CLEAT Staff

Robert is a retired NYC Police Officer and has been an attorney in the San Antonio office since 2005. He received a BA in History at the University of New York, Stony Brook, and his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. In 1983, Robert joined the U.S. Army and was a military police officer. In 1985 he joined the National Guard where he served honorably for 15 years. Prior to joining CLEAT Robert served as an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, New York.

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Jane graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in 1987 and received her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1992. She is licensed to practice in the Northern and Eastern Districts of federal court as well as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. She began her law career as a staff attorney with Texas Conference of Police and Sheriff’s (TCOPS) in February 1993, a state-wide labor association headquartered in Dallas. While working for TCOPS, Jane represented law enforcement officers from various agencies throughout the State of Texas including Dallas, Irving, Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and Constables, Midland, TABC and Carrollton. Jane worked as a contract attorney for Dallas Police Patrolman’s Union (DPPU) from January of 1998 until September of 2003. Since then Jane has represented law enforcement officers primarily in the North Texas area in various administrative and employment-related matters as well as officer involved shootings and critical incidents, federal civil rights and whistleblower litigation, criminal defense, civil service arbitration, and mediation.

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Karl is a San Antonio native who joined CLEAT in December 2007. Karl attended East Central High School in San Antonio and Texas Lutheran University in Seguin before going to law school at St. Mary’s University.

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Jim joined CLEAT in 2008. He is originally from Fort Worth. Jim completed his undergraduate studies at UT Austin in 1986. He was a buyer at Lockheed Fort Worth Company before going to law school and graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1996.

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Kathy has been practicing law for seventeen years in Austin, Texas, focusing on general litigation. Prior to joining CLEAT, she worked as an associate attorney with the Evans Family Law Group, West Short & Associates, and Mitchell Williams. With a background that includes family members in law enforcement, Kathy turned down more lucrative offers to come to CLEAT where she hopes to make a real difference by assisting those who protect and serve. Kathy was born and raised in Austin Texas. She received her Undergraduate Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

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John was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He obtained his undergraduate degree at Penn State with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice and served as a dispatcher for the Austin Police Department for five years before attending law school at St. Mary’s School of Law. He then graduated with a Juris Doctorate and served as a prosecutor in Cameron County before joining CLEAT.

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Benjamin Casey graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of Texas at Dallas and Magna Cum Laude from Tulane University Law School. He has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since 2013. Benjamin comes to CLEAT after several years practicing healthcare law, corporate law, criminal law, and general civil litigation. He is honored to join such a dedicated team of professionals and looks forward to serving those who serve us.

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Karen Y. Dykes was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. She graduated from Hampton University summa cum laude with a degree in Computer Information Systems, having received a full academic scholarship. Karen went on to The University of Texas School of Law where she was awarded a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. Since then, she has been licensed to practice law in Texas and California and has taken on a myriad of challenges as an Assistant District Attorney, working as an associate at a leading regional firm. She is excited to work with CLEAT and its members.

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Ricardo received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and his J.D. from Lewis and Clark School of Law in Portland, Oregon. He began his legal career with the Housing Authority of Portland and as a Union Steward with a local AFSCME. After moving back to Texas, he practiced labor law with David Van Os and later as a solo practitioner. He is licensed in the Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas, as well as the Fifth Circuit and Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

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Attorney Brad Heilman is CLEAT's Criminal Defense Lead Attorney and Central Texas Staff Attorney out of the CLEAT State Headquarters in downtown Austin. Heilman served in the United States Army for seven years before joining the Austin Police Department, where he served as a Senior Police Officer for five years. In 2011, Brad graduated from the Baylor School of Law and has represented police officers across Central Texas for the past 13 years.

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Analisa attended the Law Magnet program in High School before receiving both her Bachelor and Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees from St. Mary’s University. Prior to joining CLEAT, she worked as a felony prosecutor with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. Born & raised in San Antonio in a law enforcement family, Analisa is excited to represent those who selflessly serve and protect.

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Chase was born and raised in Austin, Texas. He attended Tarleton State University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice before earning his law degree from Texas Tech in 2020. Prior to joining CLEAT, Chase was a Hearing Officer with the Texas Workforce Commission.

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J.R. Ramirez has over fifteen years of experience in law enforcement, working with the City of McAllen and Mission Police Department. JR found an interest and love for union work and was an executive board member of the local police union for thirteen years of his law enforcement career. JR also block walked and help put civil service on the ballot and did the same for binding arbitration. He began as a patrol officer and then became a detective. As a property crime detective for the City of McAllen, he focused on credit card fraud and financial crime cases, working alongside the Secret Service. His career led him to pursue a major in Criminal Justice and received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas-Pan American in 2009. He immediately continued his education and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 2011 from the University of Texas-Pan American.

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Kirby Wallace was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. He received his bachelor’s degree in 2011 and his law degree in 2017 – both from Texas A&M University. Before joining CLEAT, Kirby was a felony prosecutor with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

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Joyce Lopez is one of the longest-serving members of the CLEAT Staff. She attended San Antonio College for her legal studies and obtained extensive legal experience before coming to work for CLEAT. She has over 25 years in serving CLEAT members in San Antonio and across South Texas.

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Mayra comes to us from the District Attorney’s office in El Paso where she was an Administrator for two County Courts. There she kept track of misdemeanor case files. Mayra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.

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Jeanette was born and raised in San Antonio. In 2014, she moved to Houston with her husband Joseph and their two daughters. Prior to working for CLEAT, she worked for Whataburger Home Office as an Administrator.

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Ericka Gutierrez is a native of Dallas. She worked for many years with the Dallas Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #588. She joined CLEAT in 2018 as a Membership Assistant and recently transitioned into the role of assistant to the Legal Staff in Dallas. She enjoys volunteering her time at Law Enforcement events, helping the families of fallen Officers, and providing overall support to Officers and their families, something she has dedicated her professional life to for more than 17 years.

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Davita Hawkins was born and raised in Odessa, TX, and moved to Austin in 2010 where she started her family. Prior to obtaining her Paralegal Studies degree, she worked many years as a Customer Service Manager. She believes strongly in public service and is honored to be a part of helping the men and women that serve in law enforcement.

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Mike Rickman served as an officer in the Mesquite Police Department for nearly a decade before going to Texas Tech University Law School where he graduated in 1993. Mike met and married Mesquite Officer Gay Rickman, who is now retired. They have two sons.

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Amy Lee is President of Steadfast Policy Strategies, a consulting firm which focuses on using data to support public policy initiatives. She recently retired from the Texas Department of Insurance after 27 years of state service, all of which was focused on conducting research, drafting rules and legislation, serving as a legislative resource witness, and providing policy guidance to decision-makers on workers’ compensation issues. She served as the Special Advisor to the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation and oversaw the Workers’ Compensation Research and Evaluation Group, which produces the agency’s annual network report card and evaluations of legislative reforms. She was a member of the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute Texas Advisory Committee, the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions’ Research and Standards and Proof of Coverage committees and is a fellow with National Academy of Social Insurance. Amy is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and has been a featured speaker at numerous national and international insurance and workers’ compensation conferences over the last two decades.

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Susan graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. She also attended St. Edwards University and received a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership and Ethics. Susan joined the CLEAT staff in 1985 as Membership Secretary.

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Michelle is a native Texan born in Alice, raised in Pearland, and graduated from Lamar University. She moved to Austin in 1992. Prior to joining CLEAT, she worked at Dell Technologies for over 26 years. Michelle is passionate about spreading joy to others.

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Kristi has been with CLEAT since 1994 starting in the Membership Division. She also worked with the CLEAT Public Affairs team and coordinated events for the POMF before being promoted to Membership Coordinator and Assistant Director in 2022. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Concordia University and a marketing certificate from the University of Texas at Austin.

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Jeannette comes from a military family and moved around a lot both as a youngster and as an adult. But she’s lived in Texas on and off for the past 20 years. She started at CLEAT as a temporary employee and joined the Membership team permanently in late 2015.

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After college in New Jersey and New York, the Army moved him to South Carolina, Missouri and finally Texas, where he has lived since 2002. In 2005, he was hired with the Temple Police Department. Jayson has been a member of the Robbery Investigators of Texas since its’ inception in 2012. In 2017, Jayson began working for CLEAT in the Membership Services division. Jayson is married to a 911 dispatcher and has 5 children.

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Jennifer Hackney Szimanski began her career in 2005 with the Texas Attorney General’s Office (Greg Abbott) after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Texas State University. She was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division from 2005-2011 where she worked on public integrity, human trafficking, cybercrimes, and child abuse cases. In 2011, Jennifer joined the Austin Police Department where she worked patrol until transferring to the Austin Regional Intelligence Center as an intel officer. She worked for the next five years as an Intelligence Officer coordinating with the local JTTF on foreign and domestic terrorism investigations. In April of 2019, she promoted to the rank of corporal/detective and was assigned as a patrol supervisor Corporal in Central East Austin. Jennifer has a life-long passion for law enforcement’s political environment and has a long history of connection and involvement with State politics for many years.

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Katy handles the CLEAT communications objectives. She is our photojournalist, publications editor and designer, news media coordinator, writer, and digital presence manager. Originally from Maryland, where she obtained dual degrees in Computer Science and Corporate Communications, Katy comes to CLEAT with over 22 years of experience with HP, the Atlantic Council of the US in DC, and Sotheby’s. She is a proud supporter of military and law enforcement, along with several charitable organizations such as Austin Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Heart of Texas Lab Rescue, HeroBox, and Project K9 Hero.

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Laura Licata was born in New Jersey and raised in Kansas City. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a military police officer in 2009 deploying to Afghanistan and Okinawa, Japan. Upon completing her enlistment, she began school achieving a bachelor’s in Mass Communications with a minor in Political Science from Meredith College in 2016 and a M.A. in International Security from George Mason University in 2017. She then continued her service supporting the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department from 2017-2023 in various legislative affairs roles. She recently moved to the Austin area with her husband Aaron and has a German Shepherd Kami and a Korean Jindo Dog named Kimchi.

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Todd is the Union Services Director statewide for CLEAT. As a former President of CLEAT and honorably retired Sergeant of Austin PD, Todd is uniquely equipped with the knowledge that is necessary to head up services for all of CLEAT’s affiliated local associations, including work on contracts and negotiations, as well as training, education, and outreach.

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John Kerr joined the CLEAT Field Services Division after retiring from the Fort Worth Police Department. John has served as President of the FWPOA and Vice President of CLEAT for several terms. He has negotiated contracts, recruited members and fought many public media and political battles in Fort Worth and across the state. He is a graduate of the Harvard Trade Union Program in Cambridge, Mass., and a veteran of the U.S. Army.

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Janet Cole grew up in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Marketing. She came to CLEAT in 2008. She is a full-time organizer that focuses on targeted local associations in membership growth and helps them formulate strategies, leadership training, communication tools, and resolving local issues.

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Jeff Lake was born and raised in the Golden Triangle of Southeast Texas. After 8 years of military service, he relocated to West Texas to work as a Texas peace officer. He has been a loyal CLEAT member since 2011 and can speak from experience about how important CLEAT legal protection is after being involved in an OIS in 2013. Jeff is certified as a TCOLE Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Mental Health Officer, and Force Science Analyst. He has two sons, Conner and Dawson.

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Danny Arredondo was a CLEAT member for his entire career as a San Marcos police officer. Danny served on the board of the San Marcos Police Officer Association as well as serving as President for the past decade. Danny was instrumental in convincing city leaders there to implement Meet and Confer after CLEAT passed the law back in 2005. Danny also negotiated every contract with the city, handled political endorsements as well as the everyday duties of being a local President.

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Steve Ayala’s career in law enforcement started at the University of Texas at Tyler where he served two years as an officer. As an officer, he graduated from UT-Tyler with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Steve then returned back to his hometown where he’s been a police officer with the McAllen Police Department for over 17 years. Steve has served in several units in the department and has been an active board member for the CLEAT police associations in his department. Steve is assigned to CLEAT’s newest office in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Has was born in Austria and moved to Buffalo – Niagara Falls, NY region where he grew up. He received his AAS Degree in Police Science from Genesee Community College, Batavia, NY, a BS Degree in Criminal Justice from State University of NY at Buffalo, NY and his Masters of Public Administration Midwestern State University, Wichita Fall, TX. Hans has served as a police officer for the University of Chicago, Southern Pacific Railroad and ended his career as a Houston Police officer (31 plus years, Field Operations Command). In addition, he served on the Board of Directors for the Houston Police Officers’ Association (HPOA) from 1982-1996 and HPOU president from 1996-2008. He served as an integral part of changes that were made into transforming the HPOA into the Houston Police Officers’ Union (HPOU). Hans has 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren.

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Chris has been a CLEAT member since October 2000. He has been active with San Antonio Police Officer’s Association since 2003 serving on various committees for healthcare, compensation, and grievances. Chris was on the Board of Directors as well as the Executive Board of SAPOA. He has worked on collective bargaining agreements, member education for benefits, and as a trustee on their Retiree Healthcare Fund.

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Bryan Skinner is an experienced law enforcement leader who remembers where he came from. In his 34-year tenure as a peace officer, he has served in Field Ops, Criminal Investigation, and Administration Divisions in a myriad of roles ranging from Patrol to Homicide Detective, Narcotics, Street Crimes, and Task Force Commander. During his career, Bryan has proven to be a passionate advocate for the working cop. Bryan is concurrently serving as CLEAT Field Rep and an elected Board Member of the Beaumont Police Officers Association, where he previously served as President. He has been actively involved in contract negotiations, discipline mitigation, and outspoken efforts to make improvements in the police profession. He has earned a Master’s Degree from Sam Houston State University in Criminal Justice Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in CJ - Prelaw from Lamar University. Bryan is known to be a well-rounded, balanced “big picture” pragmatist with a straightforward, friendly demeanor.

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Sonia Godinez proudly joined CLEAT in 2018. She currently holds a position in membership and everyday recruiting. Sonia has always respected the service and sacrifice of first responders. In 1996, she worked for Dallas County as a Deputy Constable in Pct. 6 and in 2000 as a Police Officer in Cockrell Hill PD. Prior to joining CLEAT, Sonia worked for the Dallas Fraternal Order of Police for over 17 years. She is currently at the CLEAT office in Dallas. Sonia enjoys spending time with family, attending her boys' sporting events, the outdoors and traveling.

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Cheri was born and raised in Killeen, Texas. Her career in the law enforcement community included over 15 years as a Correctional Officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and as a dual certified security officer with both the City and the County of St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, she served on the Local Executive Board of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees for the TDCJ Correctional Officers in Huntsville, Texas from 2014-2017 and as it’s President from 2017-2019. She was also very active in the Houston chapter of the Texas Young Active Labor Leaders, or Texas YALL, serving as the Recording Secretary for its inception year, from 2017-2018. She proudly joined the CLEAT family in 2019.

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Carol has been with CLEAT since 1994. Carol is a Certified Estate Planner and worked with the Legal Services Division as Wills Program Coordinator until 2019. As of 2020, Carol is now the Program Coordinator for the Ride for the Fallen and CLEAT Retiree Association. Prior to serving the legal division, Carol obtained both Life & Health and Property & Casualty insurance licenses and managed the CLEAT Benefit Plan, servicing the participating locals.

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