Pathfinder Awards

Pathfinders are role models and trailblazers — local women with law degrees who are using, and have used, their degrees in a variety of ways to impact our community and the legal profession. Every year, TCWLA makes an effort to select and honor a panel of Pathfinders who represent a diversity of life and career experiences. We invite them to share their stories and the result is a thought-provoking and inspiring program you won’t want to miss.

The deadline for 2025-26 nominations is now closed.  Please watch this page for next year’s nominations.

2026 Pathfinders

U.S. Magistrate Susan Hightower

Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard

Judy Kostura

2025 PATHFINDERS

Judge Selena Alvarenga

Gloria Leal

Amie Rodnick

2024 PATHFINDERS

Judge Laurie Eiserloh

Judge, Travis County 455th District Court

Caitlin Haney Johnston

The Haney Lawfirm

Iris Jones

2023 PATHFINDERS

Justice Chari Kelly

Justice, Third Court of Appeals

Judge Aurora Martinez Jones

Judge, 126th Travis County District Court

Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch

CEO, Lincoln-Goldfinch Law

2022 PATHFINDERS

Delia Garza
Travis County Attorney

Yvonne Puig
Chief Integration Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Kathy Richardson
Founder and Principal, HR Legal Search

2021 PATHFINDERS

Denise Davis
Partner, Davis Kaufman PLLC

Christina  Canales Gorczynski
Executive Director of Impact Austin

Hon. Evelyn Palfrey McKee
Former Presiding Judge, City of Austin, and Author

2020 PATHFINDERS

Tina Amberboy
Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for Children

Molly Cagle
Partner at Baker Botts

Martha Smiley
Counsel at Enoch Kever

2019 PATHFINDERS

Alex Wilson Albright
Partner at Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP
and former professor at the University of Texas School of Law

Hon. Elisabeth Earle
Presiding Judge of Travis County Court at Law #7 and DWI Court

Rep. Gina Hinojosa
District 49 Representative in Texas House of Representatives

2018 PATHFINDERS

Hon. Harriet Murphy
Former Judge on City of Austin Municipal Court
and first African-American woman appointed to
a regular judgeship in Texas

Sara Foskitt
Broker, Owner, and Attorney at Floyd Real Estate

Christine Henry Andresen
Owner at CHA Law

2017 PATHFINDERS

Brook Brown
Retired Partner of McGinnis Lochridge

Carla Cox
Retired Partner of Jackson Walker

Anne Morgan
City Attorney for the City of Austin

Anne Wynne
Co-Founder of Ikard Wynne

2016 PATHFINDERS

Judge Sarah Eckhardt
Travis County’s first female County Judge

LaRu Woody
Former Travis County Assistant District Attorney and
Director of the Family Justice, Trial and Grand Jury Divisions

Sedora Jefferson
General Counsel for the Texas Association of School Boards

Lisa Tsai
Named partner at Reid Collins & Tsai LLP

2015 PATHFINDERS

Monica D. Cunningham
Of Counsel, Kemp Smith

Jo Ann Merica
Special Counsel, McGinnis Lochridge

Denise Hyde
Founder, Law Office of Denise Hyde

Hon. Amy Clark Meachum
Judge of the 201st District Court
of Travis County, Texas

2014 PATHFINDERS

Beverly G. Reeves
Co-founder, Reeves & Brightwell LLP

Ranelle Meroney
Of Counsel, Chamberlain McHaney

Barbara Hines
Founding Member and Of Counsel, Hines & Leigh PC

D’Ann Johnson
Branch Manager, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

2013 PATHFINDERS

Honorable Darlene Byrne
Judge of the 126th District Court of Travis County, Texas

Cameron Vann
Senior Staff Attorney at Texas Lawyers
Assistance Program, State Bar of Texas

Michelle Cheng
Partner at Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees & Cheng, PC

Karen Langsley
Sole Practitioner at Law Office of Karen J. Langsley

2012 PATHFINDERS

Gina Shishima
Partner at Fulbright and Jaworski

Linda Mullenix
Professor at the University of Texas School of Law

Honorable Susan Sheppard

Lulu Flores
President of the National Women’s
Political Caucus and Partner at HendlerLaw

2011 PATHFINDERS

Laura Fowler
Founder of the Fowler Law Firm, PC

Becky Miller
Oil and Gas Litigator

Honorable Lora Livingston
261st District Civil Court

Harriet O’Neil
Former Texas Supreme Court Justice

2010 PATHFINDERS

Justice Eva Guzman
Texas Supreme Court

Judge Suzanne Covington
201st District Court, Travis County

Jeana Lungwitz
Director of the UT Domestic Violence Clinic

Dr. Lynda Frost
Director of Planning and Programs for the
Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at UT

2009 PATHFINDERS

Rosemary Lehmberg
Travis County District Attorney

Judge Brenda Kennedy
403rd Criminal District Court

Melissa Goodwin
Potts & Reilly, L.L.P.

Betty Blackwell
Law Office of Betty Blackwell

2008 PATHFINDERS

Holly Gilman
Gilman & Clarke, P.C.

Susan Morrison
Morrison & Associates, P.C.

Janet Stockard
Janet Stockard, Attorney at Law

Cicily Simms
Cicily Simms, Attorney at Law

2007 PATHFINDERS

M’Lou Patton Bell
Shareholder, Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Barr, P.C.

Sheryl Cole
Cole & Powell, P.C., Austin City Council, Place 6

Karin Crump
Martin, Disiere, Jefferson & Wisdom, L.L.P., President of TYLA

Martha Dickie
Akin and Almanza, L.L.P., President of the State Bar of Texas

2006 PATHFINDERS

Susana Aleman
The University of Texas at Austin School of Law

Karen Kennard
City of Austin

Justice Jan Patterson
Texas Third Court of Appeals

Regina Rogoff
People’s Community Clinic

2005 PATHFINDERS

Nancy Hohengarten
County Court at Law 5

Toni Hunter
Gray & Becker, P.C.

Beth Ozmun
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

2004 PATHFINDERS

Kathryn Tullos
St. Mary’s University School of Law

Cindy Olson Bourland
Merica & Bourland, P.C.

Tracy Walters McCormack
The University of Texas at Austin School of Law

2003 PATHFINDERS

Justice Bea Ann Smith
Third Court of Appeals

Janet Hamilton
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.

Susan Morrison
Morrison & Associaties, P.C.

2002 PATHFINDERS

Jo Christy Brown
Brown & Carls, L.L.P.

Bree Buchanan
Public Policy Director, Texas Council on Family Violence

Myra McDaniel
Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan, Kever and McDaniel

2001 PATHFINDERS

Judge Orlinda Naranjo
Travis County Court-at-Law No. 2

Catherine Ghiglieri
President and CEO of Rategenius

Michelle Dunkerley
VP and Deputy General Cousel for
Dell Computer Corporation

Velva Price
Associate Counsel, Don W. Kothman & Associates

Ann Kitchen
Texas Representative for District 48

Susan P. Burton
Shareholder with Clark, Thomas & Winters, L.L.P.

TCWLA MEMBERSHIP

Join TCWLA to help foster communication among women lawyers and strengthen the image and position of women lawyers in the community.

TCWL FOUNDATION

Donate to the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Foundation and support, promote, and encourage activities for the furtherance of justice and equal opportunity for women, families, and children

Join TCWL Foundation to support, promote, and encourage activities for the furtherance of justice and equal opportunity for women, families, and children.

DONATE!

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Donate to the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association scholarship fund to support

Margaret Cooper Scholarship 
Ann Forman Scholarship
Lora Livingston Scholarship
Ana Mejia-Dietche Scholarship
Orlinda Naranjo Scholarship

TCWLA MEMBERSHIP

Join TCWLA to help foster communication among women lawyers and strengthen the image and position of women lawyers in the community.

TCWL FOUNDATION

Join TCWL Foundation to support, promote, and encourage activities for the furtherance of justice and equal opportunity for women, families, and children.

DONATE!

Donate to the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Foundation and support, promote, and encourage activities for the furtherance of justice and equal opportunity for women, families and children

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Donate to the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association scholarship fund to support

Margaret Cooper Scholarship 
Ann Forman Scholarship
Lora Livingston Scholarship
Ana Mejia-Dietche Scholarship
Orlinda Naranjo Scholarship

Connecting women lawyers and promoting professional and personal advancement through CLEs and social and networking events.