As the first Black woman to hold the position, Gerina Whethers has been selected as Jefferson County’s new Commonwealth’s Attorney. After Louisville’s top prosecutor, Tom Wine, passed away in 2012, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear named Whethers to fill his shoes. Wine had taken office that year.
According to Beshear, Whethers has the depth of legal knowledge, commitment, and empathy needed to best represent Louisville’s citizens. Beshear stated, according WLKY News, “I have witnessed firsthand how talented Gerina is, and I am happy to designate her Commonwealth’s Attorney for Jefferson County. We have worked together for many years, from our time in the Attorney General’s Office to my current cabinet.
Whethers, who was recently secretary of the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, led two divisions in the Office of the Attorney General. She has also been in the courtroom as a prosecutor in the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office and is now humbled to have been given the chance to lead one of the most important roles in her city.
“From victim services, especially for our seniors and youth, to mental health services – our families, our younger generation, our community and our law enforcement deserve loyalty and commitment to cohesive change, and I look forward to being part of that change,” said Whethers, who has served the public for 20 years.
She has a Juris Doctor from the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law in addition to a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a minor in pan-African studies.
The Louisville Chapter of the NAACP, where Whethers serves on the executive board, is proud of her most recent accomplishment and says that the native of Louisville has the potential to be a tremendous asset to the city given her experience as a prosecutor, cabinet secretary for personnel, and resident of the county.