Educational Champion, Dr. Annabelle Palomo

Dr. Annabelle Palomo is a native resident of the Rio Grande Valley. She earned a bachelor's degree in science, a master's degree in education, and a doctorate in education from the University of Texas Pan American. During a 17-year period, as an educator she has worked as a teacher, principal, and executive director for an independent school district before pursuing her passion and founding a post-secondary institute to support local students' educational opportunities and pathways. Through her consultant work, she has also trained school personnel in the areas of leadership and different teaching methodologies, she is the recipient of several esteemed honors for distinction in education, such as District Teacher of the Year and the Texas Elementary Principal of the Year Award. 

Dr. Palomo is the founder and CEO of Rio Grande Valley College, which educates students in the Nursing and Allied Health Fields. With just five students enrolled in a Certified Nurse Aide program at first, she used her background in education to grow RGV College into a seven-program institution that offers Vocational Nursing, Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician and two-degree programs leading up to an Associate Degree in Nursing and Physical Therapist Assistant. With almost 1,500 nurses trained and the second highest NCLEX pass rate in Texas, the Vocational Nursing Program has made significant contributions to the fight against the nation's nursing shortage.  

Still with her numerous accomplishments, Dr. Palomo receives coaching, leadership development, and public speaking instruction from John Maxwell and Les Brown. Her present training under organizational health movement pioneer Patrick Lencioni is a major factor in the institute's low staff turnover rate. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Pharr Economic Development Board Foundation and the Pharr Chamber of Commerce, is an Advisory Board Member for Lone Star National Bank, VAMOS (Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities and Scholarships) Board Member, Make -A-Wish Board Member, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Advisory Board Member for Educational Leadership, Region One ESC Tri-Agency Regional Convener Leadership Advisory Team, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School interview committee and on the Board for TEAM Mario which focuses on exploring educational opportunities for individuals with Autism.  

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Palomo has set high standards and expectations for children as an educator and advocate for their success. Her wealth of knowledge in the field of education has influenced and benefited students in the past and will help those of future generations. With her exceptional dedication to her work and personal life, although facing several obstacles, greatly contributes to the academic and professional achievements of both staff and students at Rio Grande Valley College and Meraki Institute of Beauty and Wellness. 

Institutional Catalyst, Region One ESC

Region One Education Service Center (Region One) is located in Edinburg, Texas with offices in Brownsville and Laredo. Region One is one of the 20 regional service centers established by the Texas Legislature in 1967 to provide a variety of school-related services to school systems.  

Today, Region One delivers training and technical assistance to thousands of educators and provides a wide range of services to school systems that enhance the education they are providing students at the local level. Region One provides professional development to all areas of school personnel, secures products and services at reduced prices through cooperative purchasing agreements, provides technical assistance and performs other activities that meet the needs of schools allowing educators to focus on educating students.  

Region One is the eight-county area of deep South Texas including Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata Counties. 

Alumni Leadership, Pablo Mejia (Rio Grande Valley '99)

Pablo Mejia is an experienced leader in individualized learning, currently in his 12th year with IDEA Public Schools. He oversees personalized learning programs across all schools, impacting more than 53,000 students. One of his key accomplishments was managing the $31 million Race to the Top District Grant, which IDEA received in 2013. This grant supported innovative, personalized education practices. His current portfolio includes initiatives such as AR Zone, iLearning Hotspot, Physical Education, and Athletics. Pablo is also a member of the Community of Innovative Practice and an alumnus of the Pahara Next Gen Leadership Fellowship. 

In 2011, Pablo led the launch of the hybrid component of Better IDEA, marking IDEA's first blended learning initiative. Prior to this role, he served as the principal of IDEA Academy Donna for two years, where the school achieved the state's highest accountability rating of "Exemplary." 

Before joining IDEA, Pablo spent ten years in the Weslaco Independent School District. For five of those years, he was a classroom teacher at Leoline Horton Elementary School and Rodolfo “Rudy” Silva Elementary School, teaching dual language in 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades, and leading the Gifted and Talented program. During this time, he also coached high school girls' soccer at Weslaco High School and Weslaco East High School. He later transitioned into school administration, serving as a curriculum facilitator for four years and spending one year as the principal of Beatriz Garza Middle School. 

Pablo joined Teach for America in 1999 and moved to the Rio Grande Valley. He is a proud TFA '99 Corps Member. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas Pan American. 

Currently, Pablo lives in Kyle, Texas, with his wife, Sylvia, who is the principal at IDEA Rundberg Academy, and their three sons—all graduates of IDEA McAllen. Their eldest son, Daniel, is a 2024 Texas A&M graduate and a 6th-grade English Language Arts teacher. Alejandro, their second son, is a junior at UT Austin, studying at the McCombs School of Business. Their youngest, Diego, is a sophomore at Southern Methodist University (SMU), majoring in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Computer Engineering. 

Pablo was born in Medellín, Colombia, and immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1985. He grew up in Southern California and is an avid sports fan. 

In addition to his professional roles, Pablo serves as the vice chair on the board of Ensemble Learning.