In January 2023, Donna Buckley was sworn in as the first female sheriff in Barnstable County’s 331-year history. Her platform focused on addressing the challenges facing inmates and staff at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility in Bourne. She will discuss her first year in office, why she ran for sheriff, and the importance of using incarceration as an opportunity for health and healing, thereby improving public safety.

Sheriff Buckley received her JD at Suffolk University Law School. Her career has included in-house counsel roles at the International Brotherhood of Police Officers and the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, and she had her own legal practice. Prior to her election, she served as General Counsel for the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office. She resides with her family in Falmouth.