Julianne M. Holt
Public Defender
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Julianne M. Holt
Public Defender
A lifelong resident of Tampa, Julianne M. Holt has continuously served as the Public Defender since first elected to office in January 1993. Prior to being elected, she represented citizens as a Special Court Appointed Public Defender from 1987-1992. Ms. Holt’s legal career began shortly after graduating from law school when she opened her private law practice in 1981.
Ms. Holt graduated from law school with honors, summa cum laude from the South Texas College of Law, where she was listed in the Who’s Who of American College Students. She also graduated from the University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College, and attended Hillsborough County Public Schools, graduating from Leto High School.
As the Public Defender, Ms. Holt manages the largest criminal defense firm in Hillsborough County. Her office employs over 200 staff members. The Office of the Public defender has approximately 120 attorneys in addition to legal assistants, investigators, social workers, clerks, and support staff.
Each year her office is appointed to represent over 40,000 cases in Hillsborough County.
Ms. Holt carries out her statutory duties as the protector of the presumption of innocence and has worked with many state and national organizations to ensure the rights of all citizens are protected. She has personally participated with numerous committees, councils, and boards focused on issues within the Criminal Justice System.
Ms. Holt and her employees have been dedicated to serving our community. Since 1993. Her office has consistently donated their time, financial support, and talent to aid organizations, students, and citizens both locally and nationally.
In addition to her duties as the Public Defender, Ms. Holt also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida.
AWARDS
- Inducted into the Hillsborough County Women’s Hall of Fame (2018)
- Received commendations from the Tampa City Council, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, and Hillsborough County Clerk of Court (2018)
- Hillsborough County’s Lifetime Leadership Award (2007)
- Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Council’s Champion of Professionalism Award (2020)
- NAACP’s Unsung Hero Award (2015)
- Hillsborough County Human Rights Council’s Human Rights Award (2009)
- Goldburg-Cacciatore Inn of Court’s Distinguished Public Service Award (2017)
- Florida Public Defender Associations Recognition for Leadership Award (2015)
- G3’s Community Hero Award (2017)
- Tampa Hispanic Heritage Government Award (2000)
- American Registry’s Outstanding Professional Lifetime Award
- Pepin Academies Peregrine Falcon Award (2014)
- Mayor’s Alliance For Persons with Disabilities Employer of the Year Award (2014)
- Florida Association of Women Lawyers “Leaders in the Law Award”, 2014
- The Legal Network’s “Top Lawyer” Recognition for ethical standards and professional excellence (2014)
- George Edgecomb Bar Association Diversity Award (2014)
- HAWL Trailblazer Award (Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, 2013)
- South Texas College of Law Public Service Award (2013)
- Florida Division of Career Development and Transitions “Marking a Difference Award”, 2012
- E.J. Salcines Lifetime Leadership Award, 2007
- Florida Tax Watch Davis Productivity Awards: 2010, 2007, 2005, 2003-1996
- Equal Opportunity Council Equal Opportunity Employer Award, 2002
- Hillsborough County Hispanic Woman of the Year, 2002
- The Human Rights Council Hank Warren Memorial Award, 1999
- The Chief Justice’s Outstanding Law Firm Commendation, 1998
LEGAL MEMBERSHIPS
- American Bar Association
- Florida Bar
- Texas Bar
- District of Columbia Bar
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- George Edgecomb Bar Association
- Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers
- National Bar Association
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals; Eleventh Circuit
- United States District Court; Middle and Southern Districts
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES COMMITTEES
- DUI Counter-Attack Board of Directors
- Florida Public Defender Association
- Hillsborough County Partners in Crisis
- Long Term Funding for Drug Court Committee
- National Association of Drug Court Professionals
- National Legal Aid and Defender Association
- Public Safety Coordinating Council
- Hillsborough County Domestic Violence Task Force
- Hillsborough County Juvenile Civil Citation Task Force
- Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, Circuit 13
- Phoenix House
Rocky Brancato
Chief Operations Officer
As Chief Operations Officer, Rocky Brancato works directly under Public Defender Holt and shares with her the responsibility of overseeing all bureaus and administrative areas in the office. He directly manages the Felony Bureau. He joined the office in 2003 and has worked in every bureau. In addition to his duties as a leader in the office, Mr. Brancato represents clients charged with homicide and other serious offenses.
Mr. Brancato began his career as an assistant public defender in Pensacola, Florida, where he was also an instructor at the police academy. He is rated AV Preeminent in criminal law and criminal defense by Martindale-Hubbell. This is the highest peer rating standard and is given only to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers.
Mr. Brancato chairs the Circuit 13 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. He serves as an alternate member on Hillsborough County’s Commission on Human Trafficking. He serves on the board of directors of DUI Counterattack and the Hillsborough Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (HCACDL). He is past vice chair of the Safe and Sound Hillsborough Youth and Gun Violence Committee. He is a past member of the board of directors for the Pace Center for Girls, Hillsborough. He is admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of the United States and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA), the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL) and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
Antina Mobley
Juvenile/Misdemeanor Bureau Chief
Ms. Mobley received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law. After being admitted to the Florida Bar, Ms. Mobley began her career with the Office of the Public Defender as a Special Appointed Public Defender and has since remained with the office. Ms. Mobley has dedicated her career to public service representing Hillsborough County citizens in all of the office's bureaus, including an area of special interest, the holistic representation of juveniles charged with criminal offenses. In addition to supervising the Misdemeanor and Juvenile Bureau and Career Attorney Development, Ms. Mobley represents the office on the Juvenile Justice Board and Safe & Sound Hillsborough’s Policy and Governance Board. Additionally, Ms. Mobley is a member of the Florida Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and serves as the Co-Chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Pro-Bono Awards Committees. Ms. Mobley is also a member of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, and the Board of Trustees for Abe Brown Ministries.
Daniel Raysin
Administrative Director
Daniel Raysin was appointed by Public Defender Julianne Holt in 1998. During his time with the office, has served as the agency’s Director of Accounting and Finance, Director of Human Resources and is currently the Administrative Director responsible for the overall operations of the office. He is a graduate of St. Leo University and received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with concentration in Finance and Accounting. He also holds certification in Human Resource Management from the University of South Florida. Prior to joining the Public Defender’s office, Mr. Raysin worked for South Florida Baptist Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital(s), and John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital as Director of Patient Financial Services. Daniel has served on numerous boards and advisory panels, he is an actively participates in the Florida Public Defenders Association, the Children’s Network of Hillsborough and currently represents the office on the Safe and Sound Community Violence Prevention Collaborative Finance Committee and is a member of The Pepin Academies Foundation Board.
Brandon Selph
Attorney Training & Recruitment Director
Brandon Selph is currently the Director of Training and Recruitment for the office. He oversees the office's Intake Bureau, office training programs, and internship program. He began his legal career when he joined Ms. Holt’s office in September 2004. During his tenure with the office, he has worked in every bureau. In addition to his duties with the Office of the Public Defender, Brandon is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Tampa and a former member of the Bar Grievance Committee 13B. Brandon graduated in 2001 from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature and received his Juris Doctorate from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2004. He has called Tampa Bay home since 1996.
Lateasha Simms
Human Resources Director
Lateasha Simms serves as the Human Resources Director of the Office of the Public Defender. She matriculated at Chipola Junior College where she attained an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration then continued her education at the University of Florida where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Education in 1998. Mrs. Simms later attended Troy University where she obtained a Master of Science degree in Management with a concentration in Human Resources.
After completing her studies at the University of Florida, she was employed as the Operations Manager at Beall’s Department Stores, Inc. She then was employed by the State of Florida in the Department of Children and Families as an Economic Self-Sufficient Specialist. Mrs. Simms was then employed at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office as a Human Resource Analyst. She has been employed with the Office of the Public Defender as the Human Resource Director since November of 2020.
Mrs. Simms is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she has served on the executive leadership team. She is also a member of the Women’s Missionary Society and Minister Spouses Alliance of the African Methodist Episcopal Church where she has served in various leadership roles.
Jennifer Spradley
Homicide Bureau Chief
Jennifer Spradley is currently the Homicide Bureau Chief. She joined Ms. Holt’s office in 2005. She began her legal career as an assistant public defender in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Jennifer is a Florida Bar board-certified expert in the area of criminal trial law. She has practiced criminal law since 1999 and has tried over 100 jury trials including homicide and death penalty cases. Jennifer graduated in 1996 from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Arts and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami in 1999.
Kori Warren
Chief Investigator
Chief Kori Warren has been an investigator with the office for over 20 years. Much of her tenure has been in the Homicide Bureau as a Capital Homicide Investigator.
Chief Warren is a graduate of American University in Washington, DC where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. Additionally, Chief Warren has advanced training in law enforcement, death investigation, defense training, and death penalty defense.
Prior to transitioning into criminal defense investigations, Chief Warren interned with the Executive office of the President, the U.S. Marshall’s Office, and with the United States Attorney’s Office. Her career began with the Commonwealth of Virginia as a State Trooper. Chief Warren relocated to the Tampa Bay area and began working with the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office as a Forensic Investigator. She accepted an opportunity with the Capital Collateral Regional Counsel as a Homicide Investigator and later transferred to the Office of the Public Defender in June of 2001.
Chief Warren is an active member in the Florida Public Defenders Association’s Chief Investigators Committee, is a Board-Certified Criminal Defense Investigator and a member of the Criminal Defense Investigation Training Counsel.
Catisha Smith
Division Chief
Ms. Smith received her Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida and her Juris Doctorate from Barry University, College of Law. While attending law school, Ms. Smith was a substitute elementary school teacher with the Hillsborough County School District. After being admitted to the Florida Bar in September of 2008, she began her career in public service with our office and has remained with the Public Defender’s Office since that time. Ms. Smith has dedicated her career to public service and has represented the citizens of Hillsborough County in all areas of the office. Currently, Ms. Smith holds the position of Division Chief in our Felony Bureau. In addition to her duties as Division Chief, she actively participates in the training, education, and professional development of attorneys and support staff.
Cierra Turner
Communications & Community Relations Director
With a strong background in digital marketing and communications, Ms. Turner was appointed by Public Defender Julianne Holt to serve as the Communications and Community Relations Director. Ms. Turner manages the office's brand identity, digital marketing, and internal communication. She represents the office at stakeholder events and engages with the community through events and outreach initiatives. Before this role, she was employed at General Motors in Detroit, Michigan, where she supported diverse marketing projects, ranging from product marketing to global marketing.
Ms. Turner's academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida (UCF), complemented by a certification from UCF's esteemed College of Business Professional Selling Program. Her dedication to staying at the forefront of her field is evident as she is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Social and Emerging Media at the University of Tampa.
In her free time, Ms. Turner cherishes spending quality time with her family and close friends. She also enjoys traveling, reading, and learning new recipes.
Jackie Bowman
Support Staff Director
Jackie Bowman is currently the Support Staff Director for the office. She oversees our support staff in the Data/Document Processing and Attorney Service Centers and is responsible for creating office workflow and managing our written policies and procedures. Jackie joined the office in February 1990 and during her tenure with the office, she has worked in every bureau as a legal assistant, administrative assistant, trainer, and supervisor. In addition to her duties with the Office of the Public Defender, Jackie enjoys spending time with her family, playing team trivia, cooking, and traveling. Jackie graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature. She is a proud military brat who was born in California and traveled the world with her family living in three continents/five states before calling the Tampa Bay area home.
Patric Jones
Division Chief
Mr. Jones graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Theater Arts and later received his Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad School of Law in 1997. For over 20 years, he had his own solo law practice where he handled criminal defense, family law, civil, and bankruptcy cases in Broward County, Florida. In 2018, Mr. Jones and his family relocated to the Tampa area where he joined the office as a Felony Assistant Public Defender which allowed him to focus on criminal defense and public service. He was promoted to Felony Division Chief in 2021 and in 2024 became the Misdemeanor Division Chief. His primary focus is training and professional development of our Misdemeanor attorneys, in addition to handling his own litigation responsibilities.
Nicole Engebretsen
Division Chief
Ms. Engebretsen received her Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from the University of West Florida, Summa Cum Laude, and a Master of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida. While in graduate school, she worked as a mental health program analyst at Florida State Hospital. Ms. Engebretsen received her Juris Doctorate, Magna Cum Laude, from Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley Law School. After being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2015, she began her legal practice in immigration law and then became an Assistant Public Defender in 2016. She also handled capital post-conviction appeals for 18 months. Ms. Engebretsen is admitted to practice law in Florida, the Middle District of Florida, and the United States Supreme Court.