skip to main content
UTRGV The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Main Menu
Donate Now Directory myUTRGV

You are here:

Meet Our Staff

Talent Search Program Office of College Access and K-12 Partnerships

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Program Highlights
  • Meet Our Staff
  • Resources
  • Apply Today!
    • Talent Search Brownsville
    • Talent Search Edinburg
    • Talent Search Willacy Application

Contact Us

Leo Villarreal, Ph.D.
Director
Brownsville Campus
Email: leo.villarreal@utrgv.edu
Phone: 956-882-3806

Jennifer Soto
Director
Edinburg and Willacy County
Email: jennifer.soto@utrgv.edu
Phone: 956-665-7593

Meet Our Staff

Talent Search-Brownsville

Leo Villarreal, Ph.D

Director
Phone: 956-882-3806
Email: leo.villarreal@utrgv.edu
Read More

Leo Villarreal, Ph.D

Director
Email: leo.villarreal@utrgv.edu

Phone: 956-882-3806

Michaelina Hernandez

College Readiness Coordinator
Manzano M.S., Stell M.S., Stillman M.S., Pace ECHS, Veterans ECHS
Phone: 956-882-8243
Email: michaelina.hernandez@utrgv.edu
Read More

Michaelina Hernandez

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: michaelina.hernandez@utrgv.edu
Manzano M.S., Stell M.S., Stillman M.S., Pace ECHS, Veterans ECHS
Phone: 956-882-8243

Norma Paredes

College Readiness Coordinator
Besteiro M.S., Faulk M.S., Lucio M.S., Lopez ECHS, Porter ECHS
Phone: 956-882-8243
Email: norma.paredes@utrgv.edu
Read More

Norma Paredes

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: norma.paredes@utrgv.edu
Besteiro M.S., Faulk M.S., Lucio M.S., Lopez ECHS, Porter ECHS
Phone: 956-882-8243

Erika Villarreal

College Readiness Coordinator
Garcia M.S., Oliveira M.S., Perkins M.S., Vela M.S., Hanna ECHS, Rivera ECHS
Phone: 956-882-8243
Email: erika.rodriguez@utrgv.edu
Read More

Erika Villarreal

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: erika.rodriguez@utrgv.edu
Garcia M.S., Oliveira M.S., Perkins M.S., Vela M.S., Hanna ECHS, Rivera ECHS
Phone: 956-882-8243

Vacant

Administrative Assistant
Phone: 956-882-8243
Read More

Vacant

Administrative Assistant

Phone: 956-882-8243

Talent Search-Edinburg and Willacy

Jennifer Soto

Director
Phone: (956) 665-7593
Email: Jennifer.Soto@UTRGV.edu
Read More

Jennifer Soto

Director
Email: Jennifer.Soto@UTRGV.edu

Phone: (956) 665-7593

Terrie Salinas

College Readiness Coordinator
Juarez-Lincoln High School and La Joya High School
Phone: 956-665-7595
Email: terrie.salinas@utrgv.edu
Read More

Terrie Salinas

Terrie graduated from the University of Texas-Pan American with a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Education Guidance and Counseling.

Terrie’s first employment with the University started in 1985 as an office aide for the Human Resource office.  She was employed part -time under the work study program. She started working as a full time employee with the Educational Talent Search program in 1991, she was an Academic Advisor for GED and Adult Re-entry students. She transitioned to Counselor Specialist I, Counselor, and she currently is the Talent Search College Readiness Coordinator for La Joya High School and La Joya Juarez-Lincoln High School working with Talent Search participants in grades 9th – 12th .  Terrie has over 30 years of experience and she enjoys working with the students and their families. 

Terrie loves running into her former students and seeing that they are giving back to their community as teachers, doctors, nurses, entrepreneurs, police officers and many more  careers.  She likes to remind students to pursue a career that will keep them happy and feel a passion for their calling.

Terrie was the first in her family to pursue a college education, it continued with her middle sister, an elementary teacher and her younger sister, a registered nurse.  Growing up in a home with 3 girls, her parents always stressed the importance of completing a college degree.  Terrie enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: terrie.salinas@utrgv.edu
Juarez-Lincoln High School and La Joya High School
Phone: 956-665-7595

Angela Cantu

College Readiness Coordinator Edcouch-Elsa High School
Phone: (956) 665-7594
Email: angela.cantu01@utrgv.edu
Read More

Angela Cantu

College Readiness Coordinator Edcouch-Elsa High School
Edcouch-Elsa High School
Email: angela.cantu01@utrgv.edu

Phone: (956) 665-7594

Ashley Hernandez

College Readiness Coordinator
Palmview High School
Phone: (956) 665-7591
Email: ashley.hernandez02@utrgv.edu
Read More

Ashley Hernandez

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: ashley.hernandez02@utrgv.edu
Palmview High School
Phone: (956) 665-7591

Juan Yáñez

College Readiness Coordinator
Mission High School
Phone: (956) 665-7592
Email: juan.yanez02@utrgv.edu
Read More

Juan Yáñez

Juan Yanez, Jr. joined the College Access and K-12 Partnerships as a Learning Instructional Specialist for Upward Bound Rio Grande City in 2018.  Juan later joined the Academic Advising Center as an Academic Advisor in 2021.  He decided to follow his passion of helping students fulfill their dreams of becoming college students and rejoined the College Access and K-12 Partnerships in August 2022 and will be serving Mission High School students as a College Readiness Coordinator for Mission CISD. Juan has been in education for more than 20 years. He started his education career as a Bilingual/ESL Elementary teacher and later taught Art and Spanish at the junior high and high school levels.  

As a first-generation student himself, he wants to provide opportunities for his students to pursue a college degree.  Being a Limited English Proficient (ESL) student throughout his high school years, Juan had many challenges, but with the help of his teachers and one particular counselor, Juan was able to graduate high school and be admitted to the University of Texas at Austin. Because of the dedication of his teachers and his counselor, Juan decided to pursue his career in education and come back to the Rio Grande Valley upon his graduation and give back to his community as a Teacher and help his students achieve their dreams of one day attending and graduation college just as he did.

Juan graduated with his bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in Educational Administration from The University of Texas Pan American. Juan is a resident of Mission, Texas and is happily married and is very proud of his three children.  He enjoys spending time with his family and being involved in his children’s extra-curricular activities: Band- he has two high schoolers playing the tuba.

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: juan.yanez02@utrgv.edu
Mission High School
Phone: (956) 665-7592

Eliasar Aguirre

College Readiness Coordinator
Lyford CISD and San Perlita
Phone: (956) 665-7590
Email: eliasar.aguirre01@utrgv.edu
Read More

Eliasar Aguirre

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: eliasar.aguirre01@utrgv.edu
Lyford CISD and San Perlita
Phone: (956) 665-7590

Abiel Cantu

College Readiness Coordinator
Lasara ISD and Raymondville ISD
Phone: (956) 665-7590
Email: abiel.cantu@utrgv.edu
Read More

Abiel Cantu

Abiel J. Cantu (A.J) is the latest member to join the College Access and K-12 Partnerships Talent Search Team. He will be serving Willacy County students as a College Readiness Coordinator for the Raymondville and Lasara School Districts. A.J. has been in education for the last 40 plus years. He started as a Spanish teacher and later served as a Counselor at elementary, middle school and high school levels in San Perlita ISD, Lyford CISD and Raymondville ISD.  The last few years of his career were spent as a College Readiness Coordinator and District Testing Coordinator in the Raymondville Independent School District. He had worked several years with the TRIO program with TSTC in Harlingen.

A.J. graduated with his bachelor's degree in Education and a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from The University of Texas Pan American. A.J. really enjoys helping students get ahead in their life’s dream and that is the reward that he truly cherishes as he watches students mature into young adults. A.J. enjoys biking, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family which includes his granddaughter.

 

 

College Readiness Coordinator

Email: Abiel.cantu@utrgv.edu

ECESS 1.608

Phone: (956) 665-7593

College Readiness Coordinator
Email: abiel.cantu@utrgv.edu
Lasara ISD and Raymondville ISD
Phone: (956) 665-7590

Vacant

Administrative Assistant
Phone: 956-665-7590
Read More

Vacant

Administrative Assistant

Phone: 956-665-7590
Jump to Top

UTRGV

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • CARES, CRRSAA and ARP Reporting
  • Site Policies
  • Contact UTRGV
  • Required Links
  • Fraud Reporting
  • Senate Bill 18 Reporting
  • UTRGV Careers
  • Clery Act Reports
  • Web Accessibility
  • Mental Health Resources
  • Sexual Misconduct Policy
  • Reporting Sexual Misconduct