By Jalayne Robinson, LMSW
TDCAA Victim Services Director
With deep sadness and a very heavy heart, I regret to let you know that Allison Bowen passed away unexpectedly from natural causes as this issue went to press. She had been recently elected as the Chair of the Key Personnel–Victim Services (KP–VS) Board and worked as the Victim Services Director in the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Allison had been an integral part of office and was dedicated to supporting victims in Tarrant County and sharing her knowledge with TDCAA’s membership. Her work touched the lives of so many, and her presence will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her. Our support and heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends during this incredibly hard time.
What is a Tree of Angels?
The Tree of Angels is a meaningful Christmas program specifically held in memory and support of victims of violent crime. The Tree of Angels allows a community to recognize that the holiday season is a difficult time for families and friends who have suffered the crushing impact of a violent crime.
This special event honors and supports surviving victims and their families by hosting a Christmas tree where loved ones can place an angel ornament. The first program was implemented in December 1991 by People Against Violent Crime (PAVC) in Austin. In December over the past 33 years, the Tree of Angels has become a memorable tradition observed in many communities, providing comfort, hope, support, and healing.
A “how-to guide” for establishing a Tree of Angels ceremony in your community is available by contacting [email protected] or [email protected]. Please note that Tree of Angels is a registered trademark of PAVC, which is extremely sensitive about ensuring that the original meaning and purpose of the Tree of Angels continues and is not altered in any way. For this reason, PAVC asks if your city or county is interested in receiving a copy of the how-to guide, please complete a basic informational form. After the form is completed electronically and submitted back to PAVC, you will receive instructions on how to download the guide. Please do not share to avoid unauthorized use or distribution of the material. For a list of all counties who participate, check out http://treeofangels.org/index.html.
I’d like to thank the following people across the state who submitted write-ups and photos of their own communities Tree of Angels ceremonies.
Jack Roady
Criminal DA’s Office in Galveston County
The Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office hosted its 25th Annual Tree of Angels ceremony on December 10 at the Galveston County Justice Center. Families and members of law enforcement memorialized a total of 70 victims of violent crime that evening. Fifty-five families personally attended the event to hang Christmas ornaments in honor of their lost loved ones.
We would like to thank the following agencies and individuals who generously assisted in making the evening such a meaningful success for the victims and their families:
• Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
• Galveston County Citizen Sheriff’s Academy Alumni Association
• City of Galveston Fire Department
• The Gulf Coast Center
• Pastor Jervie Windom, Resonate Church in La Marque
• Nellie Loewen, UTMB Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
Adina Morris
DA’s Office in Palo Pinto County
Palo Pinto’s 11th Annual Tree of Angels program was held on December 9. Our guest speaker for the program was Janet (White) Cole. Janet tragically lost her husband, Randy White, on April 2, 2009. Randy was a sergeant with the Bridgeport Police Department assisting the Wise County Sheriff’s Department during a high-speed pursuit when the suspect intentionally collided with Sgt. White’s vehicle.
Janet is also a published author. She wrote Murder to Miracles about her tragic loss but also about the healing and blessings she received in the years following her husband’s death. Although she has spoken publicly about her loss, she had never spoken in the company of others who have also tragically lost loved ones. Janet felt a strong urgency to speak of that healing and the blessings that coincided with the devastation of losing someone she loved. During her special tribute, she brought forth tears but also smiles and laughter, as she focused on the privilege of honoring our Angels.
DA’s Office in Williamson County
The Williamson County District Attorney’s Office started its first Annual Tree of Angels ceremony in December 2013, and we celebrated our 12th on Tuesday, December 3.
The Tree of Angels ceremony allows the community to remember families whose lives have forever been touched by violent crime. Families and friends of victims and survivors of a violent crime bring an angel ornament to place on this special tree.
The ceremony also includes the dedication and lighting of the unadorned Tree of Angels and victims, families, and friends decorating the tree with their angel ornaments. The audience is a broad reflection of the community, including families of homicide crimes, law enforcement, and victim services agencies from the county and state.
This year the trees remained up for public viewing from December 3–17. This allowed those who were unable to attend the ceremony to come and honor their loved ones.
Glyn Sloan
DA’s office in Limestone County
On December 17 at the Limestone County Courthouse, local residents gathered for the annual Tree of Angels ceremony, a heartfelt event dedicated to honoring crime victims. It was so very nice to honor 20-25 victims who were escorted by law enforcement down the stairway to our Tree of Angels event via violin accompaniment as our DA Roy DeFriend welcomed guests.
Board elections and appointments
Board elections were held on Thursday November 7, at the Key Personnel & Victim Assistance Coordinator Conference in Sugar Land for the West (Regions 1 & 2) and North-Central Areas (Regions 3 & 7). Recent elections to the board are as follows:
• Wendy Porter (KP/VAC) (Region 2) of the Pecos County Attorney’s Office was elected as the West Area representative.
• Chree Henderson (KP) (Region 7) of the Palo Pinto County District Attorney’s office was elected as the North-Central Area representative.
• Rosie Martinez, Victims Unit Director (Region 4) of the Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney’s Office was elected as 2025 Vice-Chairperson.
The recent appointments to the board are as follows:
• Regina Brooks (VAC) (Region 6) of the Cherokee County DA’s Office was appointed as a Designated VAC representative.
• Michelle Bork (KP) (Region 6) of the Kaufman County Criminal DA’s Office was appointed as a Designated KP representative.
The Key Personnel–Victim Services Board assists in preparing and developing operational procedures, standards, training, and educational programs. Regional representatives serve as a point of contact for their region. To be eligible, each candidate must have permission of the elected prosecutor, attend the elections at the annual seminar or be appointed, and have paid membership dues.
If you are interested in training and want to give input on speakers and topics at TDCAA conferences for KP and VACs, please consider running for the board. Elections are held each November at our Key Personnel & Victim Assistance Coordinator Conference and appointments are made each January. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected]. Below I have included an introduction and photos of the newest members of the KP–VS Board.
Michelle Bork
Designated KP representative (Region 6)
Hello, my name is Michelle Bork, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as a proud employee of the Kaufman County District Attorney’s Office, where I have dedicated 20 years of service. Currently, I serve as the Civil Supervisor Paralegal and recently achieved a significant milestone by becoming a TBLS Board Certified Paralegal in Criminal Law.
I am deeply honored to have been appointed to TDCAA’s KP–VS Board. This opportunity to collaborate with such an incredible group of professionals is truly exciting. I look forward to sharing the knowledge and experiences I have gained over the years while learning from the diverse expertise of my peers. Together, I am confident we can continue making a meaningful impact within the counties.
Chree Henderson
North Central Area representative (Region 7)
My name is Chree Henderson, and I am the Legal Assistant for the Palo Pinto County District Attorney’s Office in Palo Pinto. I have been with the office since July 1, 2023. I am looking forward to serving on the TDCAA Key Personnel-Victim Services Board. I feel serving on the board will build confidence in not only my work but also for other people in the Key Personnel position across the state.
Regina Brooks
Designated VAC representative (Region 6)
I am honored to have been selected to serve on the TDCAA Key Personnel–Victim Services Board representing Region 6. I have been employed with the Cherokee County District Attorney’s office for six years, serving under The Honorable Elmer Beckworth throughout that time. I look forward to working under the guidance and supervision of the newly elected District Attorney, Jonathan Richey, with whom I have worked closely throughout the duration of my time at the DA’s Office, mostly regarding crimes against women and children. We have worked very hard in the office to obtain justice for all victims of crime.
I sought to serve on the Board to gain more knowledge of how to effectively serve the victims of crime in our county while working as a team with the prosecutors in the office and to provide support and education to other victim services professionals as my skills and knowledge base is enhanced.
Wendy Porter
West Area Representative (Region 2)
My name is Wendy Porter, and I represent Region 2 of the KP–VS Board. I am the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Pecos County Attorney’s Office as well as the Juvenile Case Coordinator and the Office Administrator. I began my career in 2012 as the Case Intake and Legal Assistant and have since held the positions of Pretrial Intervention Coordinator, Investigator’s Assistant, NISI Coordinator, and Truancy Coordinator. I am blessed to work with an amazing prosecutor and outstanding coworkers. Our office works well together with the goal of moving cases quickly while keeping victims a priority. I am excited to serve as a Board member and look forward to this year.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Each April communities throughout the country observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) by hosting events promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. NCVRW will be observed April 6-12, 2025, with the theme “Connecting < KINSHIP > Healing.” Check out the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) website at https://ovc.ojp.gov/news/announcements/2025-national-crime-victims-rights-week-dates-and-theme. Sign up for the NCVRW subscription list at https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/subscribe.
If your community hosts an event for NCVRW, we would love to publish photos and information about it in a future edition of The Texas Prosecutor journal. Please email me at [email protected] with information and photos of your event.
Victim services consultations
As TDCAA’s Victim Services Director, I am available to provide victim services training and technical assistance to you via phone, by email, in person, or by Zoom. I can tailor individual or group training specifically for needs. The training and assistance are free of charge. Are you a new VAC? This training would be perfect for you!
If you would like to schedule a free consultation, please email me at [email protected].