Tiana Sanford

Tiana Jean Sanford is the Professional Development Bureau Chief, overseeing multiple divisions including the Misdemeanor Division and Juvenile Division, as well as the training and recruitment efforts of prosecutors. As a member of the leadership team, she assists with the creation and implementation of policies for the office.

Tiana grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and went on to pursue her undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University. She received her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and started her prosecution career in Montgomery County. There, she began as a misdemeanor prosecutor, served as a Chief prosecutor in multiple County and District Courts, as well as Specialized Crime Sections, and as a Division Chief of the Intake, Misdemeanor and Special Crimes Divisions before she joined Harris County.

She has extensive experience prosecuting all levels of misdemeanor and felony offenses, advising law enforcement during investigations, determining appropriate charges, presenting cases to a jury at trial, and working with members of the community to better serve victims of crime. In 2015, she was honored with the White Hat Award, recognizing her commitment to justice and community. Tiana has a special interest in the prosecution of sexual assault offenses involving adult survivors. She served as the presiding officer of the Montgomery County Sexual Assault Response Team and was appointed to the Prosecutor’s Working Group of the Governor’s Sexual Assault Survivors Task Force, where she currently serves as Co-Chair. Her commitment to effective prosecution has always gone beyond her work in Montgomery County, as she has served as a special prosecutor in multiple Texas counties.

Tiana has been given the opportunity to apply her passion to nontraditional prosecutorial roles. While in Montgomery County, she established the Montgomery County District Attorney Internship Program and served as Chair of the Hiring Committee. She implemented and coordinated Community-Based Prosecution efforts and established the Montgomery County Citizens’ Prosecutor Academy. Tiana served as a Legislative Liaison to the Texas State Legislature during the 84th through 88th legislative sessions and was instrumental in shaping policy related to criminal law, criminal procedure, and victims’ rights. She worked with stakeholders to develop legislation aimed at giving communities the tools they need to combat crime and support survivors.

She is an active member of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, where she currently serves as a member of the Diversity Recruitment and Retention Committee as well as the Training Committee and has previously represented Assistant Prosecutors as a member of the Board of Directors and as the Training Committee Chair. She received the C. Chris Marshall award for distinguished faculty from the organization, honoring her commitment to the education of Texas Prosecutors.

Tiana is an active member of the State Bar of Texas, serving on the Criminal Pattern Jury Charge Committee, and is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She believes that everyone has a responsibility to use their skills to influence their environment for good, is energized when collaborating with others, and seeks the opportunity to build community wherever she goes.