Katherine Parsley

Professional career

• Appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2013 to the 248th Criminal District Court in Harris County, Judge Parsley served until the end of her term in 2018
• She is also a Professor of Practice in Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University

Education

Additional information

• Before her judicial appointment, she was Executive Director of Crime Stoppers of Houston (2006–2013), leading the largest crime tip line nonprofit in the U.S., and earlier held the role of Assistant District Attorney from 1995–2006, prosecuting cases from white-collar crime to capital murder.
• She was named one of the Fifty Most Influential Women in Houston in 2011.
• Her contributions have been honored with the 2008 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award and the 2009 Suzanne McDaniel Public Awareness Award from the Congressional Victim’s Rights Caucus.
• focusing on rehabilitation through intensive probation and treatment for repeat drug offenders.
• She presided over felony cases ranging from capital murder and aggravated robbery to sexual assault, crimes against children, and property crimes.
• She also managed the Harris County STAR Program (Drug Court)
• Off the bench, Judge Parsley is a certified mediator and advanced arbitrator, and a FINRA arbitrator, conducting mediations and arbitrations in civil and family law cases.
• She serves on multiple nonprofit boards, including Bridges to Life, the Association of Victims of Domestic Abuse, and the Women’s Fund.
• A native Houstonian, Katherine Parsley is married to Dr. Brian Parsley, an orthopedic surgeon, and they have seven grandchildren.