Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The nine member Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) is appointed by the governor to oversee the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), which provides confinement, supervision, rehabilitation, and reintegration of the state’s convicted felons. The board members, who are appointed for staggered, six-year terms, are responsible for hiring the executive director of the department and setting rules and policies which guide the agency. TBCJ members also serve as the Board of Trustees for the Windham School District within the Department of Criminal Justice. In this capacity, they are responsible for providing general oversight and the hiring of the school system's superintendent.
There are TDCJ divisions which report directly to the Board. They are Office of Inspector General with oversight of the Investigations Department, the Internal Audit Division, and the office of State Counsel for Offenders. In addition, the PREA Ombudsman is appointed by and reports directly to the board.
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Oliver J. Bell, Chairman(term expires 2/2015), was appointed to the TBCJ in February 2004 and reappointed in 2009. He was elected as vice-chairman in January 2008 and was appointed as the TBCJ chairman in April 2008. Mr. Bell chairs the Health Care Committee and is a member of the Audit and Review and Victim Services committees. He is the CEO and founder of Oliver J. Bell, Inc. - a leadership development, communications, and labor relations strategy consultancy. He is also the founder of the Texas Labor & Employee Relations Consortium and a guest faculty member of LGL (Long Gray Line) Leadership, LLC. Mr. Bell is a former Army officer and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, the West Point Association of Houston, the 11th Armored Cavalry Association, the Association of the United States Army, and the Army Historical Society. Mr. Bell currently resides in Houston. |
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Tom Mechler, Vice-Chairman(term expires 2/2017), was appointed in November 2005, elected secretary in May 2008, and elected vice-chairman in June 2009. Mr. Mechler chairs the Rehabilitation and Reentry Programs Committee and is a member of the Audit and Review, Community Corrections, Correctional Institutions, Management Information Systems and Business and Financial Operations Committees. Mr. Mechler graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A & M University, then received his MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is the president of Covenant Contract Services/Makar Production Company; responsible for locating, acquiring and operating oil and gas properties. Mr. Mechler is a registered Mechanical Engineer as well as a Volunteer Prison Chaplain. He currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. |
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Leopoldo "Leo" Vasquez III, Secretary(term expires 2/2017), was appointed to the TBCJ in November 2005, and was reappointed in 2011. He was elected and has served as secretary since June 2009. Mr. Vasquez chairs the Audit and Review Committee and is a member of the Community Corrections, Correctional Institutions, Health Care, and Business and Financial Operations committees. Mr. Vasquez received his BA in Economics from Yale University, his MBA in Finance from Columbia University, and holds a Governance Fellow designation from the National Association of Corporate Directors. Mr. Vasquez currently resides in Houston, where he serves as executive vice president of Maximus Coffee Group, LP. He has an extensive background involving corporate finance, implementing solutions relating to capital issues, mergers and acquisitions, strategic business planning, operations analysis and organizational structures, human resources and international issues. |
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"Eric" Gambrell, Member(term expires 2/2013), was appointed to the Board December 2007. Mr. Gambrell chairs the Correctional Institutions Committee and the Legal Committee. He is a member of the Health Care, Human Resources, and Business and Financial Operations Committees. Mr. Gambrell received his B.A. from Texas A&M University before earning his law degree at the University of Texas School of Law. He resides in Highland Park, Texas and is a trial partner with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. |
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Judge Lawrence "Larry" Gist, Member(Term expires 2/2017) was appointed to the Board March 2011. Judge Gist chairs the Community Corrections Committee and is a member of the Management Information Systems, Legal, and Victim Services Committees. Judge Gist is a Senior Criminal District Judge in the Jefferson County Drug Impact Court, and a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law by the State Bar of Texas Criminal Justice Section. He also is a member of the American Probation and Parole Association, Texas Probation Association, and Texas Corrections Association. Judge Gist received a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame before earning a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. He resides in Beaumont, Texas. |
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Carmen Villanueva-Hiles, Member(term expires 2/2015), was appointed in April 2009. Ms. Hiles chairs the Human Resources Committee and is a member of the Correctional Institutions, Rehabilitation and Reentry Programs, and Victim Services Committees. Ms. Hiles received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in communication disorders from the University of Texas Pan-American. She is the owner and chief operating officer A+ Therapy LLC. She is a member of the American and Texas Speech-Language Hearing associations, Valley Network of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, and Outpatient Independent Rehabilitation Association Inc. She is also an annual Relay for Life participant and a member of First Baptist Church in Rio Grande City. Ms. Hiles currently resides in Palmhurst, Texas. |
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Janice Harris Lord, Member(term expires 2/2015), was appointed to the TBCJ in December 2007. Ms. Lord chairs the Victim Services Committee and is a member of the Health Care, Human Resources and Rehabilitation and Reentry Programs committees. Ms. Lord received her Masters degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a licensed therapist who resides in Arlington, Texas. She is a National Consultant on Crime Victim Issues. |
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R. Terrell McCombs, Member(term expires 2/2013), was appointed to the TBCJ in December 2007. Mr. McCombs chairs the Business and Financial Operations Committee and is a member of the Audit and Review, Human Resources, Management Information Systems and Legal committees. Mr. McCombs received his BS from the University of Houston, followed by an MBA in Marketing from the George Washington University, in Washington D.C. He is a lifetime member of the Boone and Crockett Club, the oldest conservation organization in the United States. Mr. McCombs currently resides in San Antonio, Texas, and is the Director of Procurement for McCombs Enterprises, negotiating all purchasing contracts and overseeing all procurement activity for the company. |
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J. David Nelson, Member(term expires 2/2013), was appointed to the TBCJ in April 2008. Mr. Nelson chairs the Management Information Systems Committee and is a member of the Community Corrections, Legal, and Rehabilitation and Reentry Programs committees. Mr. Nelson is an attorney and partner in the law firm of Nelson & Nelson, which handles General Civil Practice, Trials, Casualty Insurance, Probate, Corporation Real Estate, Banking and Commercial Law matters. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University School of Law. Mr. Nelson currently resides in Lubbock, where he is a former city councilman for the city of Lubbock, elected to two terms. |
Public Comment Period
2nd and 4th meetings of every year
| January 11, 2013 | Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin 111 Cesar Chavez Austin, Texas 78701 |
| April 5, 2013 | Crowne Plaza Austin 6121 North IH-35 Austin, Texas 78752 |
Texas Board of Criminal Justice
P.O. Box 13084
Austin, Texas 78711
tbcj@tdcj.state.tx.us