THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

Justice Brad Hart earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor University in 1993 and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1997. After law school, he was a trial prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's office for 16 years, even being honored as "Prosecutor of the Year" by the Texas Narcotics Officers' Association in 2011. He was appointed Judge of the 230th District Court in 2013 and was recognized as "Judge of the Year" by the Texas Gang Investigators' Association in 2018. Following, he served as the Chief of the General Felony Trial Division at the Fort Bend County District Attorney's office before being elected to the 14th Court of Appeals in 2024. Brad makes his home in Houston, Texas.

Jeannine Barr was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisianana and graduated from Louisiana State University Law School. She was an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County in Houston, Texas for nine years before running and being elected as a Criminal District Court Judge for 24 years. After stepping down from the bench, she embarked on a new journey as a singer and songwriter. Jeannine and her husband live in Houston, Texas.

Ilea Newcomb, a third generation Texan, graduated with a degree in Children's Literature from the University of Findlay in Ohio. After working for the Parks & Recreation department for 10 years, she began teaching art, first at YES Prep then at Conroe High School. She is also a children's book illustrator, voice actor, and marathoner. Ilea, her husband, and their 5 kids live in Houston, Texas.

Lance Cowan, a musician, publicist, and manager, was born and raised in Kentucky and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a songwriting career in 1984. He met and was encouraged by the great John Prine and has now been a respected member of the entertainment community for over three decades. Although heavily entrenched in the Roots & Americana fields, he has worked with artists in almost every genre in addition to companies that specialize in education and public speaking. So Far So Good, his acclaimed debut album, was released in 2024, followed by his sophomore album Against the Grain in March 2025. Lance and his wife have two sons and live in Nashville.

Peter Cho is a Designer and Co-Founder of Jack Mason Brand watches. After moving from coast to coast in his youth, he earned his BFA in Product Design from Parsons School of Design in New York, New York and went on to work as a Designer at Movado Group in 2006. He moved to Dallas, Texas in 2010 to work as a Designer at Fossil and founded Jack Mason in 2015 to bring the world premium watches for enthusiasts of all levels. Peter now calls Dallas home.

Hyman Penn is a retired pediatrician; he graduated from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio in 1982 and went on to practice for over 40 years. The son of Holocaust survivors, he is a longtime docent and board member at the Holocaust Museum Houston. In his free time, he practices magic, enjoys bike riding, and travels. Hyman lives in Houston, Texas.

Kate Germond is the Executive Director of Centurion Ministries: Seeking Freedom for The Innocent in Prison, a nonprofit organization that works to exonerate people serving life sentences or death penalty sentences for crimes they did not commit. After moving to New York, New York from Mendocino, California in 1986, she joined the 501c3 and dedicated her life to the exonerees in 1987. Kate and her husband call New York home.

Mark Metzger III is a criminal defense attorney born and raised in Missouri City, Texas. After graduating from the Marine Military Academy in 1999, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2000, where he trained as a cryptologic linguist and earned honors as the Honor Graduate of his class. He went on to earn his law degree from South Texas College of Law in 2012 and has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyers "Rising Star" from 2021 to 2023, an honor given to fewer than 2.5% of Texas attorneys. He has also organized events such as the Silkies Hike, a nationwide initiative supporting veterans' mental health. Mark makes his home in Houston, Texas.

Jonathan Fombonne is the Deputy County Attorney and First Assistant County Attorney in Harris County, Texas. After graduating from Swarthmore College and the University of Michigan Law School, he started his career with a clerkship for Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. Prior to his current appointment, he practiced law at law firms in Texas and New York, maintained a significant pro bono practice, and was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Jonathan, his wife Lauren, and their children live in Houston, Texas.