Attorney Rick Salinas has been practicing criminal law for 31 years.  He attended Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and is co-founder of the Let’s Save Cimarron group. 

Mario Lizcano has been proud to be a part of TEAM DHR for the last 18 years. Mario works directly with DHR Governmental Affairs.

Amanda Esquivel is an Adjunct Professor at UTRGV and owner of a Chick-Fil-A franchise.

Rodolfo “Rudy” Zamorano, Jr., a Rio Grande Valley native and operates the family produce business. He is a great contributor to many valley charities.

Judge Sergio Valdez has been the Judge in County Court at Law No. 7 for 12 years. Prior to becoming a Judge, he was a premier criminal defense attorney for 20 years. As a result of his representation of individuals in criminal cases he has been featured on the Anderson Cooper show. TLC has documented his representation of individual in the documentary “Half Ton Killer”.

Joe Luis Sanchez is a funeral director at Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen. He has worked in death care for nearly two decades. He also holds accreditation from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice where he earned the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner. Aside from his professional vocation, he is currently in his third term serving the Mission Housing Authority Board of Commissioners where he is presently the Chairman of the Board.

Sylvia Cantu is a manager at Amistad Floral & Crafts, a family business that was started by her grandfather 47 years ago. She graduated in 2020 from UTRGV with her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She implements her knowledge and education within her role at Amistad by creating connections with her staff, customers, and community. Sylvia is also a model for Morning Wildflower & Co.

Annail Vela attended St. Michaels Nursing School and completed 2 years of internal medicine care, 4 years of obstetrician and gynecology care, and 3 years as a school nurse. In 2019, she joined PAD Specialists. She served as a Business Development Associate for 3 years, which allowed her to promote awareness, help reduce amputation rates in the Rio Grande Valley, educate the community, and assist the healthcare population in actively looking for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD).

Dr. Dustin Mathias Luebbers, a board-certified and fellowship-trained colon and rectal surgeon, specializes in minimally invasive and robotic surgical treatments. He expertly manages conditions such as colon and rectum cancer, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, and much more.

Dr. Luebbers currently works with and is a partner at Texas Digestive Specialists.
He embraces the community spirit of the Rio Grande Valley, where he sees significant opportunities for development and values the concept of “La Familia.”

Dr. Annabelle Palomo, a native of the Rio Grande Valley, displays an impressive academic background, having obtained a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in education from the University of Texas Pan American. With 17 years of experience in various educational roles, including teacher, principal, and executive director, she eventually pursued her passion by establishing a post-secondary institute to enhance educational opportunities for local students.
Dr. Palomo founded Rio Grande Valley College (RGV College) in 2008 and Meraki Institute of Beauty and Wellness (Meraki Institute) in 2019, assuming the role of CEO at both institutions.

Anabel Espinoza is a dynamic and driven professional, currently spearheading regional sales and marketing initiatives for Regency Integrated Health Services. With 13 years of experience in the skilled nursing facility industry, Anabel has demonstrated an exceptional ability to craft compelling marketing strategies, boost sales performance, and cultivate strong client relationships across diverse markets.

This year, Anabel is thrilled to showcase another of her passions – dancing – by participating in the highly anticipated “Dancing with the Stars” event.