First Amendment Foundation Hires Former U.S. Attorney as Next Executive Director (FAF Press Release)

Good news.  Florida First Amendment Foundation hired a former U.S. Attorney, Pamela Marsh, to succeed Barbara Petersen.  She specializes in investigating corporate and government crime.

We need to get tough with Sunshine and Open Records violators.

Under 25 years of leadership by Barbara Petersen, FAF had become somewhat of a toothless tiger, a sinecure, accomplishing little but resisting bad bills -- yet another tired Tallahassee lobby group -- a cynical observer of legislative efforts to erase our rights.

I look forward to Ms. Marsh working zealously within the bounds of the law to preserve, protect, expand and enhance our Sunshine and Open Records rights under Florida Constitution Article I, Section 24, which was enacted by 3.8 million voters (83%) in 1992.

Like me, Ms. Marsh is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.  (From her vita, she got much better grades).

She also earned her law degree at Georgetown University Law Center.

Hoya Saxa, Ms. Marsh!

From First Amendment Foundation:

For Immediate Release: October 18, 2019 Contact: Katie Bohnett katie@floridafaf.org 850-224-4555

TALLAHASSEE – The First Amendment Foundation is pleased to announce that Pamela Marsh, the former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, will become president of the organization on December 1. She will replace Barbara Petersen, who announced her retirement earlier this year.   As U.S. Attorney from 2010 to 2015, Marsh was the lead federal prosecutor in 23 counties, from Alachua to Escambia, and was the first woman appointed to the position. She earned a reputation for investigating and prosecuting cases related to banking, healthcare fraud, public corruption, cybersecurity, international and domestic terrorism, as well as human trafficking. She was selected as one of only 16 U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, while also serving on the Subcommittee on Counter-Terrorism and National Security, as well as the White Collar Criminal Subcommittee. She also established and led the Big Bend Coalition against Human Trafficking.   Marsh has more than 20 years of legal experience. She is currently a shareholder at Ausley McMullen and serves on the Board of the National Missing Children’s Day Foundation. A Tallahassee resident, she was named one of the Tallahassee Democrat’s “25 Women You Need to Know” in 2016. Marsh earned her J.D., cum laude, and B.S., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University. She is admitted to The Florida Bar, the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.   On her new role, Marsh says, “I am honored and excited to join the First Amendment Foundation as its new President. Perhaps now more than ever, the mission of the Foundation is critical to Florida communities and to a thriving democracy. Barbara Petersen built her legacy fighting for open access to government meetings and public records, to ensure that the public stays well informed and able to participate in government and be heard. I am grateful to Barbara and the Board of FAF for offering me this opportunity to serve the people of Florida and the objectives of the First Amendment. I look forward to continuing the highly regarded work and reputation already established by the First Amendment Foundation.”   In announcing her successor, Petersen stated, “I am so pleased with the selection of Pamela Marsh as the new FAF president. She has a passion for open government and buckets of energy; she’s smart and curious and will take FAF into its next phase. Pamela Marsh is the perfect choice and I’m immeasurably pleased to know I’ll have the chance to work with her through the transition.”   Jim Baltzelle, FAF’s Chairman of the Board and the Director, Local Media, Southeast, for the Associated Press, said of the announcement, “Pamela Marsh has tremendous vision for the Foundation’s future. Her distinguished legal experience, and the relationships she’s built across the state, will enable her to get off to a fast start. She is stepping into a great situation, too, thanks to the tenacity and hard work of Barbara Petersen. As Floridians, we have been blessed to have Barbara at FAF’s helm for so long.”   Marsh and Petersen will work together during the transition in December, and Petersen will advise the Foundation into 2020.