2013 Texas Tribune Festival

Grissom is The Texas Tribune's managing editor and joined the staff when the publication launched in 2009. In addition to editing duties, she leads the Tribune's coverage of criminal justice issues. Grissom joined the Tribune after four years at the El Paso Times, where she acted as a one-woman Capitol bureau.

Fowler assists in overseeing Texas Appleseed’s legal and policy team and coordinating efforts on juvenile justice, the school-to-prison pipeline and foster care. She has authored three major reports on the school-to-prison pipeline in Texas. Fowler received her law degree from Lewis & Clark College’s Northwestern School of Law.

Griffiths has been the executive director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department since 2012. Previously, he served as the juvenile services director for Dallas County from 1995 to 2010. He is also an adjunct professor at Sam Houston State University. Griffiths received his master of public administration degree from Texas Christian University.

Moody, D-El Paso, was first elected in 2008 to represent District 78 in the Texas House. He sits on the Defense and Veterans’ Affairs, Local and Consent Calendars, Criminal Jurisprudence and Select Criminal Procedure Reform committees. He received his law degree from Texas Tech University.

Rose serves as a juvenile justice policy associate for Texans Care for Children, a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and well-being of Texas children. She also convenes the Texas Juvenile Justice Roundtable, a monthly forum for stakeholders dedicated to helping troubled youth.

West, D-Dallas, was first elected in 1992 to represent District 23 in the Texas Senate. He serves as chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee and sits on the Higher Education, Education, Finance and Health and Human Services committees. West wrote legislation that created the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center at Prairie View A&M University.