I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas; however, my father was in the Army, and growing up, I traveled across the United States, spanning three states (Colorado, Texas, Kansas) and we lived in Germany twice. I graduated high school in Junction City, Kansas, outside of Ft. Riley, Kansas. I was previously married to a military officer, and this union took me cross country again to an live in three more states (Georgia, Missouri, and North Carolina, and Texas again). I have been fortunate to live in many different parts of the country, but I still
consider Arkansas as my home, being all of my family still resides there.
What led you to your career in juvenile justice?
I’m the oldest of five daughters, and I’ve always enjoyed working with young people. When I moved to Ft. Hood, Texas in 1998, I was one year short of completing my Bachelor’s degree, so when I went to be advised at the University of Central Texas (Tarleton State University acquired the school in the Fall of 1999) , my question was “What degree can I get within the next twelve months, and still graduate as scheduled”? I had more than enough transfer credits for a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, so I jumped at that option. I always toyed with the possibility of going to law school, so this seemed like a perfect fit. During this time, I was offered an internship at the Bell County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program in Killeen, and subsequently got hired as a Case Manager with Communities In Schools at the same site. Since then, I’ve been a case manager in a residential SBTP program, the Director of Case Management for G4S, an Assistant Detention Director for GA Department of Juvenile Justice, an Assistant Facility Administrator again with G4S, and an Internal Affairs Investigator with the AR Division of Youth Services. So I guess, it was almost a fluke, because if my transfer credits had been enough for a degree in education, art, or counseling, I’d be doing one of those jobs.
What do you want others to know about Giddings State School?
There’s a lot of history at Giddings State School. The street our facility is located on is named after then Texas Youth Commission’s Executive Director Dr. James A. Turman, whom the roundbreaking lawsuit Morales vs Turman is litigated against, which has forever changed the way juvenile justice correctional/rehabilitation facilities nationwide operate. The Giddings State School is also the only facility in the country that operates the Capital and Serious Violent Offender Treatment Program, that continues to provide intensive treatment to youth, that have committed more heinous crimes in our system. Besides those things, its one of the most beautiful campuses I’ve ever visited or worked at. I’m equally proud to say that we have a very talented and dedicated staff base, many who’ve worked at this facility in excess of 10, 15, 20, and 30 plus years. Several of the current Central Office staff began their careers at Giddings.
What is the best part of your job?
I hate to sound like a cliché but I really love all parts of my job. I love providing activities for the youth and staff at the Giddings State School. I can remember a conversation I had years ago with a young man on my caseload, when returning to work on a Monday afternoon. He asked me did I have a good weekend, and I replied “Yes, I took my children and nieces to the zoo, we had a lot of fun.” The young man in turn replied, “I’ve never been to the zoo.” At fifteen or sixteen years old, he made me realize that many of the youth we serve don’t experience some of the “normal” childhood experiences that we have had or provide to our own families. Since then, I have made a point of normalizing the lives of the youth I come in contact as much as possible, from Easter Egg hunts, to Trick or Treating inside the facility, or enjoying a simple game of BINGO with an ice cream sundae. Many of our youth have seen and done things that most of us can never imagine living through. I truly believe that every kid sometimes just wants to be a kid, and that’s all they should have to be for a moment in time.
What are your greatest challenges as the Giddings Assistant Superintendent?
As with most things in life, change is hard for people. My greatest challenge as the Assistant Superintendent at Giddings is going through this change process, and being patient with the process. I’m excited at what’s been accomplished in the past 145 days, and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.
When you are not working, how do you spend your time?
My family and I relocated, and yes we live in the tiny town of Giddings, four months ago, and it’s been quite an adjustment for my teenage daughters, lol. When I’m not working, this is almost an oxymoron, we like to travel and visit the Big State of Texas. We’ve spent a considerable amount of time in Dallas, College Station (which I love, and wish was closer to Giddings) Houston, and have even ventured to the coast to dip our toes in the Gulf of Mexico at Galveston. My husband is a self proclaimed carnivore, so eating as much Texas Bar-be-Que we can get our hands on has become a hobby of ours. Chip Walters had to correct me very early on that “Texans don’t eat hot dogs, they eat sausages.” I’ve not made that mistake again, lol.
What advice would you give to a young new juvenile justice professional?
One of my favorite movies is The Devil Wears Prada. While it may be considered a “chick flick” I’d recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it. The movie, sad but true is in many ways very indicative of what any new professional experiences in the early stages of their career. There will be days when you will be unsure if “this” is what you really want to do. Your hopes and dreams will appear unattainable. The demands will seem nearly impossible. Things you swore you would “never” do may become your reality. The world will become your worse enemy, any you will feel alone and want to give up. DON’T! That’s my first piece of advice. Don’t give up. You are more equipped than you might believe to handle anything and everything that is thrown your way. Mr. Ashrita Furman currently holds the most Guinness World Records with more than 125 titles. That’s a lot of attempts, fails, and more importantly successes. My second piece of advice, when in doubt, ASK. Everyone was “the new kid on the block” at some point, so don’t be afraid to seek out guidance . Develop a support system. I have been fortunate enough in my career to have some awesome people willing to nurture a newbie like me, and their friendships and advice have been invaluable. Lastly, be patient with yourself and the process. Things will seem foreign, you might have to work a little harder at first, but a learning curve is natural in all aspects of life. On the bookshelf, in my office, I have two books that perfectly sums up all of my advice, one is Eat Less Cottage Cheese and More Ice Cream, by Erma Bombeck; and the other is Everybody’s Got Something, by Robin Roberts. They are both constant reminders of the important things and life, and help me to stay focused on recognizing
them.