PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

March 2017 to Present: General Counsel, Texas Veterans Commission, Austin, Texas.

July 2016 to March 2017: Interim General Counsel, Texas Veterans Commission, Austin, Texas.

September 2015 to July 2016: Solo practice including family, civil rights, government and employment discrimination litigation, Austin/Houston.

May 2007 to May 2015: Asst. Attorney General, General Litigation Division, Austin.

August 2004 to May 2007: Law Clerk for Charles R. Holcomb, Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Austin.

August 2002 to August 2004: Solo practice including family and criminal litigation, Austin.

2002 to 2003: Assistant Attorney General, Habeas Corpus Division, Austin.

September 2001 to August 2002: Briefing Attorney for Wanda McKee Fowler, Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Houston.

Summer 2001: Summer Associate, Adams & Reese, L.L.P., Houston.

Summer 2000: Summer Associate, Porter & Hedges, L.L.P., Houston. Intern for Wanda McKee Fowler, Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Houston.

Spring 2000: Intern for Judge James Squier, 312th District Court, Houston.

EDUCATION

University of Houston Law Center

Juris Doctorate 2001

Associate Editor, Houston Journal of International Law
Editor, Legalese (student newspaper)
Member, Mock Trial Team Pool
Semi-Finalist, Blakely-Butler Moot Court Competition
Lex Award – Torts II (top grade in section)
Ben G. Levy Essay in Freedom Award (best paper in area of human rights)
Public Interest Law Fellow, Spring 2001
Distinguished Fellow, The Justice Foundation
Federalist Society, President 1999-2000

University of Houston

B.A., Speech Communication, Minor in Spanish, December 1997 Magna Cum Laude

Recipient, The Patricia Eichorn Scholarship for Returning Women
Recipient, The International Education Scholarship Award

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Director, Lost Creek Limited District 2016-2020
President, Lost Creek Neighborhood Association, 2015
Vice-President, Lost Creek Neighborhood Association, 2014
Volunteer Coach, Girls’ Volleyball, West Austin Youth Association, 2008-2013
Editor, The Scribe, Lost Creek Neighborhood Association, 2005-2008
Sunday School Volunteer, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2005 to 2014
Pro Bono Representation, Volunteer Legal Services of Travis County, 2005-2012

SIGNIFICANT CASES AS ATTORNEY OF RECORD

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department vs. Nancy Gallacher, No. 03-14-00079-CV (Tex. App.—Austin, Dec. 31, 2014, no pet. hist.) (reversing and rendering judgment of dismissal on Plaintiff’s TCHRA claims involving EEOC determination letter).
Carolyn Sterling v. Lamar Institute of Technology; C.A. No. 1:13-cv-28; in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division (February 3, 2014 & August 19, 2014) (summary judgment granted on all federal claims).
Brian Brister vs. Quentin Smith, No. 13-11293 (5th Cir. 2014) (per curiam) (dismissal on appeal from summary judgment affirmed), cert. denied, 135 S.Ct. 378 (2014).
Carlotta Howard vs. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, No. 05-13- 00817-CV (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014, pet. denied) (published) (failure to accommodate a disability claim dismissed for want of subject-matter jurisdiction).
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services vs. Esther Iredia, No. 01-13-00469-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2014, no pet.) (dismissal of race discrimination claim for want of subject-matter jurisdiction).
Prairie View A&M University v. Chatha , 381 S.W.3d 500 (Tex. 2012) (trial counsel, preserving error in attempt to engraft federal savings doctrine [the Lilly Ledbetter Act] onto Texas Labor Code).
Cohen v. University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, No. 13-40791 (5th Cir. 2014) (dismissal of failure to accommodate a disability claim affirmed on appeal).
Barbara Hoffman and Fred Lulling vs. Marion County, Texas, et al., Civil Action No. 2:12-cv-014; in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division (September 30, 2013) (summary judgment granted on all federal claims against individual defendants), cert. denied (2015).
Cohen v. University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler; Cause No. 6:11-cv- 00650-MHS; In the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Tyler Division (March 25, 2013) (summary judgment granted on all federal claims).
Mody v. Berry, Beninger, and Texas A&M University System Health Science Center; Cause No. 3:10-CV-1357-N; In the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division (May 18, 2012) (summary judgment granted on all federal claims; state-law claims dismissed).
Aragona v. Berry, Ashworth, Taleghani, and Texas A&M University System Health Science Center Cause No. 3:10-CV-01610-G; In the United States District Court, Northern District, Dallas Division (summary judgment granted on all claims against all entities and individuals).

Martha Perez v. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Travis County (2011) (second chair in race/national origin discrimination suit, hung jury/declared mistrial).
Lynch v. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, No. 6:09-cv-309 (ED Tex 2010) (first chair in Title VII sexual harassment and retaliation jury trial, defense verdict).
Reagins v. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, No. 6:09-cv-345 (ED Tex 2010) (summary judgment granted).
Jenevein v. Willing, 09-50064 (5th Cir. April 30, 2010).
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston v. Kristi Santi, No. 01-09-00186- CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2009, no pet.).
Kristofer Thomas Kastner, v. Texas Board of Law Examiners, No. 03-08-00515-CV, (Tex. App.—Austin 2009, no pet.).
UT Dallas vs. Matney , 280 S.W.3d 882 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2009, no pet.).
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas v. Larry Gentilello M.D., 260 S.W.3d 221 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2008), rev’d 300 S.W.3d 753 (Tex.2009).
Walch v. Adjutant Gen. Dep’t, 533 F.3d 289 (5th Cir. 2008).
In re Schulman, 252 S.W.3d 403 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
Williams v. State , 191 S.W.3d 242 (Tex. App.—Austin 2006, no pet.).
Manning v. Depart. Family and Protective Services, 03-04-00451-CV (Tex. App.— Austin 2005, pet. denied) (not designated for publication).
McKinney v. State, 177 S.W.3d 186 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2005), aff’d 207 S.W.3d 366 (Tex. Crim. App 2006).
Cooper v. State, No. 01-01-00672-CR (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2003, pet. ref’d) (not designated for publication).

PUBLISHED CASES DRAFTED AS JUDICIAL CLERK

Ex parte LaRoyce Lathair Smith, 185 S.W.3d 455 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006) (HOLCOMB, J., dissenting), rev’d, Smith v. Texas, 127 S. Ct. 1686 (2007).
David Wayne Casey, Jr. v. State, 215 S.W.3d 870 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007).
Ex parte Josė Noey Martinez, 195 S.W.3d 713 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006).
Jackie Barron Wilson v. State , 185 S.W.3d 481 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006).
Gregory v. State, 176 S.W.3d 826, 828 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (Holcomb, J., concurring in refusal to grant review).
Bonnie Jalaane Ray v. State, 178 S.W.3d 833 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).
Ex parte Rodney Keith Cash, , 178 S.W.3d 816 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (HOLCOMB, J., dissenting).
Patrick Wayne Gregory , 176 S.W.3d 826 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (HOLCOMB, J., concurring in refusal of petition for discretionary review).
Jackie Russel Keeter , 175 S.W.3d 756 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (HOLCOMB, J., dissenting).
Ramon Reyna v. State , 168 S.W.3d 173, 180 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (HOLCOMB, J., dissenting).
John Anthony Saenz v. State, 166 S.W.3d 270 (Tex.Crim. App. 2005).
Thomas Eric Brother, Jr. v. State, 166 S.W.3d 255 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005), cert. denied, 126 S. Ct. 1172 (2006).
Steven Harry Powers v. State , 165 S.W.3d 357 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).
Melvin Goodspeed v. State , No. PD-1882-03 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (HOLCOMB, J., dissenting).
Ramiro Flores, Jr. v. State , 155 S.W.3d 144 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004).
State v. Kurtz , 152 S.W.3d 72 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004) (HOLCOMB, J., dissenting).
Eusebio Soloranzo Castilla , 146 S.W.3d 213 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004).
Fort Bend Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Rivera, 93 S.W.3d 315 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, no pet.).
Urso v. Lyon Financial Services, Inc., 93 S.W.3d 276 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, no pet.).
Peters v. State, 93 S.W.3d 347 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2003, pet. ref'd).
Steen v. State, 78 S.W.3d 516 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, pet. ref’d).
State v. Klare, 76 S.W.3d 68 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, pet. ref’d).
Hiroms v. Scheffey, 76 S.W.3d 486 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist. 2002, no pet.).
City of Houston v. Fletcher, 63 S.W.3d 920 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, no pet.).
Thomas v. Ben Taub Hosp., 63 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, no pet.).