YOUNGSTOWN — Judge Theresa Dellick of Mahoning County Juvenile Court has appointed Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova and First Assistant Prosecutor Linette Stratford to serve as juvenile court magistrates effective starting next month.

DeGenova has been Mahoning County prosecutor since January 2022 after being selected by the Mahoning County Democratic Party Central Committee to complete the final two years of the term of former county Prosecutor Paul Gains.

But DeGenova, a Democrat, lost in the Nov. 5 general election to Republican, longtime defense attorney Lynn Maro in the race to fill the next four-year term as county prosecutor. Maro will take office in early January.

“The court has experienced an increase in complex custody and third-party docket filings the past few years,” Dellick stated in a news release. “In order to keep the dockets timely and current, the court found it necessary to hire additional magistrates.”

Dellick, who is a Republican, said she thinks DeGenova and Stratford, “who are both familiar with the court’s duties and responsibilities as well as the governing laws, were best suited to fill these positions.” She added that she believes DeGenova and Stratford “will serve the children and families of our community with professionalism, integrity, and respect.”

The release states that DeGenova is a lifelong resident of the Mahoning Valley, graduating cum laude with a bachelor of science in applied science from Youngstown State University and earned her law degree from Cleveland State University in 2000.

In 2005, she joined the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office, serving as lead advisor and counsel to various local agencies. In 2021, she was promoted to chief assistant prosecutor and public information officer.

She was the first woman to be sworn in as Mahoning County prosecutor in January 2023, launching public safety initiatives like the Blue Envelope Program and creating the prosecutor’s office Special Victims Unit.

“I am thankful and honored for the opportunity to join Judge Dellick’s administration as a juvenile court magistrate,” DeGenova stated. “It is never easy to start over, especially after working at a job you love for nearly 20 years. I am confident my new position will be a great fit for me, especially since I will continue to serve our great community. I look forward to starting my new job Jan. 6 and am excited to see what the future holds.”

Stratford, of Austintown, graduated cum laude from Youngstown State University with a double major in accounting and philosophy and earned her law degree from the Ohio State University College of Law in 1990. She joined the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office in 1994.

She became chief of the civil division in 1999 and chief assistant in 2011, managing the criminal and civil divisions. She serves as an adjunct professor at Youngstown State University, teaching business ethics, professional ethics and philosophy of law, the release states.

She also provides professional ethics training to attorneys and is a member of several organizations, including the National District Attorneys Association and Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association.

“I am honored to be considered and appointed by Judge Dellick,” she stated. “We have worked together for many years, and I truly admire the work she has done to protect the children and families of Mahoning County. I look forward to this new challenge and am eager to continue to serve the community as a juvenile court magistrate.”