AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry has appointed John Thomas Steen Jr. of San Antonio and Ada Brown of Dallas to the Texas Public Safety Commission. The commission is responsible for formulating and overseeing policies for the Texas Department of Public Safety, the state's chief law enforcement agency.

John Steen is an attorney in private practice and former appointee to the Texas Commission on Economy and Efficiency in State Government, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, where he served as chair. He is vice chairman of the University of Texas at San Antonio Development Board, immediate past president of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, and director and past chairman of the World Affairs Council of San Antonio. He is also a member of the executive committee of the UT System Chancellor's Council, a fellow of the San Antonio Bar Foundation and a life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Steen formerly served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve, and received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a law degree from the University of Texas. He fills a new position on the commission pursuant to Senate Bill 11 of the 80th legislative session for a term to expire January 1, 2012.

Ada Brown of Dallas is an attorney at McKool Smith. She is a past Dallas County Criminal Court Judge and past prosecutor with the Dallas County District Attorney's office. She is a board member of the Dallas Bar Association and chair of its Criminal Justice Committee, and a barrister in the Patrick E. Higginbotham Inn of Court. Brown also teaches trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University's School of Law. Additionally, she is a member of the JL Turner Legal Society, Mensa Genius Society, American Bar Association and Northway Christian Church. Brown received a bachelor's degree from Spelman College and a law degree from Emory University School of Law. She is replacing Elizabeth Anderson for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2011.