Curtis Hill Begins First Term As 43rd Indiana Attorney General

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Former Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill was sworn in as Indiana’s 43rd Attorney General on Jan. 9, after receiving 1.6 million votes across the state in November’s election – the highest count in Indiana history.

After being elected to four terms as Elkhart County Prosecutor, Hill begins his administration as Indiana Attorney General with an emphasis on safeguarding the rights of Hoosiers by fighting tirelessly to eliminate government overreach, protecting families from drugs and violence, and defending our most vulnerable from fraudulent practices such as scams.

“Protecting the rights, freedoms and safety of all Hoosiers is my primary focus as Attorney General,” Hill said. “Under my lead, I know that we can make Indiana the home that we all want and deserve because I am dedicated to eliminating the elements that threaten our wonderful communities. I am humbled by the overwhelming trust Hoosiers have invested in me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to get to work as the 43rd Indiana Attorney General.”

Hill succeeds Greg Zoeller, who served two terms as Indiana Attorney General. In his new role as Indiana Attorney General, Hill will not only serve the state, its residents and its communities, but he will also lead more than 400 employees at the Office of the Attorney General, including an impressive executive staff.

Leading Hill’s executive staff is Aaron Negangard, who has been appointed Deputy Chief, serving as second in command. Negangard was the Dearborn-Ohio County Prosecutor since 2006 before joining Hill’s staff.

Joan Blackwell will serve as Hill’s Chief of Staff. Blackwell served as section chief in the Office of the Attorney General from 2014 to 2016, and most recently worked as an attorney at the law firm of Barnes and Thrornburg. Rounding out Hill’s executive staff is Kelly Craven, who will work as Hill’s Senior Advisor during his first term. Craven was a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force in the George W. Bush Administration, and served as the Chief of Staff for Indiana congressman Steve Buyer, before most recently serving as the Director of House Operations for Speaker Paul Ryan.

Hill’s communications staff will be led by Jeremy Brilliant, an award-winning journalist who spent more than 10 years as a TV reporter in Indianapolis, most recently working for the city’s NBC affiliate. Brilliant was hired this week as the Director of Communications, and will handle media relations, as well as public outreach for the Hill administration.

A strong group of employees throughout the Office of the Attorney General will work with these key posts, forming an extremely talented staff that will help Hill serve with bold, courageous leadership. Several of the office’s most invaluable positions have been filled. Mary Allen will fill the role as Director of Strategic Planning and Resources. Allen is the former director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute where she led the state’s criminal justice policy and planning agency.

Former Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman joins Hill’s staff as Chief Counsel in the Advisory Division, while Denise Robinson will work as the Senior Deputy Attorney General. Robinson most recently served at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. Patricia McMath left her role as Appellate Public Defender at the Marion County Public Defender Agency to join Hill’s staff as the Section Chief of Civil Appeals.

Each of the aforementioned staff members are an ideal fit for their respective roles and are already contributing to the necessary day-to-day duties within the office, Hill said.

“From day one, my team has been prepared. We hit the ground running, getting right to work from the minute we arrived. I can’t thank this dedicated group enough for coming on board,” Hill said. “I’m especially thankful for our transition team, made up of volunteers who went above and beyond, committing themselves to countless hours before, during and after the election. We are going to have a great four years because we started on such a solid foundation. That’s a testament to my transition team.”

Hill would like to thank his staff and the following group for their dedicated work as members of his transition team: Nate Harter; John Von Arx; Judge Linda Chezem; Bryan Kirkpatrick; Chris McBarnes; Deb Ottinger; Blair Milo; Beth Boyce; Cathie Humbarger; Parvinder Nijjar; Justin Schneider; LeeAnn Eizinger; Lauren Box; John Drummy; Crystal Rowe; Laurie Kemp; Jim Bopp; Rev. Charles Harrison; Judge Sally McLaughlin; Sarah Hurdle; Kyle Wong; Lorin Brown; Ben Wells; Gabrielle Owens; Kevin Betz; Jeff Hawkins; Bob Kelso; Laura Turner; Kenny Kavanaugh; Derrick McGraw; Derek Molter; Ron Buchmeier; Tom Blackwell; Mike Hebenstreit; Tom Jarzyniecki; Stephanie Carowan Courter; Eric Glasco; Adam Ira; Tyler Akers; Ryan Goodwin.