SDAP - Key Persons


Anna L. Stuart

Job Titles:
  • Staff Attorney
ANNA L. STUART is a 2015 graduate of Monterey College of Law. Following graduation, Anna volunteered at the Watsonville Law Center before taking a supervising attorney position with the San Jose State University Record Clearance Project (RCP). Prior to appellate practice, Anna also taught record clearance law to both law school students and individuals currently serving time in county jail. Anna became a SDAP staff attorney in 2016 and has experience with delinquency, dependency, and criminal appeals,

Jennifer Lindberg

Job Titles:
  • Legal Assistant
  • Receptionist

Jonathan Grossman

Job Titles:
  • Senior Staff Attorney
JONATHAN GROSSMAN is a senior staff attorney. He is a graduate of the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly known as Hastings). Jonathan worked as a Deputy Public Defender in San Joaquin County and joined SDAP in 1999. His cases that have led to published decisions include People v. Rivera (2015) 233 Cal.App.4th 1085, People v. Crandell (2007) 40 Cal.4th 1301, and Juan H. v. Allen (9th Cir. 2005) 408 F.3d 1262. He is on the board of directors of the Pacific Juvenile Defender Center and chairs its Amicus and Litigation Committee. He is also a member of the Appellate Advisory Committee, which recommends to the Judicial Council changes in the rules of court concerning appeals. He is a co-author of four chapters in CEB books: "Writs in California State Courts," "Felony Appeals," and "Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings" in California Criminal Law Procedure and Practice, as well as "Federal Habeas Corpus: Overview" in Appeals and Writs in Criminal Cases.

Lori A. Quick

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Director
LORI QUICK became SDAP's Assistant Director in 2021. She graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1990. Between 1990 and 1992, she was a Deputy Public Defender in Marin County. In 1992, Lori joined the Public Defender's Office in Santa Cruz. Lori became a SDAP staff attorney in 1996. During her time at SDAP, she has secured published wins in People v. Miller (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 206 and People v. Santos (2019) 38 Cal.App.5th 923. She obtained a grant of habeas corpus from the Ninth Circuit for a Three Strikes client due to instructional error concerning the use of domestic violence propensity evidence (Acosta v. Lewis, 04-17017), and she obtained a full reversal of multiple sex offense convictions and resulting 162 year to life sentence in People v. Ojeda, H029199. More recently, Lori obtained a complete reversal of all felony counts in People v. Brumsey, H043749 due to the erroneous admission of hearsay, and a sentencing reversal in People v. Mixon-Givens, H044705 on Gallardo grounds which resulted in a sentence reduction from 41 years to 15 years 8 months.

Michelle D. Spencer

Job Titles:
  • Staff Attorney
MICHELLE D. SPENCER graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1992. While awaiting her bar results, she volunteered at the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office. From 1994 to 2004, she worked as an associate in a small criminal defense firm in Santa Cruz. Afterward, she worked as a solo criminal defense practitioner and served as a member of the federal CJA panel in San Jose. She joined the SDAP panel in 2019 and became a staff attorney in July 2023.

Patrick McKenna

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director
PATRICK McKENNA became SDAP's Executive Director in July 2019. He is a 2010 graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law. During law school, he spent one year as a law clerk with Appellate Defenders, Inc (ADI). Following graduation, he worked as a research clerk at the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office. After being admitted to the State Bar, he moved into private practice, working as an attorney at Nolan, Armstrong & Barton, LLP in Palo Alto and as a panel attorney for both SDAP and ADI. He joined SDAP as a staff attorney in June 2012. His published victories include People v. Rios (2013) 222 Cal.App.4th 542, People v. Gonzales (2015) 232 Cal.App.4th 1449, and People v. Seymour (2015) 239 Cal.App.4th 1418.

Paul Couenhoven

Job Titles:
  • Senior Staff Attorney

Priscilla A. O'Harra

Job Titles:
  • Legal Secretary

Randall Conner

Job Titles:
  • Staff Attorney
RANDALL CONNER graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1995. After stops at the Federal Trade Commission, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, Morgan Lewis and the U.S. Department of Justice, he worked as a solo criminal defense practitioner and served as a member of the FDAP, SDAP, CAP, ADI and CCAP appellate attorney panels. He became a SDAP staff attorney in July 2023.

Yolanda G. Edwards

Job Titles:
  • Law Office Manager