TCJC Staff
Ana Yáñez-Correa
Executive Director
Ana Yáñez-Correa was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with her mother in 1986. Since then, She has earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Masters Degree in Public Administration, and she is currently working towards a Ph.D. in Policy and Planning. Throughout every stage of her education and career, Ana has taken an active leadership role in the community. She served as Chief of Staff for a State Representative during the 77th State Legislative Session (2001) and focused on criminal justice-related policies. In 2002, Ana became Policy Director for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Texas, where she developed and advocated for LULAC’s legislative platform during the 78th State Legislative Session – with a special emphasis on criminal justice – as well as during the three special sessions on redistricting, and a special session on school finance. In 2005, Ana became the Project Director for TCJC’s Solutions for Sentencing & Incarceration Project, which focused on promoting proven, pro-family criminal justice policies that save taxpayers money and improve the safety of Texas communities. During the 80th state legislative session in 2007, Ana was formally honored by the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate for “working toward real solutions to the problems facing the Texas criminal justice system.” During the most recent legislative session in 2009, Ana was instrumental in educating key stakeholders about the importance of adopting policies on re‐entry, prison diversion, and overall criminal justice efficiency. Since late 2005, Ana has been the Executive Director of TCJC, although she also serves as the Project Director for TCJC’s Solutions for Sentencing & Incarceration Project, the Tools for Re-Entry Project, and the Juvenile Justice Initiative. Throughout her tenure at TCJC, Ana has successfully fostered relationships among a wide range of coalition partners, criminal justice practitioners, law enforcement groups, civil rights organizations, and other community members, allowing TCJC to promote policies that serve all facets of society. Molly Totman Senior Policy Analyst Molly Totman graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 2000, where she earned a B.A. in English. She went on to graduate from the University of Texas School of Law in 2003 with a concentration in racial studies. She passed the Texas Bar Exam in 2003 and began an internship with TCJC in November of that year, during which time she also worked as a Researcher for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank in Austin. Molly was hired by TCJC in March, 2004, and has since worked on TCJC’s Public Safety Project, as well as serving as TCJC’s Senior Policy Analyst. As the Program Director for the Public Safety Project, Molly served as the sole statewide repository and analyst of required, annual racial profiling reports from Texas law enforcement agencies. She continues to assist agencies in understanding their data, streamlining their reporting practices, and improving the way they protect the public through the implementation and institutionalization of needed policy changes. Molly was the chief contributor to the production of four racial profiling reports, and as the Senior Policy Analyst, she contributes heavily both as a researcher and an editor during the production stages of various TCJC policy reports, manuals, and educational materials published by all of TCJC’s Projects. LEAH Pinney Business Manager; Fair Defense Project Director
Leah Pinney is a graduate of St. Edward’s University, where she earned a B.A. in Political Science with honors. Leah has worked with the TCJC team for several years and in various capacities, but she officially joined the organization in 2007. Leah brings work experience from both corporate and nonprofit sectors, with her most recent work involving project research for a national civil rights organization. On joining TCJC, Leah supported the Juvenile Justice Initiative, where, through research efforts, she helped to advocate for increased safety and accountability within the Texas Youth Commission. Leah shifted her focus to the Fair Defense Project, where she works with key partners to promote best practices and policies that ensure opportunities for indigent defendants to receive timely and well-qualified counsel. The work of the Fair Defense Project also includes the advancement of evidence-based responses to system-involved children and the mentally ill, and improved best practices to protect the wrongfully accused. Recently, Leah transitioned to support the work of TCJC as Business Manager. Leah has background experience in banking and capably handles TCJC’s bookkeeping, financial reports, and organizational records, as well as providing human resource functions for staff, work-study students, interns, and volunteers. Leah continues to support the Fair Defense Project by maintaining key affiliations, keeping abreast of current indigent defense related issues, conducting research, and providing information to stakeholders.
ERICA SURPRENANT
Special Projects Director
Erica Surprenant earned a B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric with honors from St. Edward’s University. Erica began her work in activism as the Connecticut State Coordinator for the grassroots initiative of the Humane Society of the United States. After moving to Texas, she began working with the Inside Books Project, an organization committed to improving literacy in Texas prisons. Erica also worked for the Texas Civil Rights Project as a prison litigation intern investigating claims of civil rights abuses in Texas’ prisons and county jails. In 2008, Erica joined the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, applying her strengths in research and writing on key criminal justice policy issues. Erica contributed to TCJC’s 2009 Policy Guide, as well as several other publications, and is currently writing a substantial re-entry resource manual to guide individuals recently released from prison in their efforts to find housing, employment, and services. As TCJC’s Special Projects Director, Erica provides research, policy analysis, and writing to support a range of criminal justice policy issues and further the goals of the organization. Additionally, Erica is responsible for the development and management of TCJC’s inmate correspondence program, which answers questions and addresses concerns from hundreds of incarcerated individuals, their families, and the public regarding changes in law and implementation of policies throughout Texas.