Collaborative Council

The Collaborative Council is comprised of judges, lawyers, law enforcement, advocates, agency leaders, and other stakeholders who advise on the projects and strategies undertaken by the Commission.  The Council meets three times per year on Zoom and assists the Commission by sharing information about issues that affect judicial and court practices in cases involving persons with mental illness or intellectual and developmental disabilities. Councilmembers serve on the JCMH’s many committees and also connect the JCMH to the their local and statewide events. Collaborative Councilmembers are also invited to attend JCMH Commission Meetings. Many Commissioners began their service with the JCMH as members of the Collaborative Council.

  • Hon. Laura Barker
    Judge, Williamson County Court No. 2
  • Hon. Sheila Garcia-Bence
    Judge, Cameron County Criminal Court No. 4
  • Kelsey Bernstein
    Chief of Government Relations, Texas Council of Community Centers
  • Hon. Elizabeth Berry
    First Assistant Public Defender, Concho Valley Public Defender’s Office
  • Catherine Bialick
    Director of Behavioral Health and Justice Initiatives, Office of Forensic Coordination, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
  • Alison Mohr Boleware
    Director of Policy, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
  • Timothy Bray
    Vice President for Justice and Health Policy, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
  • Hon. Clifford A. Brown
    Judge, 147th Criminal District Court
  • Dr. Virginia A. Brown
    Research Scholar in Social Justice and Population Health, The Hastings Center
  • Hon. Sarah Bruchmiller
    Judge, 368th District Court
  • Sonja Burns
    Mental Health Advocate
  • Angel Carroll
    Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships, MEASURE
  • Hon. Jennifer Cates
    Judge, Canyon Municipal Court
  • Daniela Chisolm
    Senior Trial Attorney, El Paso County Attorney’s Office
  • Hon. Brad Clark
    Judge, Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 5
  • Armando Colombo
    President and CEO, The Menninger Clinic
  • Hon. Adolfo Cordova
    Judge, 197th District Court
  • Hon. Marla Cuellar
    Judge, 275th District Court
  • Leah Davies
    Cause Programs Director, CLEAN Cause Foundation
  • Colleen Davis
    First Assistant County Attorney, Burnet County Attorney’s Office
  • Hon. Karen Diaz
    Justice of the Peace, San Patricio County Precinct No. 4
  • Sergeant Shawn Edwards
    Training Coordinator, Crisis Intervention Unit #920, Burleson County Sheriff's Office
  • Hon. Drue Farmer
    Board Chair, StarCare Lubbock
  • Lesli R. Fitzpatrick
    Director of Special Litigation, Texas Department of Criminal Justice
  • Eric Fox
    Law Enforcement Liaison, Central Counties Services
  • Hon. Neal Franklin
    County Judge, Smith County
  • Gilbert Gonzales
    Director, Bexar County Department of Behavioral and Mental Health
  • Krishnaveni Gundu
    Co-Founder & Executive Director, Texas Jail Project
  • Rachel Hampton
    Chief Mission Officer, Lone Star Justice Alliance
  • Greg Hansch
    Executive Director, NAMI Texas
  • Hon. James Henderson
    Judge, Grayson County Court of Law No. 1
  • Angelita Hunter
    Victim Advocate, Grayson Crisis Center
  • Hon. Echo Hutson
    Judge, Montgomery County Court at Law No. 4
  • Hon. Sandra Jackson
    Judge, 302nd District Court
  • Lee Johnson
    Chief Executive Officer, Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc.
  • Windy Johnson
    Program Manager, Texas Conference of Urban Counties
  • Hon. Raquel “Rocky” Jones
    Judge, 203rd District Court
  • Louise Joy
    Attorney, Joy & Young, L.L.P.
  • Hon. Evelyn Keyes (Ret.)
    Former Justice, First Court of Appeals
  • Sgt. Michael Krogmann
    Crisis Intervention Team Sergeant, Round Rock Police Department
  • Hon. Kirsten Legore
    Judge, Guadalupe County Court at Law No. 2
  • Dr. Scott LePor
    Medical Director, Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  • Katrina LeVert
    Assistant County Attorney, Fort Bend County Attorney’s Office
  • Yolanda Lewis
    Executive Vice President for Justice and Health, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute 
  • Hon. Lora J. Livingston
    Interim Executive Director, Texas Access to Justice Commission
  • Christopher C. Lopez
    Assistant General Counsel, State Hospital, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
  • Dr. Charles Mathias
    Associate Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
  • Hon. Lela Mays
    Judge, 283rd District Court
  • Rosie Medina
    Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department
  • Kristin Meeks
    Senior Policy Analyst, Texas Indigent Defense Commission
  • Joanna Mendez
    Assistant Adjunct Professor, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin
  • Tpr. Bianca Morales
    Highway Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety
  • Officer Brittany Moreno
    Mental Health Officer, Sugar Land Police Department
  • Jennifer Mudge
    Public Policy Coordinator, Texas Council on Family Violence
  • Hon. Kirk D. Noaker, Sr.
    Consultant, National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices
  • Hon. Rita Noel
    Student Support Services, Denison Independent School District
  • Dr. Evan Norton
    Senior Director of Integrated Treatment and Support, Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  • Lemuel Odom
    Clinical Supervisor-Psychological & Social Services, Harris County Juvenile Probation Department
  • John Petrila
    Senior Policy Advisor, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
  • Hon. Daphne Previti Austin
    Attorney, Law Office of Shawn C. Brown, P.C.
  • Officer Terry Qualls
    Crisis Intervention Coordinator, McKinney Police Department
  • Janis Reinken
    Former Chief Clerk, House Committee on Corrections
  • Chris Ritter
    Chief Legal Counsel, State Bar of Texas
  • Trish Rivera
    Rural Health Specialist, Texas Department of Agriculture
  • Michelle Romero
    Associate Director, Texas Medical Association
  • Simone Salloum
    Policy Attorney, Texas HHSC
  • Rachel Samsel
    Deputy Associate Commissioner for Regional & Local Operations, Texas Department of State Health Services 
  • Melissa Schank
    Executive Director, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
  • Jonas Schwartz
    Program Manager, Texas Workforce Commission
  • Dr. Susan Scott
    Manager of Community Interventions and Supports, Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  • Melissa Shearer
    Director, Travis County Mental Health Public Defender's Office
  • Dr. Jennie Simpson
    Associate Commissioner and State Forensic Director, Office of Forensic Coordination, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
  • Hon. Mike Smith
    Judge, 35th District Court, Brown County
  • Dr. Sandra Smith
    Vice President, Via Hope
  • Lt. Scott Soland
    Patrol Lieutenant, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office 
  • Hon. Rosie Speedlin-Gonzalez
    Judge, Bexar County Court at Law #13
  • Hon. Nancy Tanner
    County Judge, Potter County
  • Gloria Terry
    Chief Executive Officer, Texas Council on Family Violence
  • Jennifer Toon
    Mental Health Peer Policy Fellow, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
  • Haley Turner
    Deputy Executive Commissioner of Community Services, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
  • Hon. Ryan Kellus Turner
    Executive Director, Texas Municipal Court Education Center
  • Hon. Brian Keith Umphress
    Jack County Judge
  • Sally Uncapher
    Assistant District Attorney, Bexar County District Attorney's Office
  • Nicole Weaver
    YES Waiver Manager, Mental Health and Substance Use Programs, Texas HHSC
  • Thea Whalen
    Executive Director, Texas Justice Courts Training Center
  • Hon. Deborah Wigington
    Judge, Comal County Court at Law #3
  • Hon. Angela Williams
    Justice of the Peace, Williamson County Precinct No. 2
  • Thomas Wilson
    Assistant District Attorney, Civil Division, Smith County District Attorney's Office
  • Thomas “Jay” Wooten
    Chief Public Defender, Galveston County Misdemeanor Mental Health Public Defender’s Office
  • Hon. Michael York
    Justice of the Peace, Lee County Precinct #2

Membership as of July 2024.