Katrina gained valuable courtroom experience as a former deputy prosecuting attorney with the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office. She also oversaw the successful prosecution of Domestic Violence crimes, trained officers and other members of law enforcement in the field of Domestic Violence, and obtained grants for the Prosecutor’s Office.

Katrina also worked with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff and, after obtaining a law degree, as a legal advisor.  She advised Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan on legal matters, including pretrial release of detainees to alleviate overcrowding at the jail, and also was responsible for negotiations with the various collective bargaining units that represented over 6,000 employees, as well as conducting grievance hearings. Additionally, she oversaw revisions to General Orders and Standard Operating Procedures while developing the Sheriff’s Workplace Harassment Policy and the Sheriff’s Drug Testing Policy. Finally, she helped the Office obtain monetary funding for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System now widely used in law enforcement.

Katrina Spence grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Resurrection High School in 1989. She attended Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana where she earned her Bachelor of Science, cum laude, in 1993.  She obtained her juris doctorate from DePaul University School of Law in 1997.

Katrina was a member of the School Advisory Council at St. Paul Catholic School and served as its Secretary and the Publicity Committee Chairperson. Additionally, she coached girls’ volleyball at the school.