Risa Vetri Ferman

Youth and Education

Risa Vetri Ferman was born in Philadelphia and raised in Abington Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Barbara and Sal Vetri. In her early life, Ferman worked for her father’s jewelry store, Crown Jewels and Dazzles, which operated with 35 storefronts and mall kiosks across Philadelphia, Delaware and New Jersey for 30 years.

She graduated from Abington Senior High School in 1983 and attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, graduating in 1987. After enrolling in the evening program at Widener University School of Law in 1990, she interned for the United States Attorney’s Office in 1991. Ferman graduated from Widener University School of Law in 1992 with a Juris Doctorate and was admitted to the bar in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in 1992. She was admitted to practice before the U.S District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 2006, and the United States Supreme Court in 2000. In 1993, Ferman began working as a prosecutor for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

Early Legal Career

Ferman began work as a prosecutor in 1993 and rose to Captain of Sex Crime and the Child Abuse. She has specialized in the prosecution of homicide, child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence cases. In 2002, Ferman was selected to serve as First Assistant District Attorney, second in command to then District Attorney Bruce Castor Jr. In this position, Ferman supervised the county detective bureau and oversaw all homicide cases. In November 2007, Ferman ran for District Attorney of Montgomery County.

2007 Montgomery County District Attorney Election

In 2007, Ferman ran as a Republican candidate for the District Attorneys seat against Democrat Peter C. Amuso Ferman won the election and received the highest vote count of any candidate on the ballot in 2007. She was elected in November 2007 as the first female District Attorney of Montgomery County and assumed office January 2008.

Protecting the Vulnerable

In 2008, Ferman established an Elder Abuse Unit and Taskforce to support seniors targeted by criminals. Ferman supervises the Elder Abuse Task Force, a multifaceted force of law enforcement agencies as well as the county's Aging and Adult Services. Ferman established the Elder Justice Roundtable in 2013 after further development with the Elder Abuse Unit and Taskforce.

In 2009, Ferman co-founded the Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Mission Kids is a 501(c)(3) corporation, founded through a collaborative effort with the Police Chiefs of Association of Montgomery County, and the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth. Ferman is a member of the Mission Kids Executive Board (as Past President)

Ferman is co-founder of the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Program (MCAP) as a board member. MCAP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides free legal representation to children who are victims of abuse in Montgomery County. Ferman introduced the School Safety Committee as a primary source for County schools regarding safety. The committee consists of a variety of individual units such as school superintendents, public safety officials and law enforcement personnel. Ferman is an avid supporter of the Montgomery County Youth Aid Panel Program (YAP), a restorative justice initiative for juveniles in the criminal justice system. Ferman created the Teen Driving Safety Program which includes a Teen Driving Safety Documentary, through partnership with the WPVI Channel 6 ABC and a corresponding Teen Driving Safety Curriculum

In 2012, Ferman convened Montgomery County’s first Cyber Bullying and Bullying Task Force. Come 2013, Ferman, along with Montgomery County Commission Chair Josh Shapiro, former Montgomery County Sheriff Eileen Behr, Montgomery County Schools and Intermediate Unit, and the Police Chiefs Association of Montgomery County, announced the creation and release of the first Cyber Bullying/Bullying Taskforce Manual in the country

Ferman and Montgomery County Chief Public Defender Keir Bradford-Grey coordinated their efforts to protect youths in Montgomery County through a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Southeastern, Pennsylvania to create the "Back on Track program In 2014, Ferman and Montgomery County Sheriff Russell Bono brought the Teen Suicide Prevention Program to Montgomery County in collaboration with John Halligan, Founder of Ryan’s Story.

Service to the Community

Ferman established the Detectives Violent Crime Unit to assist in investigations regarding brutal crime. She encourages the use of the District Attorney’s Office DUI and Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first time, non-violent offenders to highlight rehabilitative services. In addition, Ferman supports diversionary programs within Montgomery County such as Veteran’s Treatment Court, Drug Treatment Court and Behavioral Health Court.

In April 2013, Ferman established the Montgomery County Prescription Drug Disposal Program which places safe receptacles for the public to safely dispose of their old or unwanted prescription drugs. Ferman spread awareness about Teen Prescription Drug Abuse through her involvement with the McIntyre Family and the death of their son Ronald "Ronnie" Powell III as a result of prescription drug overdose. The District Attorney's Office has maintained a 98% conviction rate.

In October 2014, Ferman brought the Courthouse Comfort Dog Program to the Montgomery County Courthouse with the addition of "K9 Turks" to serve victims and witnesses through distressing situations in the courthouse.

Law Enforcement Leader

In July 2015, Ferman was elected as the first female President of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association (PDAA). She is chair of the PDAA Best Practice Committee and a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA). She is a member of the Joint State Government Commissions Advisory Committee on Wrongful Convictions.

Ferman was nominated to Chair of the Criminal Procedural Rules Committee of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2010, and began as a member in 2006. She is a member of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Institute and helped to bring Wheels of Justice bicycling team, a non-profit charitable organization that supports Law Enforcement related charities to Southeast Pennsylvania. In addition, Ferman brought the Fallen Hero Plaque Program to Montgomery County through collaboration with local law enforcement and founder of the program, James Binns Esquire.

Politics

In 2011 Ferman was re-elected for a second term as District Attorney of Montgomery County. As a result of her prolific fundraising (raising around $237,000) rumors arose that she was running for Pennsylvania Attorney General, however, she remained at her District Attorney post. Philadelphia Magazine profiled Ferman in 2011 as a result of her success as District Attorney with regard to her position on politics and types of crime rising throughout Montgomery County.

As of January 2015, Ferman decided to leave her position as District Attorney and run for a seat on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas Court as Judge in Montgomery County.

In August 2015, DA Ferman charged Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane for her alleged involvement in the leaking of confidential investigative information to a newspaper and for her subsequent attempts to cover up these actions. Following the leak, a grand jury investigated and recommended the arrest and filing of criminal charges against Kane for felony perjury and multiple misdemeanors nine months prior to her being charged. However, Ferman launched her own independent criminal investigation into the allegations against Kane. Ultimately DA Ferman concluded that it was appropriate to file criminal charges against the Attorney General. Kane's criminal trial for felony charges of perjury and obstruction began on August 8, 2016. On August 15, she was convicted on all nine counts.

Guest Speaker

Ferman appeared on Dateline NBC in April, 2009. In November 2011, Ferman was featured as an honored guest speaker at the Widener Symposium on Child Abuse, "Lessons from Tragedy: Legal, Professional, and Ethical Issues Raised by Bradley and Beyond". In 2012, Ferman was featured at the Penn State Abington campus of Penn State University as the Spring Commencement Speaker

Author

Ferman is a featured author for the Widener Law Review of Widener University of Law, her review is titled, "Lessons from Tragedy: Bridging the Gap between Public Expectations and Legal Standards through an Evaluation of Criminal Investigations and Subsequent Charging Decisions". Ferman is also a blogger for The Huffington Post

Ferman authored and published the children’s book "The Mouse Who Went Surfing Alone". All profits from sales of the book go to Mission Kids. The book is intended for young children and teachers as a teaching tool about internet safety. Thanks to a donation from the Verizon Foundation to Mission Kids, each child usually receives a copy to take home and discuss with his/her parents.

Awards

Personal life

Ferman is married to husband, Michael, and has three children. Her mother, Barbara Vetri, was a lawyer specializing in real estate and family law. In 1994, her father Sal Vetri sold his jewelry chain, Crown Jewel. Her brother, Marc Vetri, James Beard Outstanding Chef nominee, is the founder of famous Philadelphia restaurants such as Vetri and Osteria and founder of the Vetri Foundation which supports healthy food and active lifestyles in schools. The youngest of the Vetri family is Adam Vetri, producer of reality shows such as "The Biggest Loser" and received the 2016 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Direction in the Reality Programs category for the show "Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge" and 2015 nominee in the same category