Each quarter, Staff Council honors a staff member, selected by their peers for their work ethic and dedication to advancing the work of the institution. 

The criteria used to nominate an employee include going above and beyond typical job expectations when doing the following:

January 2026

Stephen Sherman

Stephen has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication in advancing Athletics at Texas A&M University–San Antonio. Through his student-centered approach, he has strengthened academic success for student-athletes while enhancing operations, compliance, and collaboration across campus. Known for stepping in wherever needed, from game-day support to strategic oversight, Stephen leads with integrity and a strong commitment to excellence. His efforts have elevated the Athletics program and created a lasting impact on both student-athletes and the broader university community.

November 2025

Roxana Miranda

Roxana has demonstrated exceptional dedication to student success through her innovative work in academic advising. As a leader of the Program for System Admission (PSA) model, she has supported hundreds of students with personalized guidance, helping them navigate transfer pathways and achieve their academic goals. Her thoughtful, student-centered approach has improved outcomes and created new opportunities for success. Through her commitment and care, Roxana continues to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the students and community she serves.

August 2025

David Galvan

David has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in advancing financial literacy at Texas A&M University–San Antonio. Through his leadership of Financial Literacy Week and related initiatives, he has expanded student engagement and provided practical tools that empower students to make informed financial decisions. His work has led to measurable growth in participation and the development of impactful programs such as the Financial Literacy Fellows and Rainy Day Savings initiatives. By building programs from the ground up and fostering campus and community collaboration, David has created a lasting, student-centered resource that strengthens both individual success and the broader university community.

January 2025

Darnell Smith

We are pleased to announce that our January 2025 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Darnell Smith.

Darnell has been instrumental in building the athletics department from the ground up, even amidst the challenges of a global pandemic. His hands-on approach, from fostering community relationships to actively participating in game-day activities, reflects his dedication to student-athletes and the community. Under his leadership, the department has experienced tremendous growth, including new fields, sports programs, and more exciting developments ahead. Through his resilience and servant leadership, he continues to support his staff and drive the department toward even greater success. 

 November 2024

Gretchen Doenges

We are pleased to announce that our November 2024 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Gretchen Doenges.

Gretchen has thrived in multiple roles, consistently demonstrating reliability, integrity, and dedication. She fosters a culture of respect and support, earning praise from colleagues and even President Ochoa, who noted her competence and pleasant demeanor. Her leadership was instrumental in implementing major changes to NSO and JagX, despite staffing challenges. Through her initiative and positive attitude, she continues to make a meaningful impact on students, staff, and the university.

 August 2024

Ruben Caudillo Porras

We are pleased to announce that our August 2024 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Ruben Caudillo Porras.

Ruben is the functional lead in the ITS Department's learning management system and has demonstrated great professionalism over the years in providing solutions for different tasks. He has always been ready to respond to all staff, students, and faculty support requests. Ruben always goes above and beyond so we can make sure we are serving our students and campus community. Over the years, he has gained the well-earned respect of all his coworkers by showing and demonstrating his knowledge in the IT field. Not to forget the enormous amount of dedication and loyalty to the university.

January 2024

Francesca Garcia

We are pleased to announce that our January 2024 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Francesca Garcia.

Francesca is a true servant leader who goes above and beyond for those around her. Not only does advocate for students but her fellow colleagues across campus. She can be seen volunteering across campus at resource fairs, housing move in, orientation, or any number of campus events, she jumps in and helps how she can. She represents the best of teamwork and being of service, all of what is contagious.

November 2023

Betty Villegas

We are pleased to announce that our January 2023 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Betty Villegas.

As the Administrative Assistant for the Institute for School and Community Partnerships (ISCP), Ms. Villegas has a high level of responsibility for delivering exemplary support and customer service throughout the university, between the university and the ISCP, and to the school district partners within the ASPIRE Network. Ms. Villegas plays an integral role in which she often serves as a liaison between the ISCP and the university due to the interconnection between the two entities. Ms. Villegas is an outstanding member of the ISCP team and the A&M-SA community! Ms. Villegas has worked at A&M-SA for more than 10 years; she has been a part of the changes and has grown and adapted to meet the needs of the university.

August 2023

Krystina Irvin

We are pleased to announce that our January 2023 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Krystina Irvin.

Krystina has been a staple in leading her area of the Mays Center as well as other areas of the university towards strategic goals that impact internal as well as external customers. She also served as interim Co-Chair of the university’s Carnegie Community Engagement Elective Classification Committee for May 2023 application cycle. She launched and served as co-chair of a faculty-led Experiential Learning and Service-Learning Course Designations Committee to solicit, track, review, and assess experiential learning and service-learning courses across three colleges, with the result of formal designation of 67 courses in the first 4 years. Her service in these efforts has brought the area she leads and work done with faculty in experiential learning to new heights and with new wins as well as the university's efforts to support students in new increased ways.

April 2023

Ester Woodbury

We are pleased to announce that our January 2023 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Ester Woodbury.

January 2023

Joni Foster

We are pleased to announce that our January 2023 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Joni Foster.

November 2022

Aaron Guerrero

We are pleased to announce that our November 2022 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Aaron Guerrero.

August 2022

Rachel Barchus

We are pleased to announce that our August 2022 Employee Spotlight Award is presented to Rachel Barchus.