Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
Dr. Annabelle Palomo was honored during the Teach For America Rio Grande Valley Honor Roll Gala in April 2025, at the Mission Event Center. The gala, now in its seventh year, celebrates individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to transforming education in the Rio Grande Valley. The event is designed to recognize those whose leadership, vision, and commitment to educational equity have created a lasting impact for students and communities.
Teach For America presented Dr. Palomo with the Educational Champion Award. According to the organization, the award is given to “an individual who demonstrates individual leadership that advances educational excellence and equity for a large number of students through a sustained commitment to supporting students, schools, and the broader community.”
Pharr Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez introduced Dr. Palomo, praising her record of service and her impact on education in the region. “Dr. Annabelle Palomo believes that education is a great equalizer. When everyone has the opportunity to pursue education at the level they desire, it empowers them to become more productive members of society,” he said. He described her decision to make public service her priority and noted her pioneering role in local higher education. “She established the first nursing school in the city of Pharr and the first college. Her exceptional program provides a clear path from medical assistant training to a Registered Nurse degree. At a time when there is a national nursing shortage, her efforts are creating life-changing opportunities for residents across the Valley. These programs help individuals become highly educated, highly paid professionals who make significant contributions to the overall well-being of the region and the state.”
Sonia Falcon, Senior Vice President at Lone Star National Bank, also spoke, describing Dr. Palomo’s leadership and dedication. “Annabelle’s commitment to her community, her students, and her family is unwavering — and marked by excellence in all areas,” Falcon said. “She is deeply dedicated to promoting education and helping students pursue their academic goals. Having worked in our public schools, she understands firsthand the challenges students face, and as an educator herself, she knows how to truly connect with and teach them. That same passion shines through in every aspect of her life — in her business, her faith, her friendships, her family, and her work at RGV College.”
In accepting the award, Dr. Palomo began by thanking those responsible for the honor. “First and foremost, I’d like to thank Teach For America, Executive Director Anna Gonzalez, and the entire board of directors for this honor. I am humbled — I never expected this,” she said. “Education has been my passion since the day I stepped into a classroom. I’ve been privileged to work as an educator from pre-K through 12th grade, and in postsecondary education. I get to witness the growth of a child, and even when I look at my adult learners, I still see that same spark I saw in my students when I was a principal.”
She recalled starting her career at Pharr Elementary at age 22. “I remember starting my career eager to learn, looking across the hallway at amazing teachers and thinking, ‘I want to be just like them.’” She credited her then-principal, Raul Garza, for recognizing her leadership potential early in her career. “After I stepped off the stage one day, he told me, ‘You need to go back to school — you’re a leader.’ That simple statement stayed with me. And that principal, Mr. Raul Garza, happens to be here with us today.”
Within two years of teaching, she was appointed department chair. “I was asked to serve as department chair — leading teachers who were much older and more experienced than I was,” she said. “That principal saw a leader in me, spoke words of encouragement, and inspired me to go back for my master’s degree.”
Soon after earning her master’s, she was recruited by Weslaco ISD. “I remember walking down the hallway and saying, ‘I’m going to interview, but if I get the job, I’ll be back — because PSJA is where I’m from, and that’s where I’m going to stay.’ He looked at me and said, ‘They’re not going to let you go.’ And he was right.”
She said Raul Garza “planted the seed” and that other leaders at Weslaco ISD, such as Rosa Stillman, helped cultivate her leadership. After three years as an administrator moving from school to school, she was selected by Weslaco ISD Superintendent Dr. Richard Rivera to become a principal and open a brand-new school. “Had it not been for his advocacy, I don’t know if I would be standing here today with my doctorate,” she said. Dr. Rivera later approached her about forming a superintendent cohort to earn doctorates, advocating for her inclusion. “Needless to say, Region One and the university took me and two other executive directors into that cohort.”
After years in K–12 leadership, Dr. Palomo turned her attention to higher education. “I now own a postsecondary school that began with just five CNA students. My background is in curriculum writing, so I partnered with practitioners to develop programs for our area, including VN, RN, and other needed fields,” she said. “For 10 years, we worked hard in a small corner in Pharr — no one really knew who RGV Careers was — but my team worked tirelessly. We stayed late, night after night, often alongside my daughter Annika.”
That effort eventually transformed RGV Careers into RGV College. “Because of that growth, we now offer two associate degree programs: an RN program and a Physical Therapist Assistant program,” she said. “Over the years, we’ve educated hundreds, if not thousands, of nurses in our community, consistently achieving pass rates over 90% and never once being placed on probation. We’ve had zero deficiencies with the Department of Education and zero deficiencies with our accreditors year after year. That success is because of one thing — our team. As a leader, you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and I am blessed with an incredible team.”
She explained the lessons she has learned as a leader. “First, remain humble — never forget where you came from. Second, tenacity — you have to work hard. And working hard is exactly what my team does. Dr. Palomo is in the process of pursuing accreditation for her second school, Meraki Institute of Beauty and Wellness. Established in 2019, Meraki Institute offers programs in Cosmetology, Barbering, Esthetics, and Manicuring.
In her closing remarks, she reflected on the people who have supported her. “I’ve been in the field of education for many years, and I have been blessed with beautiful, incredible mentors. I could not have accomplished what I have without them speaking into my life, and for that I will be forever grateful,” she said. “To my staff at RGV College — I could not have asked for a better team. Some of you have been with me for 17 or 18 years. They say you know the strength of a leader when they can step away from an organization and it still thrives. My team has reached that point — they can function and excel without me.”
She also shared a personal reflection drawn from her faith. “Last weekend, I opened my Bible to the book of Matthew, which is a tribute to God and the life of Jesus Christ. In the margins, I had written four words: discipleship, mentorship, apprenticeship, and duplication. I reflected on how these concepts have shaped my journey. I have been blessed with mentors who poured into me, and I have had the privilege of apprenticing others so they can continue the work. That is the true legacy of leadership.”
Looking ahead, she announced that RGV College is preparing for new milestones. “We are about to graduate our first apprenticeship group of RNs — second nationwide and second in the state of Texas. This is what discipleship looks like — always making sure you grow your staff and ensure duplication of knowledge and skills,” she said. “We’re also about to open RGV College San Antonio this fall, and shortly after, a location in Brownsville.”
She ended by thanking those closest to her. “Congratulations to all my friends, family, and supporters through this journey. Thank you, Mikey, for always being there for me. Thank you to my friends who are my biggest cheerleaders — many of you are here today. I love you all. And to my sister, I love you dearly,” she said. “Lastly, to my daughter Annika, at the end of our journey, as I grow older, I often reflect and ask myself, ‘Am I leaving a legacy? Have I made a difference?’ From pre-K through 12th grade to postsecondary, I think back to students like Ruth, a fifth grader I knew when I was a principal, and I see the lives that have been touched along the way.”
