Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas— The City of Brownsville is proud to announce that its Organizational Development and Human Resources Department, along with Perla Cepeda, ODHR Chief People Officer, have received prestigious statewide recognition from the Texas Municipal Human Resources Association.
The awards were presented May 6, 2026, during the TMHRA Annual Conference in Round Rock, Texas.
The Organizational Development and Human Resources Department was honored with the TMHRA Human Resources ImpactAward for cities with a population of 25,000 and over. This award recognizes local government HR departments that demonstrate outstanding leadership through innovative programs and services designed to solve municipal human resources challenges and enhance organizational culture.
Ms. Cepeda was also recognized individually with the TMHRA Human Resources Professional of the Year, Award of Distinctionfor cities with a population of 25,000 and over. The award honors an HR professional who exemplifies significant leadershipskills, including the ability to lead and guide employees, develop employee talents, and successfully manage an efficient and effective unit.
“These awards reflect the City of Brownsville’s commitment to investing in our employees, strengthening our workplace culture, and building an organization prepared for the future,” said Interim City Manager Alan Guard, ICMA-CM, CGFO. “Under Perla’s leadership, our ODHR Department has advanced meaningful initiatives that support our workforce, improve retention, and create stronger pathways for professional growth. This recognition is well deserved and speaks to the dedication of the entire team.”
Over the past 18 months, the City’s ODHR Department has implemented several major initiatives
that have delivered measurable results across the organization. Among them is One City University,
a structured leadership development program that provides employees with a formal pathway for professional growth. The inaugural cohort included 27 employees representing multiple departments and focused on leadership, emotional intelligence,accountability, communication, and operational effectiveness.
The department also led a comprehensive culture and engagement survey, achieving an 88% participation rate. ODHR worked with all 23 City departments to develop targeted action plans based on employee feedback, resulting in new communicationpractices, leadership accountability measures, and department-level engagement initiatives. Follow-up assessments showed employee engagement increasing from 57% in 2024 to 73% in 2025.
In addition, the City enhanced its 457(b) supplemental retirement program by introducing a fixed City contribution incentive.Employees who increased their contributions by at least $25 per month received a $50 contribution from the City each pay period. Since implementation, enrollment increased from 59 previous enrollees to 356 new enrollees, representing a 503% increase.
Under Ms. Cepeda’s leadership, the City also advanced employee-focused improvements, including increasing annual vacationby 40 hours, adding two additional holidays, and implementing six weeks of paid parental leave. These enhancements were designed to strengthen morale, recruitment, retention, work-life balance, and long-term employee stability.
“This recognition is a reflection of the commitment and hard work of our ODHR team and the support of City leadership,” said Ms. Cepeda. “Our goal has always been to create a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and prepared to grow. When we invest in our people, we strengthen every department and every service we provide to the Brownsville community.”
Ms. Cepeda also guided the City’s culture and engagement assessment process, ensuring employee feedback led to department-level action and accountability. As a result, engagement scores increased significantly, and overall turnover declined from 21.56% in 2022 to 14.55% in 2025.
The impact of these efforts is visible throughout the organization. Employees are better supported, supervisors are better prepared, departments are more aligned, and the City is strengthening its ability to recruit, retain, and develop talent from within.
The Texas Municipal Human Resources Association is dedicated to enhancing the professional development of its membersthrough knowledge sharing and relationship building. TMHRA provides a forum for municipal human resources professionals toexchange ideas, address challenges, and support one another in service to their communities
