Empowerment 2008: Guest Speakers

EMPOWERMENT2008

Law Enforcement
Conference

October 9 & 10, 2008
Sheraton Ferncroft
Danvers MA

Guest Speaker Bio

State Representative John Keenan
Representative Keenan started his legal career as a criminal prosecutor in Essex County under then District Attorney Kevin Burke. He prosecuted cases in the district courts, primarily in Lynn District Court, one of the busiest courts in the Commonwealth. He was one of the first assistant district attorneys to serve as a prosecutor in the Domestic Violence Unit in Lynn. After serving in the Essex County District Attorney's office, John worked for a small law firm in Salem. In 1996, former Mayor Neil Harrington appointed him as Assistant City Solicitor. In 2001, the Mayor promoted John to City Solicitor, the top legal job in the city. During his eight year tenure the Salem Legal Department negotiated a new lease for the Salem Transfer Station saving city taxpayers half a million dollars for a mandatory environmental clean-up at the site, saved both the Old Salem Jail Keeper's House and 18 Crombie Street from demolition, facilitated the redevelopment of the old police station, prosecuted negligent property owners forcing them to clean up their properties, preserved affordable housing at Salem Heights, and fought to clean up and keep open the Salem Power Plant, the city's single largest property tax payer and one of its biggest employers. In March 2004 John stepped down as the City Solicitor in order to run for State Representative. After a strong, positive campaign John won 60% of the vote in the Democratic primary in September and 74% of the vote in the general election in November. In the legislature, John serves on the Judiciary Committee, the Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development Committee, and the Post-Audit and Oversight Committee. He also is a member of the legislature's Northeast Caucus, Progressive Caucus, Children's Caucus, Boating Caucus, Coastal Caucus, Elder Affairs Caucus, Bicycle & Pedestrians Caucus, and the subcommittee on shared parenting. A lifelong resident of Salem, John and his wife, Kara, have been married eleven years and have two children, Aidan and Erin.

Empowerment
2008
Law Enforcement
Conference