About Johnee
Personal
As a lifelong Santa Clara County resident, I attended Milpitas public schools in an academically and athletically supportive household. I graduated Valedictorian from Notre Dame High School in downtown San Jose and attended UC Berkeley where I swam for the Cal Bears’ Division 1 Swim Team and played water polo for the Cal Women's team. After graduation, I was the sole female coach at Bellarmine High School for the Frosh/Soph water polo team.
After marrying, I attended UC Davis, King Hall School of Law where I received the distinguished American Jurisprudence Award in legal writing, and was recognized for my Pro Bono legal work after volunteering nearly 300 hours in the United States Attorney’s office and in the Prison Law Clinic. My husband Terry and I moved to Almaden to raise our family of five.
I served my community on the board of the National Charity League, volunteering hundreds of hours with local philanthropic organizations, and acted as board President (currently a general board member) of San Jose/Almaden Water Polo Club. I have volunteered for multiple local school programs, including many years teaching 5th graders about our justice system, coaching Leland High School's mock trial team, and coaching youth sports, such as water polo and soccer. I have also lectured at high schools and to parent groups about safety on the internet.
Career
As a Deputy District Attorney, I prosecuted thousands of criminal cases including child molestation, rape, murder and attempted murder, domestic violence, physical abuse of the elderly, robbery, narcotics sales, arson, fraud, and juvenile crime. While on the Consumer Protection Unit of the District Attorney’s office, I was recognized by the Contractor State Licensing Board for my work in prosecuting cases involving victims of Contractor fraud. I completed broad community outreach for the most vulnerable communities in the county after the Coyote Creek flood to educate victims on the illegality of price gouging by contractors post natural disasters and on how to avoid fraudulent contractors.
Currently serving as an Environmental Prosecutor, I have transitioned my focus to safeguarding the environment. By prosecuting cases related to illegal dumping of hazardous and medical waste, I protect natural resources and wildlife from harm. I also prosecute worker death cases, holding employers responsible when unsafe conditions cause death. I received the California Hazardous Materials Investigators Association recognition for my commitment to protecting the environment.
I have worked diligently with victims of crime and victim's advocacy
groups such as the YWCA. I know firsthand how difficult the justice system
is to navigate as a victim of a crime, having been a victim of stalking by a
Domestic Violence defendant I was prosecuting because I refused to
dismiss the charges against him.
For over 20 years, I have taught attorneys and police officers statewide on legal ethics, evidence, search and seizure, sexual assault investigations and child exploit/Internet Crimes Against Children investigations, and juvenile law. My commitment to protecting children goes beyond the United States, working for the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) teaching prosecutors in other countries (such as Taiwan), digital evidence and prosecution of online child sexual exploitation.