TEXAS MUNICIPAL COURTS EDUCATION CENTER FACULTY ROSTER

Transcription

1 TEXAS MUNICIPAL COURTS EDUCATION CENTER FACULTY ROSTER Regional Clerks Seminar Robert Barfield Judge El Lago 98 Lakeshore Dr. El Lago, TX Bianca Bentzin Chief Prosecutor City of Austin 700 E. 7th St. Austin, TX Janet Blacklock Matthews Judge Wilson P.O. Box 22 Wilson, TX Robby Chapman Director of Clerk Education & Program Attorney TMCEC 2210 Hancock Drive Austin, TX Elizabeth De La Garza TxDOT Grant Administrator TMCEC 2210 Hancock Drive Austin, TX Artin DerOhanian Senior Associate Attorney Law Office of Ryan Henry Law Office of Ryan Henry 1380 Pantheon Way, #110 San Antonio, TX Frederick Garcia Alternate Judge Helotes P.O. Box 507 Helotes, TX Mark Goodner Deputy Counsel and Director of Judicial Education TMCEC 2210 Hancock Drive Austin, TX Jacqueline Habersham Deputy Senior Counsel Commission on Judicial Conduct PO Box Austin, TX David Hamilton Prosecutor Reno in Lamar County 160 Blackburn St. Reno, TX Victoria Jaramillo Medley Court Administrator Amarillo P.O. Box 1366 Amarillo, TX Debbie Landrum Court Administrator Fair Oaks Ranch 7286 Dietz Elkhorn Rd. Fair Oaks Ranch, TX J. Elaine Marshall Presiding Judge Houston 1400 Lubbock St. Houston, TX Stewart Milner Chief Judge Arlington PO Box 90403, MS Arlington, TX Ned Minevitz TxDOT Grant Administrator & Program Attorney TMCEC 2210 Hancock Drive Austin, TX Melissa Pace Client Liaison/Business Development Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins and Mott LLP 500 East Border St. Suite 640 Arlington, TX Kimberly Piechowiak Domestic Violence Resource Attorney Office of Court Administration P.O. Box Austin, TX

2 Pat Riffel Court Administrator Friendswood 1600 Whitaker Dr. Friendswood, TX Sheila Roach Deputy Clerk Canyon th St Canyon, TX Rebecca Stark Retired Court Administrator Austin Michael Strawn Driver Education and Traffic Safety Compliance Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Austin

3 2210 Hancock Drive, Austin, Texas fax ROBERT BARFIELD Robert J. Barfield was born and raised in Pasadena, Texas. He is a graduate from Harvard College (1991) and the University of Houston Law Center (1993). He currently maintains a criminal defense practice focusing on Class C misdemeanors. Mr. Barfield is a Municipal Judge in the City of El Lago. He also serves as a Prosecutor for the Texas City Municipal Court. BIANCA BENTZIN BIANCA BENTZIN is the Chief Prosecutor for the City of Austin. Bianca leads a team of attorneys and staff members responsible for the prosecution of Class C misdemeanors cited pursuant to state laws and municipal ordinances. She earned a B.A. in Political Science, History, and French from the University of Arizona in 1990 and her law degree with honors from Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa in She recently earned her Master s degree in Counseling specializing in relationship and family therapy in September, After law school Bianca served as an Assistant City Prosecutor for the City of Phoenix for fifteen years including work as a trial attorney, community prosecutor, and technology development attorney. She also served on the Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Arizona and was an adjunct instructor for the paralegal program at Phoenix College teaching Legal Ethics. Bianca enjoys volunteering as a board member for the YMCA, the Samaritan Center, and as a Boy Scout leader. JAN BLACKLOCK MATTHEWS Jan Blacklock Matthews is a licensed attorney and trained mediator (USDA qualified mediator). She serves as municipal judge for the City of Wilson. She is also an assistant city attorney for the cities of Idalou and Petersburg. Previously, she served as the elected presiding municipal judge for the City of Lubbock and Misdemeanor Chief for the Lubbock County District Attorney s Office. Ms. Blacklock Matthews received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Sul Ross State University (1981) and her Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law (1987). She also completed the Institute in Faculty Excellence in Judicial Education from the University of Memphis, Center for the Study of Higher Education (2005). Past service to her community and state includes the Texas Municipal Courts Association/Texas Municipal Courts Education Center Board, Lubbock County Dispute Resolution Board, Legal Aid Society of Lubbock, Lubbock County Bail Bond Board, Girl Scouts of USA/Caprock Council Board, and Texas Polygraph Examiners Board. ROBBY CHAPMAN Robby Chapman serves as Presiding Judge for the cities of West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, and Manor, and is the Director of Clerk Education for TMCEC. Previously, he served as Assistant District Attorney for Nueces County and as the municipal prosecutor for the City of Cedar Park. Mr. Chapman earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from St. Mary s University School of Law and Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. He has spoken on issues affecting courts for state and national groups, including the Texas Court Clerks Association, the National Center for State Courts Institute for Court Management, and the National Association of State

4 Judicial Educators. For his work developing court clerk education, Mr. Chapman received the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from the Texas Court Clerks Association in ELIZABETH DE LA GARZA Elizabeth De La Garza joined the TMCEC team as a TxDOT Grant Administrator for Driving on the Right Side of the Road in June Ms. De La Garza has spent the last 32 years as a public school teacher in the Round Rock Independent School District, spending most of these years at Chisholm Trail Middle School teaching music and social studies. She has her BME from Baylor University in Waco, and completed her MME at The University of Texas at Austin. Ms. De La Garza is a native of San Antonio. ARTIN DEROHANIAN Artin DerOhanian is the senior associate attorney with the Law Offices of Ryan Henry in San Antonio. His practice areas include counseling municipalities and governmental entities, including litigation and prosecution. His also has a background in business litigation, legal malpractice, civil appeals, family law, and criminal matters. Artin practiced law in California for six years before he moved to Texas with his wife in FREDERICK GARCIA Frederick P. Garcia Jr. is currently the municipal court clerk for San Antonio. Mr. Garcia graduated from St. Mary s University with a degree in business administration and later Texas Tech University with his juris doctorate. Mr. Garcia has previously worked as a municipal court prosecutor, and bank auditor, as he has also served as an attorney in a private practice that concentrated on criminal defense and family law. MARK GOODNER Mark Goodner is the Deputy Counsel and Director of Judicial Education for the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center (TMCEC). Annually, Mark plans, develops, and oversees ten Regional Judges Seminars per year each offering 16 hours of judicial education along with two 32-hour New Judges Seminars. In addition to his work at TMCEC, Mark serves as an Associate Judge for the cities of Bee Cave, Manor, and Leander. Mark is a Certified Court Manager, having completed the Court Management Program of the Institute for Court Management in August Mr. Goodner graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1997 with a B.A. in Theatre and from the University Of Texas School Of Law with a juris doctorate and certification in the Graduate Portfolio Program in Dispute Resolution in May of JACQUELINE HABERSHAM Jacqueline Habersham serves as the Deputy General Counsel for the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Prior to joining the Commission in 2001, she served as an associate attorney with the law firm of Theadore Andrews & Associates. In 1995, she went into private practice, concentrating in the areas of criminal defense, family law, and personal injury. She is a graduate

5 of Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, in Houston, Texas, and she received her Bachelor s Degree in Political Science and Public Administration with honors from Florida A&M University, in Tallahassee, Florida. A frequent presenter on topics relating to judicial ethics and discipline, Jacqueline speaks to judges, court staff, attorneys and other groups on various topics relating to judicial ethics, and has represented the Commission as a guest speaker at the National Traffic Court Ethics Seminar sponsored by the American Bar Association. In her spare time, Jacqueline does volunteer work with the Center for Child Protection and the Austin Cocker Spaniel Rescue Foundation. DAVID HAMILTON Mr. Hamilton has been licensed lawyer in Texas for over 30 years, spending most of that time in private practice. For the last ten years, Mr. Hamilton has served as City Attorney for City of Reno, Lamar County. Mr. Hamilton began his career as a law enforcement officer, while attending undergraduate and law school at Texas Tech University. He holds the Advanced Law Enforcement License, as well as the Instructor s Certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education. After law school, Mr. Hamilton served as a briefing attorney for the Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin, then began his legal career, which has included five years as a felony prosecutor. A member of the National Order of Barristers, Mr. Hamilton has participated in every type of criminal case, from traffic tickets to capital murder. In addition to his faculty duties with TMCEC, Mr. Hamilton is a member of the State Bar Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. Born in Lubbock, Mr. Hamilton s published articles include Multiple Personality Disorder: Competency and the Insanity Defense and Expert Witness Testimony. VICTORIA JARAMILLO MEDLEY Victoria Jaramillo Medley is currently the Court Administrator for the City of Amarillo. Ms. Medley received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters in Public Administration from Northern Arizona University. Ms. Medley has completed Level 2 of the Clerk Certification program and is a Certified Court Manager through the Institute of Court Management. Ms. Medley has been in her current position as the Court Administrator since Prior to becoming the Court Administrator for the City of Amarillo, Ms. Medley worked for Bernalillo County Juvenile Probation in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Randall County Juvenile Probation in Amarillo, Texas. She was an officer specializing in serious offenders. Ms. Medley was originally hired by the City of Amarillo in 1990 to serve as the first Teen Court Coordinator for the City of Amarillo and was responsible for designing and implementing one of the first Teen Court Programs in Texas. DEBBIE LANDRUM Debbie Landrum began her court administration career in She has attained the Level 3 certification and has begun the Institute for Court Management program. Debbie is currently the Court Administrator for the city of Fair Oaks Ranch. She has also served in this capacity for the cities of Seguin (where it all began), Granite Shoals and Little Elm. She is a member of TMCA

6 and TCCA. Prior to entering the court world, she was a Level III caseworker and an assistant supervisor for the Texas Department of Human Services in New Braunfels. She supervised case workers, all clerical staff and conducted training sessions for both the local office and others in the region. Debbie is passionate about court, especially small courts. Customer service, court processes and the certification program are important to her and she instills those in her staff and peers. Family is important to her and she enjoys time spent with them. She plays the guitar and leads worship at conferences and retreats as opportunities come her way. She loves the outdoors, kayaking, hiking and golf. Her favorite places to travel are Alaska and Colorado. J. ELAINE MARSHALL Judge Marshall was appointed to serve as Director and Presiding Judge for the Municipal Courts Department on December 7, 2016, by Mayor Sylvester Turner. Prior to this appointment, Judge Marshall has served the City of Houston since 1987, first as a full-time Judge, then as the Administrative Judge, and next as the Associate Presiding Judge. One of the most rewarding experiences for Judge Marshall has been her revision of the Teen Court Program which when started had approximately 15 members, and has grown to over 200 participating students. Prior to joining the Municipal Courts Judicial Staff, Judge Marshall was an Assistant District Attorney for Harris County for 8 years and assisted in developing the office's Child Abuse Section. Judge Marshall was also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas. She earned her Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in Psychology. STEWART MILNER Stewart Milner is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington and the Oklahoma City University School of Law. He began his employment with the City of Arlington in 1992 as an Assistant City Attorney and became Chief Prosecutor for the City of Arlington in From 1997 to the present, he has served as the Chief Judge for the City of Arlington Municipal Court. Judge Milner has taught classes for the North Texas Council of Governments, City of Arlington Police Academy, Texas Court Clerks Association, the Building Professional Institute, The National Judicial College and the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center. He is a current board member and past president of the Texas Municipal Courts Association.

7 NED MINEVITZ Ned Minevitz, a Massachusetts native, has served as TxDOT Grant Administrator and Program Attorney at the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center since November, Mr. Minevitz also serves as General Counsel for two Massachusetts based companies: BrokenBarriers.com and Everthin LLC. He received his B.A. from Connecticut College in New London, CT where he majored in East Asian Studies. Spending extensive time in China after college, Mr. Minevitz is proficient in Mandarin Chinese. In 2013, Mr. Minevitz earned his J.D. from the Sandra Day O Connor College of Law in Tempe, AZ. In his free time, he enjoys tennis, golf, and squash. MELISSA PACE Melissa Pace was raised in the Texas Panhandle and graduated with Valedictorian honors from Floydada High School. She moved to the metroplex soon thereafter to attend college and learn how to drive in a lot of traffic. She graduated from the University of Texas in Arlington with a Bachelor in Business Administration. The Haltom City Municipal Court was her home for 17 years in which she was employed as the Court Administrator. In addition, she served as the chair for the North Texas Chapter Education committee for several years and on the TCCA board as a director at large and secretary. She is excited to be continuing to learn and teach as well as maintain her Level II certification. She currently works for the Law Firm of Perdue. KIMBERLY PIECHOWIAK Kimberly Piechowiak has been the Domestic Violence Training Attorney for the Texas Office of Court Administration since She received her B.A. in Criminal Justice in 1989 from UTSA and her J.D. from St. Mary s University School of Law in Before coming to the OCA, Kimberly prosecuted family violence cases for 20 years, first with the Bexar County District Attorney and then the San Antonio City Attorney s Office. While with the City, Kimberly implemented and supervised the family violence prosecution program at San Antonio Municipal Court. She is a TCOLE Certified Police Instructor who has been training law enforcement officers, attorneys, and judges since 1997 on the issue of domestic violence for many local, state, and national agencies, including the San Antonio Police Training Academy, the National District Attorneys Association, the Texas Center for the Judiciary, Texas Municipal Courts Education Center, the Texas Council on Family Violence, and the Texas Criminal Justice Information Users Group. PAT RIFFEL Pat Riffel, CMCC, is the Court Administrator for the City of Friendswood. She has a Bachelor s Degree in Political Science and is a Licensed Social Worker. She joined the court clerk profession in December She is a Level III, Certified Municipal Court Clerk. She has also achieved status as a Certified Court Manager through the National Institute of Court Management. She currently serves as faculty for both the Texas Municipal Court Education Center and National Center for State Courts. Pat is a member of the Texas Court Clerk s Association and serves as Co-Chair of the Education Committee, and Chair of the Ethics Committee.

8 SHEILA SEYMORE ROACH Sheila Seymore Roach is the Court Administrator for City of Canyon. Prior to coming to Canyon in 2012, she started with the City of Amarillo. Sheila completed her Leve I clerk certification September 2013, her Level II clerk certification in In 2016, she graduated from Amarillo College with her Paralegal Studies Associate degree in Applied Science. Sheila is currently working on her bachelor s degree at West Texas A&M. Sheila currently is a member of the Texas Municipal Court Association, where she serves as the Region I Director. Sheila also works as a United Way Loaned Executive for Amarillo/Canyon region. REBECCA STARK Rebecca Stark retired two years ago as the Court Administrator of the City of Austin Municipal Court after 15 years of service. Prior to Austin, she was the Assistant Director/Court Clerk of the Fort Worth Municipal Court for 6 years, and, before that, City Manager, City Administrator, Assistant City Manager and City Secretary for two other cities in the Metroplex. She served for several years on the Board of TCCA and as a facilitator for TMCEC. She hosted the 2004 TCCA Annual Conference with the Central Texas Chapter. During her tenure, she was selected as Clerk of the Year by both TCCA and TMCA. She is thoroughly enjoying retirement but always particularly enjoyed working with TMCEC. MICHAEL STRAWN Michael Strawn is the Driver Education and Traffic Safety Project Manager for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Mr. Strawn has 11 years of State government experience managing and launching new programs. Previously, he worked with the Department of Public Safety driver license division, running the Parent Taught Driver Education Program, Driver License production, Facial Recognition, Internal/External Fraud teams, and biometrics. Mr. Strawn s program management experience includes programs such as Driver Education for Adults and Teens, Driving Safety and Drug and Alcohol Awareness Programs.