennium Theatre Company, a coach and member of the Chicago-Kent National Trial Advocacy Team, a co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section Committee for Creative Arts, a member of the Editorial Board of the Illinois State Bar Journal, and a volunteer and former Board member of the Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts. The many awards that she has received include the Warren Wolfson Trial Advocacy Award from Chicago-Kent and the KSU Outstanding Senior Award. Ms. Gilbert is a professional member of the Kentucky Bar Association and the Louisville Bar Association. She also previously served on the Louisville Legal Aid Society Board. She is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Ms. Foster received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1997 and became an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in July of 2001. Ms. Foster received her Bachelor of Arts in History/Government in 1994 from Western Kentucky University and her Juris Doctor in 1997 from Tulane University. Before becoming an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Ms. Foster worked as an Associate for Sewell & Associates from 1998 to June of 2001. Ms. Foster also worked as a Student Attorney for the Tulane University Criminal Law Clinic from 1996 to 1997, as a Clerk for Seiller & Handmaker during the summer of 1996 and as a Clerk for Georgia Legal Services during the summer of 1995.
In addition, Ms. Foster is a volunteer with Gilda’s Club Louisville and a member of Business and Professional Women/River City Ms. Foster is a professional member of the Indiana Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association and the Louisville Bar Association. Ms. Foster is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Jonathan Heck - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Mr. Heck received his license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2002, and became an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in January 2004. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and History from Bellarmine University in 1997, and his law degree from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 2001.
Mr. Heck has served as a Jefferson Circuit Court Judicial Clerk and as a Staff Attorney in Jefferson Circuit Court, Division Six. He previously worked as a defense attorney in the law office of David Lambertus. Mr. Heck has developed an expertise in the area of cybercrimes against children, and is recognized as one of Kentucky’s experts in that regard. In 2006, he was named as one of “the best lawyers under age 40” by Louisville Magazine in that publication’s Best Lawyers edition. He serves as a member of the St. Joseph's Children's Home Picnic Planning Committee. Mr. Heck is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association and Kentucky Bar Association. He is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Katherine Kingren - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. Kingren received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1994, and joined the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in September 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Philosophy from the University of Louisville in 1990, a Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Duke University in 1993, and her Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law in 1993. After her graduation from law school, Ms. Kingren served as an Assistant District Defender in the Jefferson District Public Defender's Office for five years. After engaging in the private practice of law as a sole practitioner for three years, she joined the Cabinet for Families and Children as Assistant General Counsel and served in that capacity in Frankfort until her appointment as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney.
Ms. Kingren is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association and Kentucky Bar Association, and she is licensed to practice in Federal Courts in the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky and also in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Ms. Poindexter received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2001 and came to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney in October of 2001. Ms. Poindexter received her Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science in 1991 from Indiana University and her Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Louisville. Before coming to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, Ms. Poindexter worked as a Law Clerk for the Jefferson County Attorney's Office from 1999 to 2001 and as a Law Clerk for GE during the summer of 1999. Ms. Poindexter has also worked as a Hazardous and Special Waste Consultant from Waste Management from 1997 to 1998, as an Environmental Consultant for Ensa Environmental from 1995 to 1997 and as an Environmental Consultant with TEC from 1992 to 1995. Ms. Poindexter is a professional member of the Kentucky Bar Association and the Louisville Bar Association. Ms. Poindexter is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Erin White - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. White received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2005, and became an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in October 2005. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree Summa Cum Laude with Honors in Psychology from St. Louis University in 1997, and her law degree from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 2005. While in law school, she was the recipient of the Josephine Fischer Scholarship for three years, was the recipient Robert W. Zollinger Memorial Award in 2005, and also received the Clark, Boardman, and Callahan Best Brief Award.
In her past positions, Ms. White was a Crisis Counselor for Seven Counties Services for two years, and she attained the rank of Senior Social Worker for Louisville Metro Human Services where she was employed for almost three years. Prior to becoming an ACA, she served the Commonwealth's Attorney as a Law Clerk and Senior Law Clerk for two years. Ms. White is currently serving on the Emerging Leaders Board of the League of Women Voters, and she has served as a member of the LBA-Legal Aid Pro Bono Consortium. She is also a Pupil member of the Inns of Court, 2004-2005. Ms. White is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association, Kentucky Bar Association, and American Bar Association, in addition to the Women Lawyers' Association of Jefferson County. She is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Melissa Reynolds - Paralegal
Jenny Lynn - Paralegal
Sarah House - Paralegal
Jean Keidel- Secretary
Terri Shultz- Secretary
