Women of Distinction Past Recipients

Congratulations to all of the Women of Distinction past recipients.

2024 Women of Distinction

Alyssa C. Benavides, PhD., MPA, Managing Director of Interprofessional Education, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso

Elizabeth Cravens, President, Mid-America Contractors, LLC, Groves

Brianna Dimas, Chief Communications Officer, American Immigration Council, San Antonio

Debra Guerrero, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Government Relations, The NRP Group, LLC, San Antonio

Ruth Ruggero Hughs, Partner, Co-Chair of Public Law Group, Kelly, Hart & Hallman, LLP, Austin

Vanessa Jimenez, President, Amigos en Azul, and Senior Police Officer, Austin Police Department, Austin

Claudia Knight, Owner, Chiquis Grandma Cuisine, and Owner, Chiquis Bakery, El Paso

Erica Marie Lopez, State Chair, Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas, Austin

Adriana Ocampo-Senior, Former Executive, The Boeing Company. Founder & Owner, T.I.A. Consulting Services, Addison

Dr. Ginger J. Raya, Center Leader, George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management, and Associate Professor, UTHealth Houston, School of Public Health, El Paso Campus, El Paso

Elizabeth Rios-Carl, Healthcare Consultant, The Farrall Blackwell Agency, El Paso

Dr. Noemi X. Salas-Oliver, CEO of NXS Consulting, Founder of Mana Joseph’s Store House, Co-Pastor of Encounter Church, Podcaster of The Secret Place, and Founder of Fabulous Finance & Faith, Benbrook

2023 Women of Distinction

Dr. Ashley Bose Medical Director, Ashley Pediatrics and Industrial Health Works, Edinburg
Evelyn Cano President & Co-Founder, Disability Chamber of Commerce RGV; Co-Owner, Grande Produce, Pharr
Laura Lopez Cano Visual Artist, Laura Lopez Cano Art Studio, El Lago
Dr. Michelle Cohen Hays County Commissioner Precinct 2, Kyle
Deborah L. Cordova Founding Member/Manager, Walsh McGurk Cordova Nixon, PLLC, Edinburg
Marie Salazar Garcia Business Development Representative, SAMES, Inc., McAllen
Luz Lopez-Guerrero Director of Growth & Broker Relations, WellMed Medical Management, Austin
Dr. Alicia Mercado-Castro Retired Educator, Pflugerville
Dr. Luisa Montoya Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Matters, Kingwood
Dr. Rosamaria Murillo Chief Executive Officer, El Buen Samaritano, Austin
Venus V. Piñeyro De Hoyos Founder & CEO, The Inclusion Plus Institute & Vector U, Austin
Yvette Reyna Executive Director, Boerne Education Foundation and Boerne Independent School District Community Partnerships, San Antonio
Angelica Rosales Project Director, Sundt Construction, El Paso

2022 Women of Distinction

Esmeralda Adame CEO Consulting Firm, LLC. Mission, Texas
Crystal Martinez Owner / Agent State Farm Insurance, El Paso, Texas
Barbara Armendariz General Manager Subaru of El Paso, El Paso, Texas
Alejandra de la Torre Owner / Agent State Farm Insurance, Round Rock, Texas
Linda Medina-Lopez Executive Director Pflugerville Education Foundation, Round Rock, Texas
Yvonne “Bonnie” Garcia Founder / CEO MarketVision, San Antonio, Texas
Carmen Gutierrez Community Advocate, Del Rio, Texas
Merida May Mendoza Owner Mendoza Insurance & Financial Services, Mikel May’s Bar & Grill, Corpus Christi, Texas
Myra Leo Principal Husch Blackwell Strategies, Austin, Texas
Della Fay Perez Attorney Angels of Love, McAllen, Texas
Dr. Ana Rush Executive Director of Academics and Accountability Del Valle ISD, Del Valle, Texas
Kerlin Sabogal Founder and Exec. Dir. The Courage to Bee, Inc. Spring, Texas

2019 Women of Distinction

Minerva Abrego-Sanchez, Associate, Andrade-Van de Putte & Associates, San Antonio
Mary Lupe Arana, Vice President of Operations, GFP Group, LLC, Corpus Christi
Dr. Barbara Baggerly-Hinojosa, Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Empowerment Group, Mercedes
Estela Casas, News Anchor, KVIA TV, El Paso
The Honorable Dori Contreras, Chief Justice, 13th Court of Appeals of Texas, Edinburg and Corpus Christi
Dr. Diane N. De Hoyos, Assistant Vice President for Purchasing and General Services, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso
Lizette Diaz, Founder and Publisher, Solo Mujeres Magazine, Houston
Taina Maya, Morning News Anchor, KWTX News 10, Lorena
Sheila Morataya, Founder and President, Sheila Morataya Enterprises, Round Rock
Monica Moreno, President, The Job Connection, Inc., El Paso
Jessica Robledo, Chief of Police, City of Pflugerville, Pflugerville
The Honorable Gisela D. Triana, Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals of Texas, Austin

2017 Women of Distinction

Melissa P. Aguillon, President and CEO, Aguillon & Associates, LLC, San Antonio
Chris Alderete, Owner, The Rose Boutique, San Antonio
Linda Garza Battles, Deputy Commissioner for Agency Operations and Communications/Chief Operating Officer, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Austin
Olga Campos Benz, Community Relations Director, Milton Verret & Investments, Austin
Jo Anne Bernal, El Paso County Attorney, El Paso
Virginia M. Fraire, Ph.D., Vice President of Student Services, Austin Community College, Austin
Crissy Z. Hinojosa, Ph.D., Director of Business Intelligence, Bay Ltd., Corpus Christi
Ana Lozoya, Business Consultant, West Texas A&M University Small Business Development Center, Amarillo
Celina Moreno, Attorney, MALDEF, San Antonio
Julia B. Villaronga, President, Killeen-Fort Hood LULAC Council 4535, Killeen
Elvia Wallace-Martinez, Executive Director and Founder, Debes Creer en Ti, Irving
Bertha A. Zuniga, United States Immigration Judge (Retired), Zuniga Law, PLLC, San Antonio

2016 Women of Distinction

Aliana Apodaca, President, Positive Directions Co., El Paso
Rosemary H. Banda, Community Volunteer, Austin
Barbara Ann Canales, Secretary, Port of Corpus Christi Authority Commission, Corpus Christi
Judith A. Canales, State Executive Director, United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency, College Station
Catalina E. Garcia, M.D., President, Dallas Anesthesiology Group, Dallas
Virginia “Viky” Garcia, Community Volunteer, Laredo
Dr. Eva Garza-Nyer, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Texas College Advisor, Austin
Genoveva G. Gomez, Vice President of Engineering and Construction, San Antonio Water System, San Antonio
Alida Y. Helgerman, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Border Federal Credit Union, Del Rio
Helen Soto Knaggs, Office Manager, Texas Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr., Austin
Cristina Rivera, Chief Executive Officer, Rio Grande Regional Hospital, McAllen
The Honorable Alice Rodriguez, Councilwoman, City of Waco, Waco
Major General Angela “Angie” Salinas, United States Marine Corps (Retired), Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, San Antonio

2015 Women of Distinction

Janet Aguilar, CIC, AAI, Vice President and Sales Executive, USI Southwest, El Paso
Linda V. Alaniz, M.A.I.S., President, Educational Research Institute, Harlingen
Rose Benavidez, M.P.A., President and CEO, Starr County Industrial Foundation, Rio Grande City
Emily Calderón Galdeano, Ed.D., Director of Research, Excelencia in Education, San Antonio
Sonia Clayton, President and CEO, Virtual Intelligence Providers, LLC, Houston
Nora de Hoyos Comstock, Ph.D., President and CEO, Las Comadres Para Las Americas, Austin
Marlene DiLillo, M.S., Executive Director, Greater Killeen Free Clinic, Killeen
Adela N. Gonzalez, Ph.D., Healthcare Consultant, San Antonio
Teresa Granillo, Ph.D., M.P.A., Executive Director, Con Mi Madre, Austin
Maria J. Martinez, B.B.A., President and CEO, Border Federal Credit Union, Del Rio
Nelda Martinez, B.A., Corpus Christi Mayor, Corpus Christi
Anita Ramirez, McAllen

2014 Women of Distinction

Cecilia Castellano, President and CEO, Azteca Designs, Inc., San Antonio, Texas
Rosie Gonzalez Collin, Public Relations Executive, Citgo Refinery, Corpus Christi, Texas
Margarita De Leon, Owner, Doña Tota Restaurants, Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Marie Diaz, President and CEO, Pursuit of Excellence, Inc., Dallas, Texas
The Honorable Veronica Escobar, County Judge, El Paso County, El Paso, Texas
Adelita Figueroa-Muñoz, County Extension Agent – Family and Consumer Science, Texas A&M University Agri-Life Extension, Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Stephanie Hernandez, National Business Manager, National Latino Peace Officers’ Association, Austin, Texas
Sally Hurt-Deitch, President and CEO, Sierra Providence East Medical Center, El Paso, Texas
The Honorable Mercy Murguia, County Commissioner Precinct 2, Potter County, Amarillo, Texas
Liliana Rambo, Parking Director, City of Houston – Department of Aviation, Houston, Texas
Evelina Solis, President and Founder, Sol2Soul, Austin, Texas
Patsy Torres, Ph.D., Owner and Director, Positive Force Tour, Inc., San Antonio, Texas

2013 Women of Distinction

Anna Arredondo Chapman, Deputy City Secretary, City of Del Rio, Del Rio, Texas
Rebecca Contreras, President and CEO, AvantGarde and Company, Founder of LaunchPad The Center for Hope and Building Dreams, Round Rock, Texas
Carmen Garcia, Outreach Director, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, Texas
The Honorable Eva M. Guzman, Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, Austin, Texas
Dolores “Dee” Leal, Consultant/Instructor/Trainer, D & E Consulting & Training, Houston, Texas
The Honorable Diana M. Maldonado, President, Maldonado Strategies LLC, and Senior Advisor, Heartland Solutions Group, Austin, Texas
Linda Matcheski, Executive Assistant and Liaison for the Board of Directors, TDECU-Your Credit Union, Lake Jackson, Texas
Yesenia Violeta Mercado, Office Manager, Insurance Agency Mall PC, Killeen, Texas
Rose M. Ramirez, Program Director, Silver Ribbon Community Partners, McAllen, Texas
Martha Rochford, Area Business Banking President, Wells Fargo, El Paso, Texas
Yahaira Rodriguez, Consultant/Life Coach, Life Coaching to Succeed, Austin, Texas
Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D., Professor, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas

2012 Women of Distinction

Dora G. Alcala, Vice Chair, Legislative and Governmental Affairs, Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Del Rio
Janie Barrera, President and CEO, Accion Texas, Inc., San Antonio
Anna “Michele” Bobadilla, Senior Associate Vice President, Outreach Services and Community Engagement and Assistant Provost for Hispanic Student Success, University of Texas at Arlington, Dallas
Astrid E. Cardona, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio
Liz Lara Carreño, President, LLC Strategies and Executive Director of K9s4COPS, Houston
Ana Yañez-Correa, Ph.D., Executiva Director, Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, Austin
The Honorable Veronica Gonzales, Texas State Representative, District 41 and Attorney, Kittleman, Thomas and Gonzales LLP, McAllen
Maria Luisa “Lulu” Flores, Attorney, Partner, HendlerLaw PC, Austin
Margarita A. Licon, President and CEO, Licon Engineering Company, El Paso
Mary Ellen Londrie, President and CEO, P3s Corporation, San Antonio
Lupe Morin, Executive Director, Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas, Austin
Linda Valdez-Thompson, Executive Vice President, Administration and Diversity, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas
Lora J. Villarreal, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Xerox Corporation, Dallas

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