“It was a childhood dream of mine to become a police officer. I went to work at the Public Defender’s Office and fell in love with the practice of law. I felt like if I wasn’t going to be wearing a uniform serving as a law enforcement officer, then the next best thing would be to be working beside them, fighting crime, doing everything that we can do to make our communities safe. One of the things that has been important to me is working collaboratively with law enforcement and our community, making sure that we’re aware of their needs and concerns. It’s been rewarding to be able to do that.” ­Ed Brodsky, State Attorney, Twelfth Judicial Circuit 

 

“I love dealing with children. It’s the worst time in their lives sometimes, but I feel like I can connect with them, help them and they can feel safe. I also like to do homicide cases where I can get justice for the family of the victims and do my best to make sure that people pay for the things that they do. It’s a really good feeling and not many people have that in their jobs. That’s the satisfaction that I get. It’s never going to bring their loved one back, but it’s something. That’s what keeps us doing the job that we’re doing.” Suzanne O’Donnell, Assistant State Attorney, Circuit Court Division Chief

 

“I love trials. Once I walk into the courtroom and my trial begins, it’s the best feeling in the world. One of my favorite parts of jury trials is actually jury selection. I really love talking to people on the jury. I have seen and heard and met a lot of wonderful people in Sarasota, people that are my jurors. They call after the trial and they talk about the facts of the case. They give up their time and energy and focus, and they uniformly agree that it was a great experience and they liked what they saw. It makes me very happy to get that feedback.” Karen Fraivillig, Assistant State Attorney, Homicide Unit

 

“Sometimes I feel like I’m constantly on the run. There really is no work-life balance. I have a 6-year-old girl, and it’s dropping her off in the morning, rushing to work, supervising 12 people who each have hefty caseloads, trying to connect with the public and explain to them what their State Attorney’s Office does for them, and then getting home at the end of the day and it’s time to make dinner. You have to love it, because if you don’t love it, it’s not going to work. At the end of the day what really brings you happiness is feeling like you’re making a difference in your world and in your community.” Heather Doyle, Assistant State Attorney, County Court and Juvenile Court Division Chief

 

“The best part of my job in the animal and the elderly fraud division is that it allows me to get outside of the office to raise awareness and make sure that we have a good handle on what we should be focusing on. Cases that maybe were not as aggressively prosecuted or pursued in the past are being investigated much more thoroughly and are being prosecuted much more aggressively. The elderly and the animals are vulnerable members of our society, so by creating this division I think we filled the gap. That coincides exactly with my personal feelings, which is that those are the members of the society that need the protection the most.” Lisa Chittaro, Assistant State Attorney, Animal Abuse / White Collar / Elderly Exploitation Unit

 

“You have to have empathy because everyone who has been involved with the system is getting involved at a time when things are not going well in their life. It would be nice if I could walk into the lobby of my office and encounter a bunch of happy people, but usually if you’re at my office it’s because something tragic or unfortunate has happened to you. You try to remember that people you’re dealing with are coming to you for help. You try to give them the help that’s available. When you are able to get justice through a conviction and an appropriate sentence, that’s by far the most gratifying. I feel like I have found my calling.” Brian Iten, Assistant State Attorney, Circuit Court Division Chief