Vann Arvanetes

Vann has been a public defender for three decades – over two decades as a federal public defender and almost one as a state public defender.  Born in New York City, Vann attended several elite New England boarding schools in his youth through high school.  After graduation, Vann escaped to Texas during his formative years attending Texas A&M both as an undergraduate and graduate student of American History and Literature.  

During those years, Vann rode motorcycles and worked through school as a line cook, oyster shucker, stable hand, and librarian developing a flavor for life, people, and especially, good food.  After chasing his “white whale,” Vann decided to attend law school.  During three banal years at Washburn, Vann discovered his muse while interning at a heralded, local law firm and sought to alter the paradigm of a dystopic and dehumanizing criminal justice system by becoming a public defender seeking to rehumanize the poor, dispossessed, and mentally ill.

Outside of work, Vann enjoys travelling, spending time with his two pups, and hanging with other gastronomes at local eateries.  Fun fact: Vann loves numbers and statistics and has played in the same fantasy baseball league since before the internet.