Staff

Trish McAllister has over 20 years of experience in the access to justice field.  Prior to joining the Commission, she served as the Executive Director of Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, a non-profit pro bono legal service provider.  She also worked at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid where she was a regional team leader for the family law division handling domestic violence cases and then acting branch manager.  Prior to life as an attorney, she worked in the health care field as an executive of a tertiary care hospital in South Carolina and subsequently developed a subsidiary company for a national anesthesia group in Atlanta. 

Trish holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Houston School of Law and a Masters in Business Administration from Duke University.

Marni Fidler serves as the Office Manager for the Commission and the State Bar’s Legal Access Division.  She previously worked as the Assistant Business Manager for Alpha Media in Peoria, Illinois.  Marni brings with her more than 25 years of administrative and event planning experience. A native Illinoisan and new “Austinite”, she is eager to grow some Texas roots.

Marni holds an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Finance from Illinois Central College and a certification as a Professional Event Planner.

Cathryn Ibarra joined the Commission as a Civil Justice Attorney after working with the Legal Access Division of the State Bar of Texas to develop and support initiatives designed to improve the quality and quantity of access to justice for low-income people in Texas. Prior to working at the Bar, she pursued her passion for policy work as a legislative aide for Senator John Whitmire.

Cathryn received a B.A. in International Relations from Claremont McKenna College in California before returning to Texas to study law at St. Mary’s University.

Catherine Galloway currently serves as a Program Developer for the Commission and Legal Access Division of the State Bar. Her previous work experience includes serving as the Development and Communications Manager for the Commission, a program developer for the Commission and the LAD, an editorial assistant with the Communications Division, and as the executive assistant to the Executive Director of the State Bar of Texas.

Catherine graduated with honors from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

This position is vacant. The job posting is open until December 6th, 2019. For more information and to apply: 
Civil Justice Attorney Job Posting in Austin, TX.

Patricia became a part of the Commission and the State Bar’s Legal Access Division in January 2019.  Prior to joining the team, she worked as Assistant to the Dean of Student Affairs at Huston-Tillotson University. She is excited to be a part of both organizations and looks forward to doing her part to make sure more Texans have access to the justice system.

Patricia has an Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.S. from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications of Syracuse University.