Kelly M. Sekula
Executive Deputy General Counsel
Kelly M. Sekula was appointed Executive Deputy General Counsel for Public Safety in the Governor's Office of General Counsel in January 2023. Ms. Sekula's practice focuses on public safety and criminal justice matters on behalf of the Governor's Office and in conjunction with various executive branch and independent Commonwealth agencies.
Prior to this appointment, Ms. Sekula served as a Senior Deputy Attorney General in the Criminal Prosecutions Section of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General investigating and prosecuting a wide spectrum of crimes ranging from misdemeanors to complex felonies and homicides, including cold-case homicides. Ms. Sekula also assisted and advised the Attorney General related to the Board of Pardons and was a member of the Conviction Integrity Section. Prior to her work in the Criminal Prosecutions Section, Ms. Sekula was a member of the Appeals & Legal Services Section where she represented the Commonwealth at all levels of appeals and supervised the Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. Ms. Sekula was also appointed as the Administrative Law Judge for firearms appeals and criminal history record information challenges.
Prior to her appointment at the Office of Attorney General, Ms. Sekula was an Assistant District Attorney in the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office. In that capacity, she served as Chief of the Violent Crimes and Homicides Unit where she supervised and coordinated strategy and personnel for all homicides, suspicious deaths and violent criminal offenses as well as prosecuted cases. Ms. Sekula also supervised the Investigating Grand Jury and oversaw the County-wide Major Crimes Unit Forensic Team.
Ms. Sekula received her bachelor of arts degree from Juniata College in 1996 and her juris doctorate from Widener University School of Law in 1999.
Anne Gingrich Cornick
Deputy General Counsel
Anne Gingrich Cornick was appointed Deputy General Counsel for the Pennsylvania Governors Office of General Counsel (OGC) in March 2015. Her chief responsibilities encompass all criminal legal issues at OGC and she serves as the primary contact for all law enforcement agencies. Anne is also Chair of the Criminal Justice Practice Group.
Anne came to OGC after many years as a criminal defense attorney in both state and Federal jurisdictions. She has represented individuals, including a large indigent client base, at every level of the criminal justice system, and her extensive trial experience has been comprised of charges ranging from DUIs, drug offenses, assaults, and homicides. She has also served as counsel in civil litigation cases involving family law, custody law, wills and estates, professional licensure law, and evolving civil proceedings concerning SORNA legislation. Anne has a strong background in direct and collateral appellate work, and served as the Chief Deputy Public Defender of the Appellate Division in Dauphin County, where she first began her legal career.
Anne has served as an adjunct professor in constitutional and criminal law at Central Penn College, an instructor at the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University, and a guest lecturer at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy. She received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law where she was a Presidential Scholarship in Law Recipient and a Texas Law Fellow. Prior to attending law school she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer leading community health programs in Luapula Province, Zambia. She holds a B.A. from Boston University College Honors Program, summa cum laude. Anne lives in the city of Harrisburg with her husband, Sean, and their daughter.
Eimy Yagüé-Cowfer
Criminal Justice Specialist
Eimy joined the Governor's Office of General Counsel in March 2016 as a Criminal Justice Specialist. In her role, she shares the responsibility of the processing for extradition and rendition matters, including executive agreements; reviewing pardon case summaries and recommendations for accuracy and preparation of the charters; the tracking and processing of criminal referrals; the tracking of current capital cases; maintaining the Capital Case Management System (CCMS); the development of capital case documents for the Deputy General Counsel; and the preparation and processing of the GAAP and Single Audit letters. Eimy brings to OGC a wealth of experience of over five years from the York County District Attorney's Office as an Extradition Specialist. She also has a broad range of paralegal experience and can provide Spanish interpretation and document translation.
Carissa Morales
Criminal Justice Specialist
Carissa joined the Governor's Office of General Counsel in August 2018 as a Criminal Justice Specialist. In her role, she shares the responsibility of processing extradition and rendition matters, including executive agreements; reviewing pardon case summaries and recommendations for accuracy and preparation of the charters; the tracking and processing of criminal referrals; the tracking of current capital cases; maintaining the Capital Case Management System (CCMS); the development of capital case documents for the Deputy General Counsel; and the preparation and processing of the GAAP and Single Audit letters. Carissa has a broad range of paralegal experience from past employment with the Pennsylvania Department of State. She also brings to OGC a wealth of litigation experience from her most recent employment with McNees Wallace and Nurick LLC. Carissa received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, specializing in Criminal Justice, from the Pennsylvania State University in 2021; and Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from the Pennsylvania State University in 2013.n Administration of Justice from the Pennsylvania State University in 2013.
Brian Corl
Criminal Justice Specialist
Brian joined the Governor's Office of General Counsel in January 2020 as a Criminal Justice Specialist. In his role, he shares the responsibility of the processing for extradition and rendition matters, including executive agreements; reviewing pardon case summaries and recommendations for accuracy and preparation of the charters; the tracking and processing of criminal referrals; the tracking of current capital cases; maintaining the Capital Case Management System (CCMS); the development of capital case documents for a Deputy General Counsel; and the preparation and processing of the GAAP and Single Audit letters. Brian brings to OGC a wealth of experience of over ten years of legal experience from complex civil litigation to working as an LSI Paralegal at Dauphin County Social Services for Children and Youth. He received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 1995.