Melissa J. Schank

“Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold.”

                                                                                       –Joseph Parry

We often have friends that we don’t see every day, yet when we do, we are able to pick up right where we left off – as if it was only yesterday. Friends like that are treasures, more valuable and precious than gold.

With all the stress, tragedy, and uncertainty of our world (which are only compounded by the nature of our profession), it is at times a real struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy. Sometimes it is all we can do to maintain our sanity. Then you throw the pandemic into the mix… We need those dear old friends now more than ever.

Now is the time for us to band together and rely on each other for support and tools to make it through this unprecedented time. While you are at it, why don’t you try to expand your sphere of close friends. TCDLA is the perfect place to both stay connected with old friends, as well as being fertile grounds to reach out and develop new relationships.

With an upcoming election, a seemingly unending pandemic, and the uncertainty of what the new normal will be in our practices, there will be many opportunities for us to share our positions and thoughts. We all have biases no matter what race, religion, or gender you are – these are facts. I encourage everyone to make new friends and take a moment to remind ourselves that it is OK to think differently. Share your thoughts, explain to someone while starting a healthy conversation where you both listen and hear each other – respectful debates are okay. This last month, I have learned so many things and realized I have biases and am learning how to acknowledge them to strip them away. I am also focusing on my personal growth and understanding the effects the pandemic is having on my mental health and taking stress to another level.

I recently talked with my mother about everything that was going on, and she made several comments that made me take a step back and process what she said. Mom has always had a narrow view of how things should be. The responses and opinions she gave surprised me because I never thought she would be open to change, or open to considering the positions of people who think differently than her. It was not only encouraging, it was heartwarming: We could have a discussion that would not end in an argument or hurt feelings.

At the end of the day, especially during these times, we all need friendship and a place we can go to talk, vent, and commiserate – especially with people who should understand us like nobody else can. We are all struggling with the lack of interaction and the challenges of today’s new norm. More than ever, we need to be kinder, hear the pleas for attention, and reach out to a friend, family member, or colleague. I challenge you to check in with someone each day, start your morning off by doing something for somebody else. Surround yourself with positivity, and those will be the gold and silver of old and new TCDLA provides!

“Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.”

-Jacqueline Woodson

There is just so much changing daily. We have the governor issuing so many executive orders, I can no longer keep up all of with them. As we continue with this new norm each day, we face how to continue with training, take part in court, and serve clients.

TCDLA is an organization of 3,400+, and we train more than 5,500 a year. Now is the time we need to have a strong united voice. We have several committees working on today’s current executive orders and the ongoing issues criminal defense attorneys face. We also have representatives meeting with the Supreme Court of Texas, OCA, and SBOT to fight for our member’s rights and protect the Sixth Amendment. If you are facing any of these issues, contact our chairs below or visit our COVID website, which we are always updating.

COVID-19 RESPONSE TASK FORCE

Co-Chairs
Allison Barbara Clayton,
Nicole DeBorde Hochglaube,

SUPREME COURT ORDERS ON PANDEMIC COURT PROCEEDINGS

Michael Gross,

We also have our lobbyists, Shea Place and Allen Place, fighting for our members. Shea regularly posts on the Legislative listserve. If you are not receiving the messages, contact TCDLA. The listserve is for informational purposes and not open for responses. You can email the Legislative team at .

Visit page 8. We are starting our second cohort for the Future Indigent Defense Leaders with partners Texas Indigent Defense Commission and the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. Reach out and welcome the new mentees to our TCDLA family.

Special thanks go to everyone who participated in our first-ever virtual Rusty Duncan. Kerri Anderson Donica and Course Directors John Convery, Deandra Grant, David Guinn, and Carmen Roe did an amazing job. I could not leave out your fabulous, hardworking staff – kudos! I was overwhelmed by the support and contributions our members gave to the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute. Due to everyone’s generous support, we have scholarships available for our TCDLA seminars starting September 1, 2020. If you need more information for TCDLA seminar scholarships, email or call 512.478.2514.

We are continuing with Mindful Mondays once a month. The programs are meant to reenergize and give invaluable tools during these times. Our next quarterly event will be September 24-25, 2020, in Arlington. It is two events – Family Violence and Telling a Trial Story – attend both. You can attend in person or virtually. We will have our board meeting Saturday, September 26, 2020, to continue discussing strategies to protect our members and clients.

If you need anything or have questions, contact our office and we will get you to the right person. Together, we will figure it out and make it through this!

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” 

-Jane Howard

June is always a time of rebirth due to changing of the guards. With these strange and difficult times because of COVID-19, we continue into the unknown. Regardless, TCDLA has become stronger. The membership and local bars and under the leadership of Kerri Anderson Donica have united. It has truly been a pleasure to work with Kerri, not only as president but as a mentor and friend.

The executive committee has met numerous hours to ensure we are supporting all the needs of our membership. A huge thanks goes out to TCDLEI Chair Clay Steadman and the board for providing more than $45,000 in scholarships for attorneys enduring hardships.

The COVID-19 Task Force, led by Clay Steadman, Nicole DeBorde Hochglaube, John Hunter Smith, and Jeep Darnell, works endless hours communicating with members and working with counties to ensure safe conditions. Our GA-13 committee, under the helm of Betty Blackwell, Allison Clayton, Jeep Darnell, and Kyle Therrian, have written numerous writs, worked into the late hours of three a.m. to meet deadlines, and assisted so many of our members.

In addition, the Ethics Hotline, chaired by Robert Pelton, fields numerous calls daily and the response time is remarkable. Our members rave about the service and responses they receive from Robert and his committee.

The Strike Force, under Nicole DeBorde Hochglaube and Reagan Wynn, stands ready to defend our attorneys if the need arises. Robb Fickman has fielded concerns with the court system raised by our members as well.

TCDLA has more than 32 committee each serving a unique purpose. All the committees and chairs this year have worked tirelessly and provided support as needed and requested without any complaints.

Laurie Key as CDLP chair has worked very hard to adapt to the new norm and quickly change live events to webinars. Our committees are composed of volunteers. While trying to practice during this time, each has shown so much dedication, support, and selflessly given time.

Our May DWI Defense Project seminar was very successful. Courser directors Larry Boyd, David Burrows, and Frank Sellers, as well as all the speakers, not only hung in there with TCDLA and tried something new, they did it with ease. Of course, we had some glitches, but they were champs along with all the viewers!

The TCDLA staff are also here to assist you. We will get you the information or service you need. Do not ever hesitate to contact us.

As Grant M. Scheiner takes over the responsibilities of president in June, we will continue to work together, develop and maintain strong bonds, and TCDLA will be stronger than ever and be here for our members and support criminal defense attorneys throughout the state of Texas. Together we are your tribe, clan, and most importantly your TCDLA family!

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”

                                                                                        – Roy T. Bennett

It’s been almost a month we have been working remotely. At first it felt like time was going by fast, then it turned into Groundhog Day  on repeat – get up, get dressed, coffee, go work on the sofa, fix lunch for the kids, go back to the sofa to work, fix dinner, go to bed. The only thing that changed each day was the food.

After a week of being sore from just sitting on the couch and working, but not working out, I decided I had to force myself to go outside. Then I got sore from playing basketball and volleyball with the kids – sigh. Three weeks later, I need to make myself take a break during the day just to move around. After reorganizing the pantry and storage closet, I have picked up several hobbies, binge-watched way too much Netflix, and started cooking items from scratch.

Most of the staff are working remotely while a few go into the office to cut checks, open mail, and process orders. We are watching our cash flow as I can imagine most of you are. We continue to ensure our expenses are down to the essentials. We are already projecting out various scenarios to prepare the best we can.

The past couple of weeks have been non-stop working on every aspect of criminal defense and the impact of COVID-19. Our Task Force has put in countless hours and continue to be there for our members. If you need any assistance, I encourage you to reach out to your district representative, who is listed on our website. Utilize the resources TCDLA offers during this challenging time. I haven’t had time to work on the items I would normally be working on due to being faced with COVID-19.

On April 10, 2020, the Hon. Lora Livingston of the 261st District Court of Travis County issued a temporary restraining order enjoining enforcement of Executive Order GA-13 in TCDLA et al. v. Abbott. The following day, the Texas Supreme Court stayed that order and has since ruled the individual judges in Harris County don’t have standing to sue for an injunction. However, the Supreme Court made very clear the constitutional arguments put forth in the petition and in TCDLA’s writ of habeas corpus are very strong and should be considered by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

TCDLA President Kerri Anderson Donica, Past President Betty Blackwell, COVID-19 Task Force Chair Clay Steadman, along with along with his Vice-Chairs, John Hunter Smith, Nicole Houchglaube, and Jeep Darnell, and the GA-13 Subcommittee members Allison Clayton, Jeep Darnell, and Kyle Therrian, have been instrumental in assisting attorneys throughout the state fight Governor Abbot’s unconstitutional Executive Order GA-13. Their tireless work and dedication over long hours  has resulted in one of the most vulnerable groups in Texas’ population, the poor, being released from jail pending the resolution of their respective cases.

We are each going through our difficulties of being separated from family and friends: family violence has risen, and anxiety levels and responsibilities have increased tremendously. TCDLA has put on several Mindful Mondays to help deal with stress, partnered with TIDC to prepare you for the new norm for online courtrooms, and Financial Fridays to help you with finances. If you missed any of the events, we have them on our website. If you can’t find the recordings, call us – 512.478.2514 – we will point you in the right direction.

With everything going on, I am frequently reminded to slow down just a bit and force my kids to take a break from their electronics, watch a movie, go outside, or play a game. I have to say I enjoy the time with the kids, but miss my family and friends. I look forward to when I get to see adults in person, not on Zoom or FaceTime. Sometimes we need a gentle reminder to be thankful for what we have and for the people we don’t get to see all the time. I try to reach out and say “Hello” to those I haven’t heard from in a while. Kind words go a long way. Whether you call, text, FaceTime, or Zoom, connect with someone today you have had on your mind or someone you haven’t heard from in a couple of days or weeks. Together we must continue to be positive, kind, and thankful. I am grateful for whoever is reading this article at the moment.

“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.”

– Gwendolyn Brooks

This month has been overwhelmingly difficult – both professionally and personally.  I know I am not alone in feeling the weight of concerns that have come along with the global spread of COVID-19 – how to keep our members, staff, and family safe while still ensuring income is coming to pay the bills.

At TCDLA, we have always had an overwhelming number of committees and members band together to assist in various areas. 

When a member brings a concern, we unite as one to get the resources or answers needed. This pandemic and its effect on our profession is no different. The Executive Committee, under the leadership of President Kerri Anderson Donica, has worked unselfishly and tirelessly on so many issues that surround the criminal defense field and TCDLA. We are updating the website and continuing to add resources and motions. Do NOT hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can do better to support you. We have several different alternatives for face to face CLE that we are also offering.  I want to stress more than anything, at trying times like this, we need each other and should not be ashamed to share our deepest concerns, fears, or feelings.

I hope each of you builds the courage to ask for help when needed.  We are here for each other. One thing I have seen over and over is how TCDLA bands together and takes care of each other. It is very humbling and powerful.

Visit our website for more information. Please send your concerns, requests, or any resources, documents, or motions you have to share to .

Ethics Hotline is being closely monitored. Call 512-646-2734.

Strike Force Co-Chairs:

     Nicole DeBorde | | (713) 526-6300 p

     Wm. Reagan Wynn | | (817) 336-5600 p

Be sure to continuously check our website for updates. Our home office is not closed but some staff are working remotely. Our phone line hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For 24-hour help, contact Melissa Schank, 512-619-2060, Mari Flores, 512-743-5149 or Rick Wardroup, 806-283-1496.

We are excited as we start off the new year with two new key staff. I would like to introduce Billy Huntsman, communications director and Briana Ramos, program coordinator, to our membership.

Billy Huntsman is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He went to college in Las Cruces and moved to Austin in September 2018, following his girlfriend who got a good job here.

Billy has a degree in journalism and has previously worked as a newspaper reporter, social media editor, and public relations specialist.

He’s excited to work at TCDLA because he’ll get to flex his creative muscles and suggest ideas to make our organization work better and more efficiently for you, our members.

Billy lives in Cedar Park but doesn’t mind the commute—he’s usually got a few podcasts ready to listen to, in addition to the music of Bruce Springsteen, John Denver, Aerosmith, and Shinedown, to name a few.

Billy and his girlfriend have a 90-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback named Sully who thinks he’s the size of a Norfolk terrier. His appetite for affection is second only to his appetite for something to eat, which has included maggot-ridden pigeons. At home, you can usually find Billy pinned underneath Sully, watching some sort of horror movie. But if Netflix hasn’t freshened up their offerings, Billy also likes to read–Cormac McCarthy, Ernest Hemingway, and Patricia Highsmith are a couple of his favorites.

Billy is really looking forward to getting to know our members and helping them excel in defending their clients any way he can.

Briana Ramos is a native New Yorker. Briana went to Baruch College to study intercultural communications, where she joined Beta Phi Sigma Sorority in her freshman year. She quickly became the event planning chair for her organization. The success of those functions solidified her passion for event planning and led to the start of her career in the field.

She moved to Austin in March 2018 in search of sunshine, a new adventure, and space for her furbabies to roam. Briana’s a proud mom to two rescues: a sassy Labradoodle named Aura and a 120-pound Rottweiler named Pixie. In her free time, Briana enjoys gardening, swimming, volunteering, or exploring the beautiful sites that Austin provides.

Briana’s excited to be part of the TCDLA team because she found a cause she is passionate about. She can’t wait to infuse her enthusiasm and charisma into the group and is looking forward to all of the experiences to come.  

We hope each of you will get the chance to meet and engage with our new staff. With change comes innovation, energy, and excitement as we grow and strive for success!

There is always strength in numbers. The more individuals or organizations that you can rally to your cause, the better.

—Mark Shields

With that in mind, TCDLA would like to recognize the tireless leadership and dedicated support in this regard of Judge Barbara Hervey of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, chair of the Grants Committee and co-chair of the Judicial Commission on Mental Health. TCDLA would also like to acknowledge the generous financial support of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Judicial Court Personnel Training Fund. Recently Judge Hervey and the CCA awarded TCDLA a mental health grant that allows TCDLA to provide additional mental health training as well as funding for travel stipends for attendees.

We have four CCA-funded seminars February 20-21, 2020, in Austin: a mix-and-match combination of Appellate, Veterans, Capital, and Mental Health sessions. We also have mental health seminars on our online CLE, though if you would like to view this material without CLE credit, we now host a video library.

In addition, TCDLA has a Mental Health Committee chaired by Alyse Ferguson and Melissa Shearer. The committee has held several meetings and is working hard to provide additional resources. Through the CCA, the committee has provided a Mental Health Resource Guide and a Mental Health pamphlet.

The Mental Health Resource Guide was created by Judge Hervey and is a publication of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The Mental Health pamphlet—compiled by Chris Lopez, attorney for the Health and Human Services Commission—contains flow charts covering Chapter 46B (Incompetency to Stand Trial) and Chapter 46C (NGRI/Insanity Defense). Both, provided free courtesy of the grant, can be ordered through TCDLA by calling 512.478.2514 or on the TCDLA website, www.tcdla.com, under publications.

In addition, all the grant-funded and TCDLA seminars are listed on the website. Please visit the site and sign up for one of the upcoming seminars. If you have particular interest in mental health seminars, email me at .

Join the next generation of Texas Defenders by applying to become a mentor or mentee through the Future Indigent Defense Leaders Program (FIDL). Together the Texas Indigent Task Force, Harris County Public Defenders Office, and TCDLA are starting their second year of the program.

FIDL is a selective program that aims to create the next generation of highly skilled, client-centered Texas attorneys to represent persons who cannot afford counsel. FIDL offers unparalleled indigent defense training, mentoring, and leadership opportunities. Selected through a competitive process, FIDL mentees become part of an exclusive statewide team dedicated to zealous representation.

If you’re interested in learning more about the program, visit our website. Mentee and Mentor applications are due Monday, December 16, 2019, by 5 pm (Central).

And lest you forget one of TCDLA’s signature events: The 44th Annual Tim Evans Texas Criminal Trial College is coming up. The College is an intensive program of practice exercises on a simulated case, from jury selection to final argument, enhanced by faculty demonstrations and personal critiques. This course is designed for all ranges of criminal defense trial experience—from new to veterans to those who left prosecution to the attorney who wants to continue improving trial skills.

Students and faculty build lifelong relationships, and many students come back as faculty members. No other program builds the relationships that allow such an exchange of ideas specifically for criminal defense. Enrollment is limited to 80 students, selected by an application and registration process. Get your application in now—the deadline is January 14, 2020, at 5 pm (Central).

We are also seeking local bars interested in holding one- to two-hour CLE seminars. TCDLA can sponsor your event. Contact me for more information.

As everyone counts down the holidays, I am selfishly counting down the days I have before Craig Hattersley, TCDLA communications director, will retire. I will be so sad to lose such a talented individual, one who possesses such institutional knowledge of our association. He will be irreplaceable, and I will miss him dearly.

On a more positive note, I wish everyone a happy holiday. I hope you can relax and take some time for yourself.

Here’s to those who inspire you and don’t even know it.

—unknown

November is the month of thanks. This month I would like to dedicate my article and give thanks to Craig Hattersley, TCDLA’s Communication Director. He has been with TCDLA for 12 years and has been a valuable and intricate part of TCDLA. He has supported me and made us all look good—and helped us on our quest for success!

Selfishly, I knew this day was coming, but as the executive director, I wanted him to remain in his position until I retired. Craig has always been a rock in the organization, making sure everyone remembers deadlines and assisting with tasks. Tiffany speaks for all of us when she says: “I wish I had more time with Craig to get to know him better because the few times I have gotten to have a ‘sit down’ with him were always enlightening and meaningful. I will definitely miss when his time comes to speak in the staff meetings, knowing I’m going to get a good laugh. I too selfishly wish he would be here longer for me to learn as much as possible and pick his brain for all the insight and wisdom that he possesses.”

In the past 12 years, TCDLA has relocated our office twice. Cris remembers: “We always laugh about how we say we are old cellmates because in the old Nueces house we used to share that little office area, which we considered a cell. He will be missed.”

Some of my fondest memories with Craig are sitting in my office or his and just brainstorming ideas, him giving me advice. I look back and laugh at the staff meetings where he was eagerly waiting for his turn to give his update—and make comments that would have the staff laughing. Many of the board members probably looked forward as I did to reading his detailed weekly humorous loop reports.

How we will long for meals from scratch Craig would bring, his wife Jan’s desserts, and food for our potlucks. He was appreciated by all staff who shared meals prepared by Jan.

Then there were those endearing terms he had for staff at the office. How many times everyone has mentioned they will miss him dearly, the lone male leaving us.

For Rusty Duncan, our signature event, when Craig creates all the marketing and artwork, I feel like he truly understands everyone’s vision (and especially my own concepts he turned into reality). Rusty is the one event all staff work ten-plus hours a day, and his efforts will be sorely missed. Miriam says: “I will miss him always taking care of us at Rusty every year and making sure we had our vitamin C. He would pass out vitamin C drops to make sure we stayed on our A game! He always joked with me about being a wimp for always being cold and didn’t mind when I would steal his heater from his office to use—which I’ve now had for years. But most of all I will miss the long talks about life and road trips to seminars. Working with Craig 12 years, I definitely will miss him.”

Susan remembers that “since I started, I could always ask Craig to take a caller who had interesting topics or too much info to share but I knew the person needed to be handled ‘delicately.’ He always had funny sayings to ‘thank me’ for sharing those calls with him. He will be missed.”

Rick remembers: “When I got to TCDLA, Craig was the only one who understood my taste in music. Heck, he was the only one who had ever heard of the artists I loved. I have treasured his friendship and his being the ‘Old Guy’ around the office. We have always been the ones who went to bed early at Rusty. Many don’t know how much responsibility Craig takes with the publications, but I can tell you that he compares the editions and has saved me many, many errors that a less dedicated man would have missed because he wouldn’t have been looking as diligently. I will miss him even more than I worry about assuming the mantle of Old Guy!”

And then were the little things. Oh, how we love coffee in this office! The afternoon is always a treat when Craig makes his handmade pour-over coffee. I will miss this dearly—and don’t know how I will function without it!

Chelsea remembers: “When the coffee grinder broke and he couldn’t have his coffee, he grumbled about it and bought coffee at Whataburger for a quick fix. He solved this immediately by replacing the grinder with a personal one from home. I will miss him.”

Nymph says she “will miss her early-morning chats with Craig about coffee, school, and life”—and her daily challenge of trying to be taller than Craig with her heels.

I will even miss having him text me with the day’s problems in the wee hours—starting as early as 4:30 am. How sad I will be to arrive at the office with no one to greet me.

Or having someone to help make welcome our incoming part-time staff, who are mentored by Craig and his words of wisdom—and teased unmercifully as well. As a new staff member, Avea remembers all the car advice he gave on her BMW (which had over 200k miles on it), his emails on our staff listserve.

Elisa remembers him one Halloween giving a real “boo”: candy dumped unceremoniously on the victim! What fun times we have had at our office, memories with Craig that will forever be retold.

Craig is our early bird, usually getting to the office before 5:30 am. Driving in from Pflugerville is quite the commute, and over the years traffic has only gotten worse, along with an increase in the time required. Fellow commuter Mari had this to say: “Craig has a sense of humor I have always found entertaining. I will definitely miss him making me laugh with his sarcastic remarks and our almost daily exchange of traffic stories between the office and our homes in Pflugerville.”

Keri says: “The thing I am going to miss the most about Craig not being in the office is going to be Jan’s cooking. He was always giving me a taste of whatever creation she cooked that night before, and it usually reminded me of home cooking I grew up with in Wisconsin. On a serious note, I will miss the early-morning conversations and all the other tasks I am always coming into his office for help with. I will miss him greatly, and his shoes are going to be hard to fill.”

TCDLA is indeed losing a part of the family, the key person with institutional knowledge, and my friend. Craig, you will be missed!

I hope everyone enjoys this fall and shares their thanks with friends and family!

Heightened perception is the goal: becoming more aware of how you see, not just what you see.

—Michael Kimmelman

TCDLA started off our fiscal year September 1st with seminars, board and committee meetings, and networking opportunities. The Voir Dire seminar gave a fresh new perspective on the topic. Attendees raved about how it was a huge success due to the innovative format. We had lectures and demos in the morning and then afternoon interactive group sessions, which entailed sharing case ideas and techniques and participating in exercises that could be applied immediately. Of special note, we hosted a group of 15 students studying criminal justice, and this experience turned their classroom studies to reality. During breaks, several attorneys met with students to share testimonials about criminal defense. As I observed, I realized everyone has a different story to tell about their journey.

To build on this momentum, TCDLA will explore opportunities to improve seminars to separate us from our competitors. We value our attendees’ opinions and welcome suggestions and new ideas. Our Champions theme seminars, sponsored by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, crank up this month. Visit our website for CLE we are offering and TCDLEI scholarship opportunities.

Saturday, September 15th, more than 70 board and CDLP Committee members and past presidents gathered for our quarterly meeting to continue working toward our goals and mission. From the outset, I was filled with pride, being a part of such a dedicated and talented group, who each volunteer their time and money to travel and attend a weekend meeting. The reality is we would not be successful without the perspective and experience each individual brings to the table. Join us! We are now accepting applications for board membership—visit the website for a form.

During the session, the board voted on a bylaws amendment that will be presented for a vote at the annual membership meeting in June in conjunction with Rusty Duncan. Save the date: June 18–20, 2020. The Hyatt is now taking reservations. Below is the amendment, with changes underlined:

Sec. 2. Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Association, the editor of the Voice for the Defense, immediate past president, and two members of the board of directors appointed by the President. The President may select Ex-Officio(s) in a non-voting capacity, to serve on the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have such powers and duties as are provided in these bylaws and as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director is a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.

In addition to putting on meetings and seminars, our staff is also involved in continuing education, following TCDLA’s lead in staying abreast with new developments so we can contribute to the organization. These educational opportunities are only part of the process; equally important is the networking, idea sharing, and brainstorming that accompany. For my own part, I have come to realize I cannot fix past missteps. In the future, though, I can learn from my mistakes, sharing my lessons and understanding others’ experiences, and work never to repeat them. The networking and relationships built from the seminars prove invaluable in this regard.

To be successful in our chosen field, we all try to stay relevant, up to date. I’ve come to realize that my own viewpoint doesn’t always represent reality. Each person’s reality colors their perspective. The challenge is in how do we remain an all-inclusive organization when everyone holds separate mindsets? You do not need to compromise your positions to listen, even welcome, another’s. That’s what an association represents—bringing together various realities and incorporating them all in a whole. If your reality is as a part of TCDLA, we need your outlook to grow our Association, as we also need for you to include and invite others to be a part of our family.