Office of Travis County Judge
Andy Brown
Andy Brown serves as the Travis County Judge. He looks forward to making Travis County a safer community by investing in access to health care, including mental and behavioral health resources, and by improving access and transparency for county services.
Most recently, he served as finance director and senior advisor to Senate and Presidential candidate, Beto O’Rourke. Having worked extensively in Democratic politics in Texas, Brown served as a legislative aide to former Texas Speaker of the House Pete Laney and as campaign manager for Congressman Lloyd Doggett. He also served as the Travis County Democratic Party Chair from 2008 - 2013 where he helped dramatically increase voter turnout in 21 majority minority precincts in East Travis County.
Judge Brown grew up in Austin. He graduated from Colorado College and The University of Texas School of Law. He is fluent in Spanish and spent time living and working in Costa Rica, Honduras, Chile, and Argentina. He worked as an EMT after college, and clerked for a federal judge in McAllen, Texas, after law school. He is an experienced litigator from his time working at the law firm he started in 2011. He sits on the board of the Central Texas Media Foundation and is a recent past board member of The Sobering Center Austin, which he helped establish.
Judge Brown enjoys gardening and running around Lady Bird Lake with his family. He has a blackbelt in Taekwondo, and once received a bloody nose while sparring with a US Olympic Gold medalist. Judge Brown and his wife, Sara, have two children, Hattie and Franklin.
County Judge Staff
Chief of Staff
Kate Garza
(512) 854-9555
Kate Garza serves as Judge Brown's Chief of Staff. A lawyer, Kate started her career as a second-grade teacher and has worked in health, education, and labor over the past 20 years to give voice and build power to improve the lives of working people, children, and communities of color. Kate has worked for the United States Senate, House of Representatives, and the Departments of Education and Labor. In Austin, she served as senior counsel to Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza and then as Director of Advocacy & External Affairs for Ascension Seton.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
Deena Estrada
(512) 854-1123
Deena Estrada serves as Judge Brown's Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. She most recently served as Chief of Staff for Austin City Council Member Paige Ellis. Before that, she spent nearly ten years in the Austin City Clerk's Office and with Austin City Council Member Bill Spelman. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she enjoys hiking, reading, and enjoying Austin and Travis County's unique culture with her husband, Jim, son, Rudy, and animals, Tito and Selleck.
Executive Assistant
Kim Romero
(512) 854-9555
Kimberly Romero serves as Judge Brown’s Executive Assistant. Kim started her career working in public schools where she developed a strong desire for public service. Kim has worked in the Texas House of Representatives as well as on local, state, and national Democratic campaigns. She has roots in the Rio Grande Valley and a Bachelor of Arts in Government at The University of Texas at Austin.
Advisor
Malenie Areche Rodriguez
(512) 854-1124
Malenie Areche Rodriguez serves as Advisor to the Judge focusing on communications, policy, and community outreach work. Areche brings with her experience working as a political organizer, community organizer, and management consultant. Before joining the Travis County Judge's Office team, she's worked on the Julie Oliver for Congress 2020 campaign, Jose Garza for DA campaign, the Beto for Senate campaign, and at Accenture. Malenie graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor in Business Administration.
