Born into the Texas Prison system in Huntsville to an incarcerated woman and placed for adoption through Catholic Charities. Linda Schroeder grew up in Houston and returned to Huntsville to earn degrees in Psychology and Music at Sam Houston State University in 1986.
Later employed by Walker County as the Administrative Assistant to Commissioner Court, she worked alongside the County Judge and four County Commissioners in all aspects of County Government, including serving as the Chairman of the 911 Rural Addressing Committee and purchasing agent for the Road and Bridge Departments.
In 1991 Linda continued her public service with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division as an Inmate Records Supervisor and later as the Administrative Travel Coordinator for Security Operations.
After completing her Master studies in Clinical Pastoral Education, completing her CPE Clinicals through St. Mary’s and Covenant Health System in Lubbock, Linda met with and served Governor Rick Perry on his Pastor’s Review Panel, where she had a life altering encounter with Restorative Justice Ministry Network founder and Director of Chaplaincy Operations for TDCJ, the late Chaplain Emmett Solomon. Linda then joined the ranks of the Chaplaincy force for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice serving the State of Texas as the first female Chaplain placed on an all-male facility where she served as a Correctional Diagnostic Intake Chaplain at the John Middleton Unit in Abilene, for 10 years before transferring to the Wynne Unit and returning “home” to Huntsville. After serving a second decade in Chaplaincy with a ministry focused on rehabilitation programs, bridging the gap between felons, their children, victims, and families, ministering to victims and inmate families during executions, and heading up a therapeutic music program teaching inmates to play a multitude of stringed and brass instruments, Linda retired following 25 years in public service to Texas.
With a servant’s heart, Linda then joined a Houston based Civil Trial Law Firm as a Paralegal in March of 2011 where she remained until she transitioned to family law, returning to her passion for helping people, joining the Bolton Law Firm in November of 2022.
Mother to six adult children, Mimi to two granddaughters and an avid camper, Linda is a certified backpacking coordinator, American Red Cross Wilderness and Remote First Aid Instructor, Fundamentals of Canoeing and Kayaking Instructor and has been a Girl Scout Leader for 35 years, leading countless girls and adult volunteers on extended backpacking excursions throughout mountain ranges all across the United States and Canada.
A Certified Swimming and Diving Official and Referee for the Northwest Aquatic League, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and the NCAA, Linda has spent. 20 years on the pool deck Officiating High School and Collegiate swim meets. Linda is a very active member and outdoor adventure event coordinator for “Sister’s on the Fly,” the largest women’s outdoor adventure group in the country and spends an average of two weekends a month sharing her love of the outdoors with brave and fearless women.
A member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Huntsville and the Catholic Daughters of the America, Linda has served on the Board of Directors for the Huntsville-Walker County Crimestoppers, the Abilene Crimestoppers, the Huntsville Lakers, the Noah Project, Anvil House Ministries, and currently for Mercy Ranch, a faith-based, rehabilitative, residential program for Veterans.
Linda’s life experiences, prison birth and 35-year journey to uncover her birthmother’s tragic life, give her unique insights into Restorative Justice, Adoption, and Family Law.
