SART Board Members
Officers:
President: Brooke Hinojosa
Ms. Hinojosa became a SART board member in September 2010 and was elected President in March 2011. She has been the program coordinator for the Texas Sexual Assault & Family Violence Investigator Course (SAFVIC) since 2002. A native of Bulverde, she began attending SART meetings as an extension of her work and as a concerned citizen. She graduated from Southwest Texas State University (Texas State University) in 1999 with a double major in Sociology and Anthropology.
Vice-President: Stacy Dufur
Ms. Dufur is currently the Victim Assistance Coordinator for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in Comal County. She has been employed by the Comal County District Attorney’s Office since 2009. Originally from Cortez, Colorado, Stacy moved to Texas in 2003. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She has been a SART board member since February 2010 and is chair for the Child Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP).
Treasurer: Sharon M. Ferrell
Ms. Ferrell joined the SART board in January of 2007 and was elected treasurer in May of 2007. She became a board member because of her belief in the purpose and principals of our organization. Ms. Ferrell is employed as the First Assistant County Auditor for the Comal County Auditor’s Office, a position she has had since 1993. In 1996, she graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Ms. Ferrell is a native of New Braunfels, a graduate of New Braunfels High School and has given 20 years of service to Comal County through her work with the Auditor’s Office.
Secretary: Jo Marie Montague
Ms. Montague is a Crisis Response Specialist for the Crisis Center of Comal County. She graduated from Southwest Texas State University (Texas State University) with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and has been a SART board member since 2008. Ms. Montague’s involvement with SART stems from her passion to help victims of sexual assault, which was inspired by a family member who was a victim of sexual assault. She is a New Braunfels native and is also involved with TAASA (Texas Association Against Sexual Assault), Relay for Life of Comal County, and the Comal County Fair Association & Fair Queen’s Program. Ms. Montague may be reached at jmontague@ccccnbtx.org.
Board Members:
Jennifer Tharp
Ms. Tharp has been a SART board member since its creation in 2005. She is also an attorney in the Civil Division for the Comal County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. As a prosecutor, she represents Comal County as a governmental body by providing legal advice to the Commissioners Court, along with the elected officials, department heads, and employees. She defends the County in lawsuits and represents the interest of Comal County as a whole. Ms. Tharp has worked for the District Attorney’s Office since 2004, first as a Justice of the Peace Prosecutor and also as the Juvenile Prosecutor before taking her current position. Prior to working for the District Attorney’s Office she was an Assistant Attorney General for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in the Honors Attorney Program. Ms. Tharp graduated from Texas Lutheran University with a B.S. in Political Science and from St. Mary’s University School of Law. As a life long resident of Comal County, Ms. Tharp is active in the community through her work on the Upstarts Board of Directors, Connections and their Community Teen Court, CAC of Comal County, Comal County Bail Bond Board, Comal County Juvenile Board, Comal County Bar Association, New Braunfels Republican Women Association, Crisis Pregnancy Center of New Braunfels, Wurstfest Association, and the Crisis Center of Comal County.
Kathy H. Faulkner
Ms. Faulkner has been a board member since 2008 and has served as the Comal County District Clerk since 2003. Prior to her election, she worked in the District Clerk’s Office as a civil clerk and a criminal clerk for 7 years, and prior to that she was employed with banking and insurance companies. Ms. Faulkner’s interest in the SART Foundation stems from her desire to become more involved with her community and her belief in our mission. She also participates in the Republican Clubs in New Braunfels, the Women’s Eagles Auxiliary, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Lions Club, and, as a mother of five and grandmother of three, she enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends, gardening, traveling, and shopping.
Chief Tom Wibert
Tom Wibert became a SART Board member in 2011. He is the Chief of Police in New Braunfels starting in November of 2010. He came from East Lansing, Michigan where he served with the East Lansing Police Department as their Chief. Tom has Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Michigan State University and a Masters degree from Western Michigan University. He is a third generation cop with over 80 years of police work in his family. Tom is also on the Advisory Board of the 100 Club of Comal County and is on the Board of Directors of the Child Advocacy Center and the New Braunfels Kiwanis Club.
David Cantu
David Cantu became a SART Board member in 2011. He currently works as a Sergeant with the New Braunfels Police Department and is assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division where he investigates crimes committed by and against juveniles. He is also a defense tactics instructor and has started a women only self defense program through the New Braunfels Police Department. The self defense program will be opened up to the entire community beginning in Jan 2012.
Tommy Ward, Comal County Sheriff’s Office
Advisory Members:
Dr. John Flanagan, Emergency Medicine, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa New Braunfels
Gwen Mills, MNSc, Comal County Health Department
Trendy Sharp, Executive Director, Children’s Advocacy Center of Comal County
Pat Keyes, Community Volunteer
Vanessa Paulini, Children’s Program Coordinator, Crisis Center of Comal County
Gabriel Mendoza, Emergency Department Director, Christus Santa Rosa
Timothy Gebel, CPS Program Director, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
