Kristine Hamann
PCE Founder and Executive Director
Kristine Hamann is the Executive Director and founder of Prosecutors’ Center for Excellence (PCE), a nonprofit organization that provides policy expertise for modern prosecutors. PCE’s consulting and research services promote best practices, encourage innovation and implement solutions. PCE publishes articles, produces the Articles of Interest series, and conducts trainings on a wide variety of issues related to prosecutors. The organization hosts regular national conferences and meetings for prosecutors to share ideas on best practices and emerging issues and supports statewide prosecutor-led Best Practices Committees that have formed in many states. Ms. Hamann regularly presents at national and statewide prosecutor meetings on a variety of criminal justice-related topics.
Ms. Hamann, and PCE’s experienced team, are prosecutor consultants for offices of all sizes across the country on a variety of topics including full-office assessments, investigating and preventing violent crime, witness intimidation/witness cooperation, conviction integrity, discovery, data collection, intake, ethics and enhancing community trust. PCE has also conducted lengthy and detailed independent case reviews to assist offices with this complex work.
Ms. Hamann is the chair of the PCE’s National Best Practices Committee representing over 30 states, New York State’s Best Practices Committee for prosecutors and a national Artificial Intelligence Working Group. She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School and a member of the ABA Criminal Justice Journal Editorial Board.
From 2013 to 2016, Kristine Hamann was a Visiting Fellow at the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance. In this role and since, she has traveled to 40 states to meet with prosecutors about best practices.
From 2008 to 2013, Ms. Hamann was the Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, which plays an integral role in international, national and local drug trafficking investigations and prosecutions that impact New York City.
From 2007 to 2008, Ms. Hamann was the New York State Inspector General. The Inspector General is charged with investigating and preventing fraud, waste and abuse in New York State government.
From 1998 to 2007, Ms. Hamann served as the Executive Assistant District Attorney to D.A. Robert M. Morgenthau in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York City. Prior to 1998, Ms. Hamann held several other positions in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including Deputy Chief of the Trial Division in charge of the Criminal Court, Director of Training, and Deputy Bureau Chief of the Career Criminal Bureau. After law school, she was an associate at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett in New York City.
She has received various awards including the American Bar Association’s Curtain-Maleng Minister of Justice Award (2023); Ethics and Accountability Award (City & State NY, 2018), Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year (NY State Bar Association, 2013), Prosecutor of the Year for Executive Leadership (NY District Attorneys Association, 2010), Excellence in Government Award (Albany Law School, 2008), Public Service Award (NY County Bar Association, 2005) and New York County District Attorney’s Office Prosecutor of the Year (2001).
Photo: Kristine Hamann receiving the 2023 Maeling-Curtin prosecutor award from the American Bar Association on April 12, 2024