The National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) announced the election of Vineland native Jennifer Webb-McRae, Prosecutor of Cumberland County as its new president. Webb-McRae assumed the role during a ceremony at the association’s recent Annual Conference, held in Boston.
Webb-McRae succeeds Plymouth County (MA) District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz, who served as NDAA President over the past year. As President, Webb-McRae will become the first African American to lead the nation’s oldest and largest organization representing local prosecutors, setting the association’s priorities and serving as a national voice for the prosecutorial community.
“I am truly humbled and excited to have this opportunity to represent America’s prosecutors. I look forward to both elevating and highlighting the work that prosecutors do daily to shape what justice looks like across this great nation,” said Webb-McRae.
A respected leader in the prosecutorial community, Webb-McRae has served as Cumberland County Prosecutor since January 2010 and brings over 30 years of criminal justice experience to the role. Webb-McRae worked as a public defender and in private practice until accepting her current position. Prior to joining the prosecutor’s office, Webb-McRae also served on Vineland’s planning board and its board of education.
She began her third five-year term as county prosecutor in 2024. Webb-McRae was nominated three times by three New Jersey governors to serve in her role as County Prosecutor. (She was nominated to successive terms by three governors—Jon Corzine, Chris Christie, and Phil Murphy.)
She is a past President of the County Prosecutors Association of NJ (CPANJ) and has distinguished herself as a thoughtful leader in the field of criminal justice by creating and enhancing programs in the fields of juvenile and community justice, mental health and substance abuse. During her tenure, she has shepherded millions of dollars in grant funds to her community.
Webb-McRae, graduated from Rutgers Law School, Camden in 1994.
During her term, President Webb-McRae will champion two signature priorities. The first focuses on the intersection of physical safety and wellbeing, recognizing that the demands placed on prosecutors and their staff require a sustained commitment to both their security and their overall health. The second centers on developing a dedicated virtual platform to strengthen recruitment and retention across prosecutor offices nationwide—giving NDAA members tools to conduct virtual interviews, access a searchable online resume bank, and connect with talent more efficiently than ever before.
“Jennifer has been a proven leader, which makes her the perfect fit to lead NDAA. She shares our steadfast commitment to a legal system that promotes public safety and fairness, and I look forward to supporting all of her efforts as chair of the board,” said outgoing president Cruz.
NDAA’s “Pass the Gavel” ceremony is a longstanding tradition marking the transition of leadership at the opening of the Annual Conference. This year’s conference entitled, “Prosecution 2.0 – Technology in Action, Justice in Focus,” brought together prosecutors and other multidisciplinary stakeholders from across the country for two days of professional development, policy discussion, and recognition of excellence in the field, particularly focused on the rapidly evolving landscape around technology in the criminal justice field.
