Each month, the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office highlights one of our standout employees. This month we recognize one of our Grand Jury Coordinators, Kyle Ankerson. Kyle has been with our office for two years and is responsible for helping organize the Grand Jury sessions where citizens of Mobile County are presented with the facts and circumstances of a case to determine if there is enough probable cause to indict the defendant. Before he started working at MCDA, Kyle worked in sales. He enjoys working for our office because he believes this job gives him purpose and allows him to make a positive impact on the city that he was born and raised in. When Kyle is not at work he enjoys spending time with his significant other, family, and friends.
What is the most rewarding thing about your job?
Organizing a Grand Jury session is a challenging task and is wholeheartedly a team effort. There is a lot of moving parts to contend with. It requires a lot of organization and communication between teammates. It is also an incredibly fascinating process. One of my favorite things about Grand Jury is our jurors’ reactions to before and after the process. At first, nobody looks very happy to be chosen for Grand Jury for a two-week period but afterward, they are asking to come back and do it again. It’s a complete 180. I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to be a part of a grand jury to do so at least once in their lives.
What have you learned from working at MCDA?
I’ve certainly learned a lot about the law and the criminal justice system. I’ve learned that behind the doors of the Mobile District Attorney’s Office there are a lot of hard-working individuals serving the city of Mobile who I have a tremendous amount of respect for. From the outside looking in its hard to see how much really happens here. Some days can be more stressful than others, but I have some pretty awesome colleagues who are a great support system. They’re there for you when you need to laugh, vent or need encouragement.
What is the key to balancing a healthy professional and personal life?
You have to make time for yourself, take opportunities outside of work to do what you love.
Do you have an influential project or case that you have worked on? Something that really affected you or moved you?
I am a big animal advocate, it’s awful to see what people are capable of doing to animals. I’m always glad when we can get justice for a life that has no voice.
What’s your favorite thing about living in Mobile or the gulf coast in general?
I was born at Providence Hospital in Mobile on the 4th of July 1988. My grandparents had a small cinder brick house in Point Clear with jalousie windows that faced the bay. It didn’t have air conditioning but the breeze off the bay was all you needed. I had many fond memories there- fishing, swimming, shooting fireworks (they were for me, right?), watching the sun set over Mobile Bay from a hammock on the dock. My mother is from Jacksonville, Florida and she grew up camping at some of the most beautiful natural springs Florida had to offer. She continued that tradition with my siblings and me and I often still go there to camp. I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors, that is why I love living in coastal Alabama. You can find me on the weekends kayaking our various waterways, enjoying our beaches, or hiking our many trails.
Family?
I come from a large family, I have one older sister, two older brothers and a little brother. I have a niece and two nephews who mean the world to me and are growing up way too fast.
Has there been anyone in your life that has influenced you personally or professionally?
My significant other of 6 years encourages me every day.
Do you have any pets?
I have a dog named Atlas who is my best little companion, he’s a rescue and a papillon mix of sorts. He goes everywhere with me and loves chasing squirrels in Bienville park and running on the beach. Anywhere I go he’s eager to go. His favorite words are “you wanna go bye-bye”, that means we’re going to have an adventure. I also have two cats, a tabby girl named Cala who’s petit and very introverted, and I have a tabby boy cat named Doc who’s a lover for sure and tries to eat all the food in sight.
Do you have any favorite movies, shows, or podcasts?
We could be here awhile on this category….I’ll just say JAWS, Ms. Doubtfire, and Terminator 2 are movies I could watch over and over. I’m all about a good drama series, Breaking Bad, Ozark, The Handmaids Tale but I like to balance out, slightly embarrassingly so, with Judge Judy. The podcasts I enjoy are Imagined Life, Criminal, and most of the shows produced by Wondery.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I try and go fishing anytime the opportunity comes up. I also do photography and cook. Also, Lowe’s has become my favorite store, so home improvement projects.
Dream vacation? or have you already taken it?
Last year I went to Costa Rica with a group of friends and it was one of the best trips I’ve taken to date. Costa Rica is a stunning place, with fantastic scenery, phenomenal food, and gorgeous beaches. The trip was filled with adventures, memories, and lots of laughs. Costa Ricans are wonderful people and they are keen on protecting their environment in a way I’ve never seen anywhere else. They have a saying, “Pura Vida” or “Live Pure” and it’s the Costa Rican equivalent of Alabama’s Roll Tide and it means to celebrate the simple things in life. This year, friends and I plan to visit Utah for the first time to explore Zion National Park as well as several other surrounding Parks, that is, if Corona gets its act together.
