2021 Women's Empowerment Panel

The Frida Empowerment Panel brings together strong women from the community to not only inspire the new generations of young women and girls, but to highlight and celebrate female strength and accomplishment.

About the Panelist

Dr. Kimberly selber (moderator)

Dr. Kimberly Selber is an associate professor and director of the graduate program in the department of communication at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.  She studied communication (advertising) with minors in graphic design and photography at California State University, Fullerton. She obtained her master’s degree at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and then moved to Austin to pursue her doctorate in advertising with a focus on creative from UT Austin. 

Dr. Selber’s professional advertising career took her from Southern California to Chicago, to Austin where she worked at Bozel, DDB Needham, and GSD&M and has had the opportunity to work on accounts such as Budweiser, Kawasaki, Taco Bell, Southwest Air, and Morton Salt—all while pursuing her graduate degrees.

After the birth of her daughter, Selber accepted a position at UT Pan American (now UT Rio Grande Valley) in 2003, so her family could live in the same zip code. In 2009, Dr. Selber received the outstanding professor award for the College of Arts and Humanities, the outstanding professor award for the University, and was one of five UTPA professors to be named “Regent’s Outstanding Professors” at the UT System level. That same year, Dr. Selber was tapped to establish the first central marketing and communication office at UTPA. Throughout her career, Dr. Selber has received dozens of regional and international awards for her art direction and copywriting. In 2018, Dr. Selber returned full-time to the classroom where she teaches courses in advertising, visual communication, multi-media storytelling, media strategy, and portfolio and this past year, Dr. Selber was named Outstanding Advertising Educator of the year for all of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana by the American Advertising Federation’s District 10.

Selber serves on the City of Edinburg’s Cultural Activities Board, is the St. Joseph Catholic School chair of the advisory board, and the immediate past president of the American Advertising Federation RGV chapter. Dr. Selber and her husband Dr. Greg Selber live in Edinburg; their daughter, Danya is a sophomore at Trinity University and an alum of Robert Vela high school.

KAREN LOZANO, PHD

Karen Lozano, UTRGV Mechanical Engineering professor and Founder/Director of the UTRGV Nanotechnology Center, received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Monterrey and MS/PhD from Rice U. She creatively combines UG education with state-of-the-art research projects. Has provided research opportunities to hundreds of students, all now leading successful careers in industry, academia or government labs. She is the recipient of several honors/awards such as the 2019 US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow, TEDx Speaker, and Engineer of the Year by Great Minds in STEM. Even though her environment has not been fully conducive to technical and innovation related success, Lozano’s team has published >150 peer reviewed scientific journal articles and >350 proceedings/conference presentations. She is a prolific inventor, co-founded a successful start-up which received several awards such as the R&D 100 (Most prestigious innovation award given to top 100 companies in the world). She outreaches to thousands of K-16 students through summer camps, magic/science shows, and social media, all with one goal in mind preparing future innovators.

dR. eVA TORRES

Dr. Eva Tristan Torres serves as a district educational consultant for the Edinburg CISD.  Prior to that, she was a Professor in Practice and the Principal Certification Program Coordinator at UTRGV's Department of Organization and School Leadership.

Dr. Torres had been teaching Master's Level courses at UTRGV since 2018. 

Her extensive, 42 years in public schools were all spent in the Edinburg CISD.  Some of the highlights of her teaching career include serving on numerous Texas Education Agency educational committees, conducting workshops and presentations on teaching strategies in various cities and states across the U.S., and being chosen as one of two AP teachers in the nation to sit on a press conference panel as part of College Board's 2006 annual "Report to the Nation" in Washington D.C. She served as Edinburg North High School’s first Dean of Instruction until 2007, when she took on the most unique, challenging, and rewarding experiences in her administrative career. In 2007, she became the founding principal of Barrientes Middle School in ECISD, overseeing all aspects of the schools' inception, from breaking ground to opening doors to students.  In 2012, she repeated the process, this time as the founding principal for Robert Vela High School.  

Dr. Torres culminated her career in public education as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the Edinburg school district.  During her tenure as an Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, four ECISD schools were named National Blue Ribbon Schools and two others were nominated and pending verification when she retired from public school service in 2018.  During her years as a campus administrator, she was selected to serve on Texas Education Agency's Principal's Stakeholder's Committee in 2010, received the College Board Southwestern Region "You Make a Difference" Award, and had the honor of being named TASSP Middle School Principal of the Year, TMEA Distinguished Administrator, and TCTA Administrator of the Year.

Dr. Torres, who serves as chairperson of the Cultural Arts Board for the City of Edinburg, is married to retired ECISD teacher Jesus M. Torres, and they have two daughters, Jennifer Elizabeth Olmeda and Virginia Murray-Torres.

BLANCA DAVILA

Blanca Davila is Director of Economic Development at the City of Edinburg. The department oversees the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation’s (EEDC) industry recruitment and incentives along with supporting small business development, downtown revitalization efforts, and workforce programs.

Prior to joining the City of Edinburg, Blanca was the Director of Community and Economic Development at the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council where she lead the successful merger of two departments. She worked closely with about 40 cities in the Rio Grande Valley facilitating regional programs in Economic Development, Tourism, Solid Waste, Water Resources, Community Development, and Disaster Recovery.

NORMA RAMIREZ

Edinburg, Texas native Norma Ramirez serves as the Hidalgo County Democratic Chair. Through her hard work and tenacity, she have overcome many hurdles to become the owner and chief executive officer of a multimillion dollar international produce company.  

Prior to opening her own produce and transportation companies Sunny Produce & Brokerage and Sunny First Carriers while simultaneously obtaining a degree from UTPA with an emphasis in Accounting, she worked as the Vice President of Southwest Grain Corporation in McCook, Texas – a company with sales exceeding 85 million dollars.  There, she oversaw 7 Grain operations to include Port Elevator Brownsville, farming operations of 20,000 plus acres, a cotton gin and 2 fuel stations.  She has worked for several Fortune 500 international organizations, always in lead management positions. 

Presently working as the Hidalgo County Democratic Chair she has taken the Party from a negative position to a very healthy position. She has led various successful campaigns such as the “Free Ride to the Polls Program” and the “Get Counted” for the 2020 Census with great success.  

In addition, she is involved in our community and is the President of the Produce Toy give away that provides toys to over 1,000 needy children every Christmas. She has also helped create a 20 bed shelter for foster children in Edinburg called Saint Patrick's Children.  

All of those efforts, Norma credits to her vast experience and organizational skills and her ability to get teams to work together

Ellie Toress

Mrs. Ellie Torres is a small business owner and has dedicated her life to public service.  Mrs. Torres has served in the education sector for 24 years in various capacities.  She was employed for seven years at Region One Education Service Center. Her 17-year career at Edinburg CISD included teaching at the elementary and secondary level. Mrs. Torres earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Counseling and Guidance in 2000 from the University of Texas-Pan American.  Mrs. Torres continues to serve her community as a board member of the Edinburg Boys and Girls Club, a founding member of Nevaeh’s Kids Conquering Cancer, a member of the Edinburg Noon Lion’s Club and was an elected School Board Member of the Edinburg CISD.  

She is currently in office as of January 1, 2019 as the first woman to serve as Precinct 4 County Commissioner. Mrs. Torres is a community advocate and believes in fairness, equity, and equality for all. Her service emphasizes the creation and development of opportunities that lead others towards success. Her career has cultivated and sustained a passion with youth. She encourages a post-secondary education as a plan, rather than an option.  Her devotion to youth and education stems from her personal struggles and wise encouragement she received from her father who only attained a second grade education.  

Mrs. Torres has been married to her husband, David Torres, for 32-years and has raised three children of their own. She is the proud grandmother of two grandsons and one granddaughter. Looking forward to life, Mrs. Torres believes her purpose is to inspire hearts and minds. She takes pride in giving back to her community and her family.