Gov. Perry Appoints Seven to Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team

Chelsea Buchholtz of Austin is a policy advisor for the Office of the Governor Budget, Planning, and Policy Division, and handles matters pertaining to criminal and juvenile justice, public safety, and military and veterans' affairs. She is a former assistant general counsel for the Office of the Governor, a former briefing attorney of the Texas Court of Appeals Fourth District, and is a member of the State Bar of Texas. Buchholtz received a bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University and a law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law.

Albert Hawkins of Austin is a public policy consultant and former executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. He is a former policy advisor and executive office liaison to the Presidential Cabinet under President George W. Bush, and is also past director of then-Governor Bush's Office of Budget and Planning. He is a board member of St. David's Foundation, CASA of Travis County, the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors, and the Huston-Tillotson University Board of Trustees. Hawkins received a bachelor's degree and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas.

Rep. Ruth McClendon of San Antonio is the state representative for Texas House District 120. She is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Transportation, and chair of the House Committee on Rules & Resolutions. She has authored and co-authored legislation, such as House Bill 914, establishing the Office of Inspector General at the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) and House Bill 3689, concerning improvement to the functions and continuation of the Texas Youth Commission, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the Office of the Independent Ombudsman for TYC. She is also a former juvenile probation officer and administrator of the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department. She received a bachelor's degree from Texas Southern University and a master's degree in Business Management from Webster University.

David "Scott" Matthew of Georgetown is chief juvenile probation officer of Williamson County Juvenile Services, and a municipal judge for the Cities of Jarrell and Granger. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Probation Association and Texas Municipal Court's Association, and a board member of the Georgetown Project and the Boys and Girls Club of Georgetown. Matthew received a bachelor's degree from Southwestern University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Vicki Spriggs of Austin is executive director of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission. She is president of the Austin Chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, and chairman of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. She is also a member of the National Association of Parole Executives, the Advisory Council of the Juvenile Crime Prevention Center of Prairie View A&M University, the Texas School Safety Advisory Board, the PACE Youth Programs. Advisory Board, and the Texas Juvenile Detention Association. She is a past member of the National Center for Juvenile Justice, past board chair of the Regional Network for Children, and a past board member of the Texas Network for Children and the Texas Probation Association Publications Advisory Board. Spriggs received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in education with a specialization in juvenile justice and counseling from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Cheryln "Cherie" Townsend of Austin is executive director of the Texas Youth Commission, and has 35 years of experience in juvenile probation and juvenile corrections. She is a member of the American Probation and Parole Association, Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, the Juvenile Justice Leadership Network, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center Steering Committee, and the National Academies Committee on Assessing Juvenile Justice Reform. She is also an advisory board member of the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center and the Texas Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, and a volunteer of Austin Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Townsend received a bachelor's degree from Rockford College, a Master of Public Administration from Southern Methodist University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas.

Debbie Unruh of Austin is the Independent Ombudsman of the Texas Youth Commission. She is a former captain and jail administrator for the Randall County Sherriff's Office, a former law enforcement instructor at Amarillo College, and former director of the Amarillo Bail Bond Board. She is also a past member of the Texas Jail Association and Sherriff's Association of Texas, and a member of the National Ombudsman's Association, Texas Crime Victims Institute Advisory Council, and Region XVI Adult Education Advisory Board. She is former director of Prepare Inc.'s Prisoner Re-Entry Project, and a past volunteer for Amarillo Family Support Services, Sharing Hope Ministries and the Amarillo March of Dimes. She is a licensed Master Peace Officer, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education Instructor, Internal Affairs Investigator, K-9 Handler, and private investigator. Unruh received bachelor's degrees from Wayland Baptist University and Newport Beach University, and received certifications as a peace officer and corrections officer from Amarillo College.