UTSA Alumni honored for achievements during annual gala
Alumni honored for achievements and outreach during UTSA Alumni Gala
(August 22, 2016) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio Alumni Association honored three recipients for signature awards at the 17th annual UTSA Alumni Gala on Saturday night. Lina Ramey ’86 received the Alumna of the Year Award, Rob Killen ’97 received Alumnus of the Year and Cathy Starnes ’92 received the Distinguished Service Award.
Lina T. Ramey is a 1986 graduate of the UTSA College of Engineering, where she earned her B.S. in Civil Engineering. She is president of Lina T. Ramey & Associates Inc. (LTRA), an engineering consulting firm established in 1998. Ramey and her husband established the Walter Zackery Ramey Memorial Award program to provide $250 for each civil engineering student who passes the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam during their senior year. It memorializes their son, Zackery, who died in a car accident in 2012.
She is on the Board of Trustees of the Arab American Engineers and Architects Association, Dallas Chapter. Ramey is a part of the UTSA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Council and a life member of the UTSA Alumni Association.
Rob Killen is a 1997 graduate of UTSA, where he earned a B.S. in Political Science and is an attorney with Kaufman Killen where he’s worked on several land use issues for individual developers and on behalf of the San Antonio development industry since 2001. Killen has been involved in every major revision to San Antonio's Unified Development Code since 2001 and has participated in revisions to the Tree Preservation Ordinance and Vested Rights Ordinance. He was honored with the San Antonio Business Journal's 2012 Outstanding Lawyer Award and was named one of the journal's "40 Under 40."
While a student at UTSA, Killen served as president of the Student Government Association and the UTSA Lambda Chi Alpha chapter. Killen is a life member of the UTSA Alumni Association, served as president of the Association from 2009 to 2011 and served on the UTSA Development Board from 2009 to 2011.
Cathy Starnes, PhD received her B.B.A. in Finance from UTSA in 1992. Since 2014, she has been the chief growth officer at WellMed Medical Management Inc. From 2006 to 2013 Starnes was the president of SWBC PEO and Employee Benefits Consulting. Prior to that, she spent five years as the vice president of Key Accounts, UnitedHealthcare (PacifiCare). She has been recognized in the San Antonio Business Journal “40 Under 40”, participated in Leadership San Antonio, and received a North Chamber Young Professional Award. Starnes is a past board member, officer and life member of the UTSA Alumni Association. She is also a member of the Sombrilla Society.
The UTSA Alumni Association established the Alumnus of Year award in 1980 to recognize UTSA alumni who have gained unique distinction through their accomplishments and to focus attention on their achievements. Past recipients of this award include Clay Killinger ’83, Nancy Kudla ’87, Robert Rivard ’96, Howard Peak ’75, Ernest Bromley ’78, ’80, and James Bodenstedt ‘96.
The UTSA Alumni Association established the Distinguished Service Award in 1997 to recognize and honor those alumni and others who have made significant contributions to the UTSA Alumni Association and to UTSA. Past recipients of this award include Steven Q. Lee, Tom Frost, Nelson Wolff, and Sam Dawson.
The annual UTSA Alumni Gala brings together UTSA alumni, friends and guests to celebrate the Association’s 39 years of scholarships and service programs. Proceeds from the event will help support UTSA Alumni Scholars and Alumni programs. Since 1980, the UTSA Alumni Association has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships to support UTSA students.
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Events
At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusJoin us for a tribute to Willie Velásquez, honoring the legacy of Willie Velásquez, a pivotal figure in shaping the history of Latino and Hispanic participation in the American voting process. Delve into his life and contributions as a champion of Latino voting rights. Moderated by UTSA's Teresa Niño, the event will feature influential voices, including Jane Velásquez, María Antonietta Berriozábal, Dora Oliva, and Anthony Gonzales.
Buena Vista Building, Buena Vista Theater, Downtown CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.
