Our Board
Melody Herrera
For 21 years, Melody has worked for Security Service FCU and graduated from UTSA with a bachelor's degree in Accounting class of 2007. Since adopting her nephew who has learning disabilities, she has been passionate about learning all she can to make sure every student has the opportunity to excel and learn or get the resources they need. Melody enjoys volunteering to help her community and has taught her sons to give back to the community and help those in need.
While employed at SSFCU, she dedicated her time to volunteer with numerous organizations as part of their Volunteer Corps program. Her outstanding commitment was recognized when she received the 2018 Volunteer of the Year award from SSFCU, and she was also nominated for the June 2018 United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County VOYA award. In EISD and SAISD, Melody actively participates in community engagement, dedicating her time to support the districts. She has been a member of Women with a Vision in EISD and is also part of the MindShiftED Class of 2021 Cohort 4. Recently, she and her son took part in the 12-week Citizens Fire Academy program. Before that, she volunteered for the VITA program, assisting with processing numerous tax returns. Additionally, she is involved in the Cemetery Stewardship program with the San Antonio Parks and Recreation, where they work to preserve and maintain the city's cemeteries. Melody loves our city of San Antonio and is always happy to help when needed!
Dennis Campa
Dennis spent 38 years in public service with the city, county, and state. He spent his first 20 years in juvenile and adult justice work. Later, retired from the City of San Antonio in January 2010 after 12 years as director of Human Services. Dennis worked an additional 11 years with The Annie E. Casey Foundation, as their associate director of state policy reform and advocacy. He presently serves as a senior fellow with the National League of Cities. He also spent four years on active duty in the US Army and another 23 years in the Texas Army National Guard. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in applied administration from the University of the Incarnate Word. He is a proud native and resident of San Antonio.
Oralia Vargas
Oralia Lara-Vargas is director of Managing Specialized Instruction, which provides consultation and workshop presentations on topics related to Special Education or Education-related issues to interested groups and organizations. Degrees include: B.A. in Special Education and M.A. in Special Education. Certifications include: Elementary Level Teaching Certificate, Generic Special Education teaching certificate/all levels, Supervision, Mid-Management and an Endorsement/ Autistic/Severely Emotionally Disturbed. Experience includes 31 years in Edgewood ISD that ended with the position of Special Education Director followed by 9 years as Education Director at the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas. Through the years, experience has included presentations in local and state workshops and adjunct teaching at Northwest Vista College and Education Service Center, Region 20. In addition to being a board member with MindshiftED, Oralia also serves as board member for the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas.
Dr. Enrique Alemán, Jr
Dr. Enrique Alemán, Jr., is the Lillian Radford Endowed Professor of Education and the Director of the Trinity Tomorrow's Leaders Program. Previously, he served as Professor and Chair in the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio for five years. Dr. Alemán completed his appointment at the University of Utah in August 2015 as an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership & Policy and a Faculty Affiliate in the Ethnic Studies Program. Dr. Alemán co-founded and directed the Westside Pathways Project and served as the Assistant Vice President for Student Equity and Diversity while at the University of Utah.
In 2013, Dr. Alemán executive produced and co-wrote "Stolen Education," a documentary about the forgotten history of a little-known federal desegregation court case from the 1950s, Hernandez et al. v. Driscoll Consolidated School District (1957). The documentary is currently being distributed by Video Project from San Francisco, California.
Dr. Alemán earned his Ph.D. in Educational Administration, with a concentration in Educational Policy and Planning, from the University of Texas at Austin. While at UT-Austin he also completed a doctoral certification in Mexican American Studies. He has an undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York, New York.
A native of Kingsville in South Texas and a first-generation college student, Dr. Alemán melds his personal and professional interests with research that has the potential to address the racialized and institutionalized inequities that have historically – and continue to – under serve students and communities of color.
Dr. Alemán’s other professional experiences include being employed with the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia, the Bronx Borough President’s Office in the Bronx, New York, and the Texas Education Agency in Austin, Texas.
