CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO
NEVADA ATTORNEY GENERAL

Catherine Cortez Masto was sworn in as Nevada’s Attorney General in January 2007.

Prior to her service as Attorney General, Masto worked as Assistant County Manager for Clark County. This involved working with the county’s agencies to improve children’s services including foster care, adoption services, child welfare services and juvenile justice programs. She assisted in the creation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative to build a better legal system ensuring youth accountability and the use of appropriate community-based alternatives.

Cortez Masto worked on the development and implementation of the Criminal Justice Advisory Counsel whose mission included creation of an efficient working relationship, promotion of best practices and improving communication among the departments within the criminal justice system.

Prior to working at Clark County, Cortez Masto spent two years as a federal criminal prosecutor for the United States Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. During her tenure as an Assistant United States Attorney, she prosecuted criminals for felony possession and distribution of drugs.

In September 1995, Cortez Masto was appointed to work in Nevada Governor Bob Miller's administration, where she ran his southern Nevada office. She provided supporting legal counsel, organized legislation for new state programs, facilitated public policy and managed intergovernmental affairs for various state agencies and commissions. In July 1998, Governor Miller appointed Cortez Masto to be his Chief of Staff.

Cortez Masto was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in 1990, the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada in 1991 and the U.S. Court of Appeals, for the Ninth Circuit in 1994.

Cortez Masto attended the University of Nevada Reno, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1986 with a major in Finance. She graduated Cum Laude from Gonzaga University School of Law, in Spokane, Washington in 1990.