Katya Dow believes in the promise of youth and in bringing justice and equal opportunity to all young people requiring legal assistance.

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Katya holds a B.A. in honors psychology from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. She is the cofounder and Legal Programs Director for the Juvenile and Children’s Advocacy Project (JCAP) based at the University of Houston Law Center, where she is also a Professor of Practice.

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JCAP was created in 2014 with the mission of reducing juvenile delinquency and improving life outcomes for economically and socially disadvantaged youth through the provision of legal, educational, and social support services, and to address issues of systemic racism in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. To carry out JCAP’s mission, Katya oversees, and is the Supervising Attorney for, three primary programs: direct representation for dual-status youth in the juvenile justice, criminal justice, and child welfare systems; juvenile record sealing; and education rights representation.

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Katya has authored professional articles on various topics in her field and has delivered presentations to numerous professional groups, including the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. She is also the legal editor for CKW LUXE magazine.

 

Katya has practiced as an attorney ad litem, guardian ad litem, and juvenile defense attorney since 2000.  She is a council member of the Juvenile Law Section of the Houston Bar Association and a member of the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission Dual Status Task Force. Prior to representing juveniles, Katya practiced international commercial and business litigation for 15 years.

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In further service to her community, Katya has been a member of the Board of Directors of Houston Achievement Place since 2018, a fundraiser for Child Advocates since 2000, and an advocate and fundraiser for the Sierra Club since 1998. As well, she sat on the Board of Directors of the UH (University of Houston) Friends of Women’s Studies from 2016 to 2017, acted as a volunteer guardian and intern for Child Advocates from 2000 to 2010, and was a Big Sister with Big Brothers and Big Sisters from 1992 to 1996. Katya is also a licensed volunteer Emergency Medical Technician.

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A small sample of the honors and awards she has accrued includes State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Award (2017), Special Honors in Psychology - University of Texas Honors Council (1988), and UT Outstanding Academic Achievement Honors (1988).

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It is for all the reasons mentioned above, and many more, that Katya Dow has been named a Top 20 Inspiring Woman Impact Maker for 2022.