Julianna Peterson has served the Metro Atlanta community as a prosecutor for more than 6 years. She graduated from the Georgia State University College of Law, where she received the Michelle Ferguson-Priestley Award for excellence in criminal law. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia where she double majored in English and Classics.

Since June 2019, she has served as the director of the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Unit (SAKI). As the head of that unit, Julianna leads a team that investigates cold-case sexual assaults by pursuing DNA tests of previously-untested sexual assault kits and prosecutes those offenders who are identified through that process. For example, in 2020, Julianna led the successful prosecution of Dandre Shabazz, a prolific serial rapist who victimized numerous women between 2002 and 2005, who is now serving 12 consecutive life sentences. Before her role with SAKI, she was assigned to the Fulton County District Attorney Office’s Crimes Against Women and Children Unit, specializing in sexual assault and child abuse prosecutions. In 2019, she was honored by the Women Works Media Group as one of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential Women.

Prior to joining the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in 2018, Julianna worked at the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney where she prosecuted hundreds of cases. Julianna was appointed as a barrister in the Bleckley Inn, a chapter of the American Inns of Court for a two-year term from 2019-2020. Julianna is also an adjunct professor at the Georgia State University School of Law where she teaches Advanced Criminal Prosecution. Dedicated to serving her community both professionally and personally, she also serves at her church in Atlanta, Passion City Church.