10/28/2026
Introducing our Executive Director...
Assistant Chief Deputy (Ret.) Kim Howell
Leadership & Service: Kim Howell retired as Assistant Chief Deputy of Detention in July 2021 following a 33-year career with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office. In October 2021, she assumed the role of Executive Director for the Texas Chief Deputies Association (TCDA).
Career & Contributions: During her agency tenure, she chaired the committee tasked with rewriting the State exam and curriculum for the jailers exam, co-developed the Jail Mental Health Officer Master Training certification (which she continues to instruct at Sam Houston State University), and received the Destination Dignity Award from Disability Rights of Texas. She also served on the Texas Jail Association's board for 10 years, becoming Past President in 2015.
Community & Professional Impact: A longtime TCDA member and former conference committee chair, she serves as the primary point of contact for command staff across Texas, managing member inquiries, records, dues, and peer support integration for newly appointed chief deputies. She also coordinates the annual conference—managing room blocks, meeting spaces, banquets, and audio/visual operations while negotiating vendor contracts to uphold fiduciary responsibility to the membership.
