OPERATIONS TEAM
EVENTS & ENGAGEMENT TEAM
WILLIAM BROWN
Events & Engagement Lead
William holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. A lifelong space enthusiast, William has shared his passion with the community through organizations such as the National Space Society.
Fernanda Balderas
Volunteer Manager
Fernanda is a student at Pace Early College High School with a passion for health science and engineering. She is dedicated to serving her community through volunteer work that encourages and empowers youth throughout Brownsville. Through her academic pursuits and community involvement, she hopes to inspire others while making a positive impact on those around her.
Marieli Carrillo
Volunteer Manager
Marieli is a student at Pace Early College High School with a passion for aerospace engineering. She serves as editor-in-chief of her school's yearbook and has competed in engineering through SkillsUSA at the district and state levels. She enjoys combining leadership, creativity, and technical skills while pursuing opportunities in STEM.
Lillian Ayala
Community Outreach Specialist
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Media & Communications Team
SARAH PEREZ
Graphic Designer
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and works as a behavior technician supporting children with autism. Her lifelong fascination with the wonders of the world led to a passion for astronomy and the cosmic perspective. A lifelong learner, Sarah hopes to continue expanding her knowledge while sharing it with others.
CHRISTOPHER PADRON
Photographer
Christopher Padron is an Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley preparing to specialize in computational engineering and computational fluid dynamics for the space industry. Outside the classroom, he enjoys video games, death metal, and playing the drums and bass guitar. He also volunteers as a college and career readiness mentor for high school students.
MYKEL DEL ANGEL
Design & Communications Coordinator
Mykel is currently pursuing Music Technology, Computer Science, and Mass Communications at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He works at UTRGV Pulse Magazine as a graphic designer and was formerly a photographer and the online editor for The Rider Newspaper and an audio-visual technician.
SANTIAGO DE LEON
Senior Photographer
Santiago is a Broadcast Communications student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a freelance photographer. He previously served as editor-in-chief of the Pace Early College High School yearbook and competed in photography at the Texas Student Technology Association regional and state competitions.
IVAN MENDOZA
Graphic Designer
Ivan Gael Mendoza is a Computer Engineering student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley with interests in technology, research, and digital design. He is a student researcher with the PAARE program and has interned at Bluebox TM. A lifelong artist, Ivan enjoys combining technical expertise with creative design using Adobe Creative Cloud.
Marcelina Gutierrez
Media & Communications Lead
Marcelina is an experienced storyteller with a history of working with government, higher education, and research. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.She’s versatile in digital and social marketing, website design, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, leadership, videography, photography, and creative writing.
GREYSI ARTEAGA
Multimedia Specialist
Greysi is a graduate from UTRGV earning her bachelor's in Business Administration. She loves to support and explore small businesses in the Rio Grande Valley. She is also experienced in photography, videography, social media management and sales. She owns her own photography/videography business in which she focuses on events, businesses, and indoor studio sessions.
Programs & Education
SABIAN CARDENAS
Engineering Mentor
Sabian is a mechanical engineering student at UTRGV with a strong passion for aerospace systems. He currently serves as the Engineering Design Officer for the Rocket Launchers Club and is involved in research at the UTRGV Aerospace Research Center and the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety.
JAQUELINE PEÑA
Curriculum Development Specialist
Jaqueline is an undergraduate student at Stanford University studying mechanical engineering. She serves as co-lead of the Stanford Student Space Initiative’s Rockets Team and as an officer for the Society of Latinx Engineers. She also helped develop the curriculum and manages Launchpad.
Board of directors
VICTOR DE LOS SANTOS
Board Chair & Co-founder
Victor is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and advocate of space exploration, STEM education, and the cosmic perspective. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Business and works as an Agile Software Development Coordinator.
STEPHANIE MENDOZA
Board Member
Stephanie is a certified Texas Master Naturalist, and serves as a Solar System Ambassador, sharing the wonders of space with the community. Her expertise extends to wildlife education as a Project WILD Facilitator Trainer.
PHIL DONAUS
Professional Lead
Phil is a passionate community builder, technologist, and science communicator based in Brownsville, Texas. With a background in nonprofit development, event organization, and digital tools, Phil helps make the cosmos more accessible, especially to students and underserved communities.
DR.GREG GARCIA
Board Member
Dr. Greg Garcia serves as president of the RGV Science Association and is a former educator and longtime advocate for science education in the Rio Grande Valley
MOISES GOMEZ
Board Treasurer
Moises is a managing partner at Gomez, Fragoso & Associates, Certified Public Accountants (CPA) in Brownsville. An avid Trekkie, Moises has 50 years of accounting and tax experience. He also being involved in his community. Moises serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations.
EJ Torres
Board Member
EJ Torres is an educator and lifelong astronomy enthusiast dedicated to sharing the wonders of the cosmos. Always looking for moments of genuine awe, encouraging people of all ages to look up, explore, and connect with the universe around us.
ADVISORY BOARD
CAROL LEE LUTSINGER
Founder & STEM Educator
Carol spent 40 years as a teacher, serving students from Pre-K through college. Carol attributes her astronomy enthusiasm in part to her experience in the American Astronomical Society’s AASTRA program from 1994-96 and her space excitement from serving as a Solar System Educator, and later Ambassador, for the NASA/JPL program.
LUCERO MARTINEZ
K-12 STEM Educator
Lucero Martinez is a Science teacher at J.T. Canales Elementary School in Brownsville. She attended the NASA Liftoff Summer Institute in 2023, and it inspired her to do more for her students and for her community. She became a NASA Solar System Ambassador in 2024.
DR.MARIO DIAZ
UTRGV Liason
Mario Díaz is Director of the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and a physics professor at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He also directs the Cristina Torres Memorial Observatory, leads the Transient Robotic Observatory of the South Collaboration, and is a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. Díaz earned his Ph.D. in general relativity and gravitation from the University of Córdoba in Argentina.
TIM BARRY
Planetarium Architect
Tim Barry (a.k.a Obi Wan) is a retired architect with a lifelong passion for science education and astronomy. A long-time member of the International Planetarium Society, Tim has played a key role in the design and construction of numerous science centers and planetaria across the country.
VIKKI PENIX
UTRGV Liason
Vikki Penix serves as the Program Coordinator for the South Texas Space Science Institute (STSSI) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville, where she manages outreach initiatives, coordinates public science events, and supports educational programming in collaboration with the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
“It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world.
To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”
- Carl Sagan