During fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2010, employees of the El Paso County Attorney's Office volunteered to provide more than 700 hours of community service.
Volunteerism is part of a long tradition implemented by former County Attorney José R. Rodríguez and that continues under Jo Anne Bernal's administration. As part of that tradition both attorneys and staff members are encouraged to participate in community organizations, and to donate time and money to help El Paso residents.
This year the El Paso County Attorney's Office has had several outstanding examples of community service:
- Assistant County Attorney Erich Morales is the Chair of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure El Paso. Earlier this year received the "Promise of One" national award for his work with the organization. This is his 5th year serving in this position.
- Assistant County Attorney Richard Deck is the current president of the local chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
- Assistant County Attorney Tracy Almanzán is member of the board of directors of AVANCE El Paso and the Rio Grande Safe Communities Coalition.
- Assistant County Attorney Marilyn Mungerson is member of the board of directors of the Child Crisis Center.
- Assistant County Attorney Laura Christopherson is member of the board of the Advocacy Center for the Children of El Paso (ACCEP).
- Assistant County Attorney Clinton Cross is member of the board of directors of Appleseed Texas.
- Assistant County Attorney Cristina Viesca-Santos is member of the Board of directors of Keep El Paso Beautiful.
- Assistant County Attorney Michael Wyatt is Vice-President of the board of the ACLU Texas.
- Assistant County Attorney Bruce Yetter is member of the board of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of El Paso.
- Assistant County Attorney Janet Montero is member of the board of S.T.A.R.S. (Sexual Trauma and Assault Response Services).
- Assistant County Attorney Lucila Camarena is member of the board of the Center Against Family Violence.
Other members of the County Attorney's Office provided hundreds of hours of community service, from helping to paint rooms at the Center Against Family Violence, to collecting food and toys for needy families in the outskirts of the county.
In total, during fiscal year 2010, the employees of the El Paso County Attorney's Office participated in more than 600 office related events, and provided training to more than 40,000 individuals, including minors and adults.
El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal said she is proud of the amount of community work performed by the employees of her office.
"The employees in the County Attorney's Office provide great legal services and community services through their community activities," said County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal.
"During this season of giving, I congratulate all of them for their efforts and commitment to public service," Bernal concluded.
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CA Community Service Press Release.pdf
El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association (TDCAA) for the 2011 calendar year.
The results of the election, which took place on September 2010 in South Padre Island, were just announced by the TDCAA Journal on their November-December issue.
The mission of TDCAA is "to promote the improvement of prosecution and government representation in the State of Texas, by providing educational and technical assistance to prosecutors and their staffs, by providing educational and technical assistance to the law enforcement community, and by serving as a legislative resource in criminal law and government representation matters."
As member of the Board of Directors, El Paso County Attorney will be responsible for budget oversight of the organization, and long term planning and execution of the plan.
Commenting on her appointment El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal said "It is important to have El Pasoans on state-wide boards and committees to ensure local concerns are heard on a statewide level."
"I hope my participation on the board will address concerns about local prosecutorial issues, such as how to effectively prosecute juveniles who smuggle drugs across the border," Bernal concluded.
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JAB TDCAA Board Press Release.pdf
The Texas District and County Attorneys Association 2010.pdf
