Paulette (Ward) Gray has always been busy. She started working when she was 13 years old, worked at the Pasadena Police Department Corrections facility while working her way through college and law school, and has served as President of the Richard T. Fields Association.
Paulette has experience working in the juvenile sections in Victorville and San Bernardino. She currently handles video arraignments for the West Valley Division. She sees herself as a voice for the voiceless and her experience living and working in Pasadena has provided her with a broad perspective.
“I grew up in an area of northwest Pasadena where there was poverty, violence and gang activity,” she recalled. “I wanted to make a difference and I always wondered what happened after somebody was arrested.”
Paulette also wanted to be a leader. In middle school, she was president of Girls’ Pride, an organization which presented professionals who talked about their careers. She wanted to be part of student government at Pasadena’s Blair High School, but her older sister, Lisa, had a different idea of what role she should play.
“I signed up for vice-president of the freshman class, but my sister was a junior and she crossed my name off the vice-president list and wrote my name on the list for president of the freshman class,” Paulette recalled.
Paulette earned degrees from Pasadena City College, Cal State Los Angeles, and University of West Los Angeles Law School. She worked as a custody specialist with the Pasadena Police Department, and was employed by the San Bernardino County Probation Department after moving to the Inland Empire.
Away from the office, Paulette manages to spend little time on Facebook in order to get more accomplished. She does watch YouTube to learn the latest hair care fashions. She has learned about wigs and it is not uncommon to have judges offer comments about wigs she wears.
Paulette joined the Public Defender’s Office on February 14, 2011 after a successful career with the San Bernardino Probation Department. She has brought her innovative spirit to our agency.
“I always love helping other people and advocating for other people,” she said. “I’m here to serve others.”