Attorneys
Joseph P. Rapisarda, Jr., County Attorney
Board of Supervisors; County Manager’s Office; Department Heads
J. T. (Tom) Tokarz, Deputy County Attorney
Planning/Community Development; Information Technology
Lee Ann Anderson, Senior Assistant County Attorney
Police; Human Resources
Marissa D. Mitchell, Senior Assistant County Attorney
Social Services; Libraries; Fire; Mental Health
Karen Dottore, Assistant County Attorney
Social Services; Court Services; Community Corrections
John D. Gilbody, Assistant County Attorney
Recreation and Parks; Community Revitalization; Risk Management
Michael F. Kaestner, Assistant County Attorney
General Services; Purchasing; Economic Development Authority
Denise M. Letendre, Assistant County Attorney
Public Utilities, Public Works, Building Inspections, DSS; Human Resources
John D. McChesney, Assistant County Attorney
Sheriff
Andrew R. Newby, Assistant County Attorney
Registrar; Finance; Police
Ryan P. Murphy, Assistant County Attorney
Real Property; Purchasing
Mary Kathryn Hart, Assistant County Attorney
Henrico County Public Schools
Megan Lisa Watkins, Assistant County Attorney
Henrico County Public Schools
Support Staff
Leonora A. Gray, Administrative Assistant
Donna L. Moyer, Administrative Assistant
Karen W. Grizzard, Business Supervisor
Jacqueline M. Bowen, Paralegal
Edward G. (Garry) Soles, Paralegal
Shawnique Wilkerson-Smith, Paralegal
Joseph P. Rapisarda, Jr.
County Attorney
Date Joined County: March, 1977; County Attorney since 1982
Education: B. A. with high distinction, University of Virginia (1972); J.D., University of Virginia (1975)
Previous Experience: Associate, May, Miller & Parsons (1975 – 1977)
Positions Held: Professional Associations and Positions Held: Virginia Law Foundation Fellow; Chair, Virginia State Bar Third District Committee, Section I (2007-11); Supreme Court of Virginia Professionalism Course Faculty (2001-04); Chair, Standing Committee on Legal Ethics, Virginia State Bar (1999-2000); Board of Directors, Richmond Bar Association (1998-2002); Chair, Local Government Law Section, Virginia State Bar (1996-97); Recipient, Edward J. Finnegan Award for Distinguished Service, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. (1996); President, Henrico Bar Association (1992-93); President, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. (1990-91). Member, Virginia Code Title 15.1 Recodification Task Force, Virginia Attorney General’s Task Forces on Legal Standing and Antitrust Liability for Local Governments, Professional Advisory Committee on Legal Studies, South University.
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of the United States; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; Supreme Court of Virginia.
Member, Boyd-Graves Conference (2016-)
J. T. (Tom) Tokarz
Deputy County Attorney
Date Joined County: July, 1980
Education: B. B. A., College of William and Mary (1973); J.D., University of Virginia (1976)
Previous Experience: Staff Accountant, Price Waterhouse & Co. (1978-80); Executive Director, Legal Services Corporation of Virginia (1976-78); President, Managing Board, Virginia Legal Research Group (1975-76)
Outside activities and positions: Board of Governors, Virginia State Bar Senior Lawyers Conference (2017- ); Cherin Award – Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. (2014); Vice President (2014-2015),Treasurer (2012-2014), Henrico County Bar Association; Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Law and Technology (2003-06); President, Virginia School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys (1991); Lecturer, U. S. Department of Justice Division of Continuing Education, Washington D.C. (1984-90); Technology Columnist, Virginia Bar News (1982-86).
National and state presentations: Presenter, National School Boards Association School Law Conferences (Miami 2015, Seattle 2009, Austin 2007, Chicago 2006); Presenter, National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys national webinar (2015); Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. (Virginia Beach 2016); Virginia State Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee (Williamsburg 2008)
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of the United States; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U. S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Supreme Court of Virginia.
Lee Ann Anderson
Senior Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: June, 2009
Education: B. A., College of William & Mary (1991); M.I.A., Columbia University (1993); J.D., New York University School of Law (1999)
Previous Experience: Associate General Counsel, Circuit City Stores, Inc. (2007-09); Senior Associate, ReedSmith LLP (2006-07); Associate, Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler, LLP (1999-2006).
Licensed to practice in: Virginia and New York; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.
Marissa D. Mitchell
Senior Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: August, 2003
Education: B. S. W. (cum laude), University of Mississippi (1996); J.D., University of Mississippi (1999)
Previous Experience: Associate, Wright, Robinson, Osthimer & Tatum (2001-03); Administrative Law Judge for the Mississippi Department of Human Services (1999-2000)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Supreme Court of Virginia Professionalism Course Faculty (2018-21); Virginia Law Foundation Fellow Class of 2019; Member, Virginia State Bar Council (2017- ); Local Government Attorneys of Virginia: Vice Chair, Pro Bono Committee (2007-08); Member, Pro Bono Committee (2006-07); Chair, Publications Committee (2015); Member, Publications Committee (2012-2014); Henrico Bar Association: President (2012-2013); Vice President (2011-2012); Secretary (2010-11); Treasurer (2009-10); Board Member (2008-09)
Licensed to practice in: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; Supreme Court of Mississippi
Karen Dottore
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: February, 2015
Education: B.A. The Catholic University of America (2009) (Phi Beta Kappa); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2012)
Previous Experience: Assistant County Attorney, Prince William County Attorney’s Office (2013-2015); Law Clerk, Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court (2012-2013).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Henrico Bar Association
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia
John D. Gilbody
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: October, 2015
Education: B.A., Pennsylvania State University (1990); J.D., George Mason University School of Law (1998)
Previous Experience: Assistant Attorney General, Virginia Attorney General’s Office (2010-2015); Of Counsel, Geoff McDonald & Associates (2007-2010); Associate, LeClair Ryan (2000-2007)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Richmond Bar Association
Licensed to practice in: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia; Supreme Court of Virginia.
Michael F. Kaestner
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: March, 2016
Education: B.S. Virginia Commonwealth University (magna cum laude) (2005); J.D., William & Mary School of Law (2014)
Previous Experience: County Attorney, Sussex County (2014-2016); Summer Fellow, Virginia State Bar Local Government Section (2013).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Local Government Attorneys of Virginia: Member, Conference Committee (2016); Member, Virginia Bar Association; Member, Henrico Bar Association.
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia
Denise M. Letendre
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: April, 2014
Education: B.A. (valedictorian), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick (2010); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2013)
Previous Experience: Robert F. Kennedy ’51 Public Service Fellow, University of Virginia School of Law (2013-14)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Henrico Bar Association; member, Law School Liaison Committee, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc.
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
John D. McChesney
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: October, 2015
Education: B.S.F.S., Georgetown University (1994); J.D., Washington and Lee University (1999)
Previous Experience: Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General (Virginia) (2012-2015); Attorney, Rawls, McNelis, & Mitchell, P.C. (2002-2012); Law Clerk, Court of Appeals of Virginia (2000-2001); Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Virginia (1999-2000).
Licensed to practice in: Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia (Inactive); United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
Andrew R. Newby
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: June, 2010
Education: B. A., University of Virginia (2005); J.D. (summa cum laude), University of Richmond School of Law (2009)
Previous Experience: Law Clerk, Chesterfield County Circuit Court (2009-10).
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Ryan P. Murphy
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: June, 2017
Education: B. A., University of Virginia (2007); M.A., George Mason University (2009); J.D., University of Richmond Law School (magna cum laude) (2014)
Previous Experience: Associate, AquaLaw PLC (2016-2017); Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Virginia (2014-2016)
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Mary Kathryn Hart
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: March, 2018
Education: B.S.Ed University of Virginia (1986); JD., University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law (1994)
Previous Experience: Partner, Thorsen Hart & Allen, LLP (2016 TO 2018); Associate, with James B. Thorsen, Esq. (2007 to 2016); Sole Practitioner (2003 to 2007); Associate, Barnes & Batzil, P.C. (2001 to 2003); Managing Attorney, Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities (1998-2000); Sole Practitioner (1995 to 1998).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Henrico Bar Association; Former Board Member & Chair of Special Projects, Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association; Former Member, Metropolitan Richmond Family Law Bar Association; Former Board Member, Virginia Coalition for Students with Disabilities
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Megan Lisa Watkins
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: May, 2018
Education: B. A., Davidson College (2010); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2016)
Previous Experience:Lewis F. Powell Fellow, Legal Aid Justice Center (2016-2018)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Metro Richmond Women’s Bar Association
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia
E. Garry Soles
Paralegal: Litigation
Date Joined County: February, 1999
Education: Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base (Alabama)
Previous Experience: Paralegal, Mays & Valentine, L.L.P.; (1998-99); Paralegal, Hutchens & Hutchens (1994-98); Paralegal, U. S. Air Force, JAG Corps (1982-94)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia Inc. Board of Directors (2009 to present)
Pamela J. Miller
Paralegal: Litigation
Date Joined County: April, 2002
Education: B.S. in Governmental Administration, Concentration in Legal Studies (ABA approved, Pre-Law Program), Christopher Newport University (1998)
Previous Experience: Paralegal/Office Manager, Saunders Law Office (1998-2000); Paralegal, Brenner, Evans & Yoffy, P.C. (2000-2002).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia, Inc. (2002 to present).
Jacqueline M. Bowen
Paralegal
Date Joined County: March, 2017
Education: B.A.S. in Paralegal Studies University of Richmond
Previous Experience: Legal Assistant/Staff Manager/Closing Officer, RGS Title; (1992-2011); Paralegal, LeClairRyan (2014-2017).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Richmond Paralegal Association (2013-Present)
Shawnique N. Wilkerson-Smith
Paralegal
Date Joined County: August, 2013
Education: B.A. in Criminal Justice, Minor: Legal Studies (Valedictorian), Virginia Union University (2008); Master’s In Public Administration, Concentration in Administration of Justice, George Mason University (2010)
Previous Experience: Legal Secretary, Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office (2013-2018); Courtroom Clerk, Richmond Circuit Court (2011-2013)
Karen W. Grizzard
Business Supervisor
Date Joined County: September, 1978
Education: B. A., James Madison University (1976)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services Board (2018- ); Virginia Association of Community Services Boards, Inc. Board of Directors (2006-present).
