The Hampden District Attorney’s Office has announced the hiring of Payton North as its communications director. North worked as the executive editor of Reminder Publishing, and brings eight years of media and communication experience to her new position.
While at Reminder Publishing, North rose from the role of staff writer through the ranks to executive editor, overseeing the company’s news production. She garnered many accolades such as the 2024 BusinessWest 40 under Forty recognition, the 2024 Western New England Young Alumni Achievement Award, the 2024 Association of Community Publishers Rising Star award and the 2023 Editor & Publisher’s 25 under 35 recognition.
The Hampden District Attorney’s Office began the search for a new communications director following the departure of long-time Communications Director Jim Leydon.
North holds a Master of Arts in public relations, advertising and applied communication from Western New England University, where she also attained her Bachelor of Arts, majoring in journalism. In addition, she received an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree from Holyoke Community College. North serves as a board of directors member for both the YWCA and the Spirit of Springfield.
With Assistant Communications Director Elijah Ayers, the two will serve as media contacts for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office
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The Northwestern District Attorney has made promotions and other staffing changes following the departure of three prosecutors for legal positions in other state and federal agencies.
Assistant District Attorney Aidan Lanciani has been promoted to handle felony cases in Superior Court after working in the Greenfield District Court since February of 2021.
ADA Jillian Parent, who has worked for the office since September of 2021, was promoted from a District Court prosecutor position to one in the Child Protection Unit, where she will prosecute Superior Court cases involving child victims.
ADA Alex Keir has been named to replace Parent as Attorney-In-Charge of the Orange District Court. Keir, who joined the DA’s Office in September of 2022, grew up in Franklin County and graduated from Pioneer Valley Regional High in Northfield.
For ADA Lanciani’s new assignment, in addition to investigating, indicting and prosecuting general felony cases in the Hampshire and Franklin Superior Courts, she will supervise and coordinate with the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force on their investigations, arrests, and resulting prosecutions. In doing so, she took over the post vacated recently by former ADA Joesph Webber after 12 years with the office. ADA Lanciani had been working alongside ADA Webber on Task Force cases for the past two years.
Parent joins Child Protection Unit ADAs, led by Unit Chief Lori Odierna, who supervise investigations and prosecute crimes against children.
In departures from the office, former ADA Jillian Handy left in November to join the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; Former ADA Anne Yereniuk left in January to join the United States Attorney’s Office in Portland, Maine; and former ADA Joseph Webber departed last month to become First Assistant Clerk Magistrate in the Franklin Superior Court in Greenfield.
