Program & Schedule

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7:30 - 8:30 AM - Registration and Breakfast Mixer

8:30 AM - Opening Remarks

María Villagómez, Deputy City Manager, City of San Antonio

9:00 - 10:00 AM - Leadership: Leaders Who Drive Change

Description: Strong cities are shaped by strong leaders—those who rise to meet complex challenges with resilience, vision, and a deep commitment to public service. In this panel, high-impact leaders from across the community and within the public sector will share their experiences navigating change, building trust, and leading teams through uncertainty. 

This session is designed for public service professionals seeking to strengthen their leadership skills and inspire others to lead with courage, clarity, and compassion. 

Moderator: Olympia Cuellar Perez, UMAST President-Elect and Fiscal Manager, City of San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services

Panelists:

• Chief Valerie Frausto, San Antonio Fire Department
  
• Major General Juan G. Ayala, USMC, Interim Director, City of San Antonio Public Works
• Michael Guerra, Chief Philanthropy Officer, San Antonio Food Bank
• Michael Shannon, PE, CBO, Director, City of San Antonio Capital Delivery Department
• Ryan Rapelye, City Manager, City of Garden Ridge

10:00 - 11:00 AM - Finding Your Community at Work: How Collaboration and Trust Keep You Both Grounded and Moving Forward

Description: This session explores how long-term, cross-agency collaboration can strengthen community mental health systems and workforce well-being. Drawing from over a decade of partnership among practitioners and organizations, the discussion will highlight strategies that foster effective collaboration, build trust, and improve coordination of services to work towards a common goal. 

Attendees will gain insight into how transparency, consistency, and inclusive communication contribute to strong professional relationships and positive workplace culture. The session will also examine how these practices enhance job satisfaction and promote mental wellness. 

Moderator: Jessie Higgins, MA, LPC, LMFT, Chief Mental Health Officer, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District

Panelists:

• Jessica Miller, LCSW-S, Regional Director, Family Care Center 

• Luis Santos, LCSW-S, Director of Behavioral Health Care Coordination, University Health 

• Megan Fredrick, MA, LPC-S, Clinic Director-TCC and NOW Clinics Specialist, UT Health Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences 

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Innovation and Technology in the Public Sector

Description: Technology is no longer just a behind the scenes tool—it’s at the heart of how cities serve, connect, and empower their communities. In this session, local leaders will share how digital innovation is reshaping services and transforming the way cities operate. 

From data-driven decision-making to resident-centered service delivery, attendees will learn how San Antonio is embedding technology into the core of its operations to improve quality of life, enhance transparency, and build a more resilient, responsive city. This session will offer real-world examples of how public sector innovation is being scaled to meet the evolving needs of residents, today and into the future. 

Moderator: Zack Magallanez, UMAST Conference Chair and Senior Planner, City of San Antonio Planning Department

Panelists:

• Brian Dillard, Vice President of Innovation & Technology, VIA Metropolitan Transit
• Craig Hopkins, Chief Information Officer, City of San Antonio Information Technology Services Department
• Kate Kinnison, Chief Innovation Officer, City of San Antonio Office of Innovation

12:00 - 1:00 PM - Keynote Address: Visionary Leadership at City Hall (Lunch Served)

Lori Houston, Former Assistant City Manager, City of San Antonio

1:00 - 2:30 PM - Interactive Experiences

Option 1: Connecting San Antonio...One Last-Mile at a Time

Description: Get ready to experience downtown San Antonio like never before. In this interactive session, attendees will hop aboard The Local SATX’s all-electric vehicles for a guided ride through some of the city’s most iconic and vibrant areas. 

As you cruise through downtown, you’ll see firsthand how innovative, last-mile transportation solutions are helping to connect people, places, and experiences in a more sustainable and accessible way. Along the route, representatives from The Local SATX will share insights into their mission, operations, and the role they play in shaping a more connected urban core. 

This session offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of mobility, placemaking, and community engagement, one electric ride at a time! 

Moderator: The Local SATX

Option 2: Art, History, and Culture...Oh My!

Description: Explore the preservation of art, history, and culture of the American West at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Attendees will have access to explore the museum for FREE during this session. 

Nestled on the banks of the San Antonio River Walk, the museum’s main building served as San Antonio’s original public library in the 1930s followed by the Hertzberg Circus Collection and Museum in the 1980s. After an extensive renovation, the Briscoe Western Art Museum opened in 2013. A branch of the San Antonio Public Library can be found on the first floor, honoring the building’s origins. The museum is named in honor of Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., and his wife Janey Slaughter Briscoe, who envisioned a museum that would share the story of Western heritage and the people behind that story. 

Moderator: Briscoe Western Art Museum

2:30 - 3:00 PM - Networking Activity

3:00 - 4:00 PM - Voice and Vision: Connecting Operations, Performance, and Public Engagement

Description: From strategic storytelling to transparent public engagement, effective communication is what transforms vision into shared purpose into action. This dialogue will inspire staff and city leaders to see communications as a central driver of innovation and collaboration to move cities forward.  

In this panel, attendees will learn from communication leaders from across the city to explore how municipal governments can move beyond traditional messaging to foster genuine collaboration with residents, businesses, and partners. Panelists will share real-world experiences of how innovative communication strategies such as digital engagement, data-driven storytelling, crisis responsiveness, cross-departmental coordination, and public media outlets have helped connect communications around a shared vision for progress.  

Moderator: Brian Chasnoff, Assistant Director, City of San Antonio Communications & Engagement

Panelists:

• Celine Dobbs, Manager of Strategic Communications and Programming, VIA Metropolitan Transit
• Jeanette Gonzalez, Communications Manager, City of Cibolo 
• Luke Simons, Communications Administrator, City of San Antonio Workforce Development Office
• Melanie Morales, Operations Strategist, City of San Antonio Communications & Engagement

4:00 - 4:30 PM - Closing Remarks

4:30 - 6:00 PM - Networking Mixer

Join us on the Riverwalk Patio for light bites and refreshments.