Collaborative Council
The work of JCMH requires the sustained collaboration of dedicated individuals who are committed to creating a legal system that better serves individuals with mental health challenges. The Collaborative Council is composed of interested stakeholders and advocates from across Texas to inform the JCMH on important matters when considering projects and policy.
- Hon. Devon Anderson
President and Chief Executive Officer, Justice Forward - Hon. Mark Atkinson
Chief Executive Officer, Texas Center for the Judiciary - Hon. Laura Barker
Judge, Williamson County Court No. 2 - Kelsey Bernstein
Legislative Consultant – JPCA, Texas Association of Counties - Catherine Bialick
Senior Advisor, Office of the State Forensic Director, 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 - Dr. Virginia A. Brown
Assistant Professor, Community Engagement and Health Equity, Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin - Hon. Sarah Bruchmiller
Judge, 368th District Court - Sonja Burns
Mental Health Advocate - Hon. Nelda Cacciotti
Assistant Criminal District Attorney – Mental Health, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office - Angel Carroll
Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships, MEASURE - Kathleen Casey-Gamez
Senior Policy Analyst, Texas Indigent Defense Commission - Armando Colombo
President and CEO, The Menninger Clinic - Leah Davies
Cause Programs Manager, CLEAN Cause Foundation - Colleen Davis
Assistant County Attorney, Burnet County Attorney’s Office - Dep. Shawn Edwards
Training Coordinator, Crisis Intervention Unit #920, Burleson County Sheriff's Office - Lesli R. Fitzpatrick
Director of Special Litigation, Texas Department of Criminal Justice - 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
Municipal Court Supervisor, City of McKinney Municipal Court - Lee Johnson
Chief Executive Officer, Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc. - Windy Johnson
Program Manager, Texas Conference of Urban Counties - Kathy Johnston
Rural Health Specialist, Texas Department of Agriculture - Louise Joy
Attorney, Joy & Young, L.L.P. - Hon. Evelyn Keyes (Ret.)
Former Justice, First Court of Appeals - Yolanda Lewis
Executive Vice President for Justice and Health, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute - Christopher C. Lopez
Attorney, Policy Department, Legal Services Division, Texas Health and Human Services Commission - Mike Lozito
Judicial Services Director, Bexar County Office of County Manager - 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 - 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 - Magdalena Morales-Aina
Director, El Paso County Community Supervision and Corrections Department - Jennifer Mudge
Public Policy Director, Texas Council on Family Violence - Hon. Kirk D. Noaker, Sr.
Senior Specialist, Mental Health & Criminal Justice, The Arc of Texas - Hon. Rita Noel
Student Support Services, Denison Independent School District - Dr. Susan Palacios
Community Mental Health Program Administrator, Texas Juvenile Justice Department - John Petrila
Senior Executive Vice President of Policy, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute - Hon. Daphne Previti-Austin
Former Judge, 289th Juvenile District Court, 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
In-House Legal Counsel at State Bar of Texas - Michelle Romero
Associate Director, Texas Medical Association - Lt. Joe Ross
Deputy Mental Health Peace Officer, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office - 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 - Melissa Shearer
Director, Travis County Mental Health Public Defender's Office - Dr. Jennie Simpson
Forensic Director, Texas Health and Human Services Commission - Matt Smith
Assistant Executive Director/Director of Mental Health Services, Williamson County Juvenile Services - Hon. Mike Smith
Judge, 35th District Court, Brown County - Dr. Sandra Smith
Vice President, Via Hope - Lt. Scott Soland
President, Texas CIT Association - 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 - Hon. Ryan Kellus Turner
Executive Director, Texas Municipal Court Education Center - Sally Uncapher
Assistant District Attorney, Bexar County District Attorney's Office - Julie Wayman
Mental and Behavioral Health Manager, Interagency Liaison, Texas Education Agency - 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 - Thomas Wilson
Assistant District Attorney, Smith County District Attorney's Office - Steve Wohleb
Senior Vice President/General Counsel, Texas Hospital Association
Membership as of February 2023.