Class Notes
By Sam Boykin
2008
Monica Cruz has completed her 20th year of teaching. She is currently a fourth-grade teacher for the Southside Independent School District. She has also taken on various leadership roles and assisted with curriculum and instruction. In addition, Cruz was selected as her campus’s Teacher of the Year and was awarded the Kens5 EXCEL Award for her impact in the classroom and the Southside community.
2009
Miriam Garza Fernandez recently completed 10 years with Bexar County as an auditor for the probate court. Fernandez has two daughters and serves on the PTA board as historian. She also coaches their soccer and basketball teams.
Elizabeth Villarreal has taught for 17 years at Harlandale ISD. She was named Teacher of the Year at Gillette Elementary for the 2019-2020 school year. Her third-grade class was recently featured on “Science with Sarah Spivey” on KSAT.
2010
Josie Castillo serves as the senior director of finance and accounting for a technology company, where she leads financial operations and strategy to support innovation and growth.
Jose De Leon III is a sixth-grade social studies teacher and coach at Zamora Middle School. He just finished undefeated Zone Champions two out of three years.
Richard Delgado Jr. was recently selected for 12 Under 12, an award created by the Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University to recognize Aggies who have graduated within the past 12 years and contributed to their communities, professions, and the Aggie Network. He was also named an Outstanding Former Student at Palo Alto College.
Jorge Garcia launched MindXpan LLC, a coaching and financial education company dedicated to empowering individuals to expand their mindset and achieve financial well-being. He recently earned his Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) designation through the National Financial Educators Council, strengthening his mission to help educators, families and young adults make informed financial decisions for a brighter future.
2012
Barry Wolfe has earned two master's degrees from Sam Houston State University in history and political science. He is now an adjunct professor at seven different schools, including two universities.
Monica Zapata was named a 2024 Texas Incentive Allotment (TIA) Exemplary Teacher by the state of Texas for her outstanding contributions to education. Continuing her professional growth and commitment to student success, she proudly achieved the 2025 TIA Master Teacher designation. Zapata currently teaches fifth-grade science in the Harlandale Independent School District at Gillette Elementary.
2014
Joseph Camacho currently serves as a senior digital publisher at USAA. He has continued to expand his expertise through professional certifications, including SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) and AI for Business from MIT.
Irma Iris Duran de Rodriguez has been selected to serve as the State Association of Texas Pioneer's 104th Honorary Lady Chair. The position awards a distinguished member to represent the organization throughout the year and during Fiesta San Antonio events. She is one of the youngest women to hold the position and the first millennial to do so. She is currently the inaugural board president of the Texas A&M University-San Antonio College of Business Alumni Association.
Nathan Gershon recently started pre-production on a new movie, "Night of the Witch," in conjunction with Little Spark Films. Night of the Witch was written by Stan Lee and Lloyd Kaufman. Gershon previously starred with Kaufman in "Evil for Dinner." Gershon has two feature films slated for release, “Friday Night Delight” and “Vicemares,” in which he has starring roles.
2015
Jacinta M. Flores ’15, ’19 just completed three years with H-E-B in the finance and accounting department, supporting the company’s manufacturing plants. She also serves on A&M-San Antonio’s Family Association Executive Board. Through its Student Angel program, the association helped 110 students in 2025. Flores is also involved with alumni groups that promote the University, career advancement, networking, and social activities.
Peter L. Lawson Sr. earned an honorary doctorate in ministry leadership from Regional Christian University, recognizing his decades of service and leadership in faith-based community development.
Victoria S. Rojo ’15, ’18 began her career in the classroom, serving as a dual language teacher for six years before transitioning into leadership as an English language learner liaison at the middle school level. Today, Rojo serves as the bilingual teacher facilitator for grades preK–12, supporting educators across the district with curriculum, professional development, and instructional guidance.
2016
Hannah M. Eli has earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University.
Penny Golden established Umas Creations, a small business specializing in custom sewing and design. The entrepreneurial venture enabled her to dedicate time to community service through the “Mobilize the Mission” program at Cowboy Fellowship, her church in Atascosa County. In this role, she collaborates with fellow mobilizers and the city of Poteet to connect, grow and serve the Atascosa community. Her efforts have focused on building strong partnerships with both the Poteet community and the town of Poteet, supporting local initiatives and fostering positive change.
2017
Angelee Almendarez has earned her Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), as well as a Master of Science in clinical neuroscience and a Bachelor of Science in anatomy from Parker University. She has spent the past couple of years practicing in West Texas.
Joseph Cruz is currently living in Oklahoma City working for Tinker AFB as a contracting specialist in acquisitions.
Gabrielle Herrera
Gabrielle Herrera serves as a senior marketing manager for community growth at HubSpot, where she oversees global advocate programming and community engagement initiatives. In November, Herrera spoke on an expert panel at a technology conference in New Orleans and returned to the A&M-San Antonio campus to participate in the American Marketing Association's Q&A Speaker Series.
Ileana Lopez-Barratachea is working for South San Antonio ISD as a fourth-grade teacher.
Brandi D. Wolfe runs a family law firm and domestic violence nonprofit focused on empowering those who are oppressed.
2018
Veronica Abrego is now a licensed life and health insurance agent and has started an insurance company with her husband, focusing on health, Medicare and life insurance. She also assists clients with the Medicare application process.
Jason J. Opalinski ’18, ’23 works at Close to Home, the lead agency for San Antonio and Bexar County’s homeless response system, as a training manager.
2019
Ebenezer N. Serda recently opened EverStone Psychotherapy, where he specializes in working with children and in serving the male Hispanic community.
2020
Michael B. Krepelka now manages the production control department at Toyota’s new unit plant in San Antonio—a facility that will build axles for the Tundra, Sequoia and Tacoma. The plant is preparing to launch production at the end of 2026.
La-Tieka Sims Howell is pursuing an 11-month MBA at A&M-San Antonio. She has been named president-elect of the local nonprofit Driving Single Parents Inc., which serves single parents in need by providing them with a vehicle at no cost. She has also been named the first-ever honorary board member of the American Red Cross Greater San Antonio Chapter.
2021
Andrew A. Klebahn pursued a master’s degree at St. Mary’s University, where he published his first academic scholarship. He later transferred to UTSA and published two short stories with support from the Peter T. Flawn Graduate Research Scholarship.
Stefany M. Wampler has taken on the role of social media chair for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Medical Committee. She is also proud to be a member of the Women’s Club of San Antonio, which organizes charitable events benefiting local children and San Antonio Fiesta!
2022
Johnathon G. Blue recently graduated with a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He was also inducted into the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration.
Alyssa N. Lopez will be attending Louisiana State University for a master’s in education starting in 2026.
Essie Richardson completed a master's degree at the University of Houston in the Graduate College of Social Work. She plans to study abroad on a trip to India and Taiwan to learn more about global social work and services.
2023
Gabriel J. Perez is going into his second year at Methodist Hospital in clinical laboratory science.
Yvone T. Samuels ’23, ’25 graduated from Texas A&M- San Antonio with an M.A. in English. She received the Fall 2025 Academic Distinguished Award for the College of Arts & Sciences.
2024
Kaitlyn G. Alejandro is working as a journalist for the Uvalde Leader-News. She has written feature stories, produced daily and special edition newsletters, and reported on issues relevant to the community. She also took first place in the Poetry, Essay, and Fiction division of the Southwest Texas College Creative Arts Contest.
Kevin G. Alvarez works at J.P. Morgan Chase as a fraud specialist, where he leverages his expertise to safeguard the company’s assets and maintain its reputation.
Celina Cantu recently started a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and has been learning how to create exercise programs for future patients. She was also recently named a Hispanic Scholarship Fund recipient. Her goal is to become a pediatric physical therapist.
Victoria A. Gonzalez recently started a new chapter at A&M–San Antonio, where she is pursuing an MBA with plans to graduate in December 2026.
Zachery R. Salazar has been promoted to head virtual tutor for math and science for Each One Teach One, a nonprofit organization that teaches adults K-8th-grade core subjects if they are looking to either improve their skills or go for a GED.
2025
Steven V. Carrillo Jr. earned his BAAS in Business, achieving this milestone at age 67 as part of his retirement bucket list.
Humberto Cruz started a new job with the City of Cibolo as their utility accounting specialist. He plans to start pursuing his Master of Professional Accounting in 2026.
Kashmir E. Davis joined the San Antonio cohort of the Project Management Institute and started a new position at the San Antonio Philharmonic as a development manager.
Lauren M. Esp is pursuing a master's degree in drug discovery and development at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (now UT Health San Antonio).
Samantha A. Rosas launched her career recently as a career advisor at the University of the Incarnate Word. Through her recent experience as a peer leader and her studies in business administration, communications, and psychology, she is committed to enhancing the student experience in higher education.