Meet the Attorney General

Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto took the oath as Nevada’s Attorney General in January 2007.

Prior to her service at the Attorney General’s Office, General Masto worked as Assistant County Manager for Clark County beginning in January of 2002. 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 for juveniles that would ensure youth accountability and the use of appropriate community-based alternatives.

As Assistant County Manager, General Masto also participated on the Southern Nevada Domestic Violence Court Task Force to explore the creation of a unified domestic violence court. In addition to her role on the task force, she worked with various community partners to seek federal funding to create a Family Justice Center to prove services and support to domestic violence victims.

General Masto worked on the development and implementation of the Criminal Justice Advisory Counsel. The Advisory Counsel's mission is to produce an efficient working relationship, promote the use of best practices and improve communication among the departments within the criminal justice system.

Prior to working at Clark County, General Masto served 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, General Masto was appointed to work in Governor Bob Miller's administration. During her initial years in Miller's administration she ran his southern Nevada office, 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 General Masto to be his Chief of Staff.

General Masto is a native Nevadan. She 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.