Task Force Charter

The Communications Task Force for the merger will ensure the effective and consistent flow of communications throughout the multi-year merger of our two universities, and into the future. The Communications Task Force will develop, coordinate, and disseminate key messages and targeted audience communications, supporting the integration process across all work areas. This involves developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy to ensure clear, consistent, and transparent communication with all stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the community through various channels, while also integrating the cultures of both institutions.

Task Force Updates

Members are developing new content, creating communications pieces for internal and external audiences, capturing and responding to feedback from our university communities, and maintaining and updating the integration website.

Task Force Charge

The Communications Task Force is charged with overseeing the integration communications processes, internally and externally to UTSA and UT Health San Antonio.


The Communications Task Force aims to provide strategic direction, facilitate decision-making, and provide support to ensure effective communications to internal and external stakeholders throughout the integration.

This task force will (1) create, implement, and monitor a comprehensive communications plan, (2) prepare agendas and facilitate communications Working Groups and Task Forces, and (3) support development of communications (including ongoing updates to the integration website).

The Communications Task Force will be engaged beginning in September 2024 and will continue throughout Phase 1 (June 2025), and likely thereafter. Timelines, milestones, and expectations for Working Groups will be defined in respective charters.

Stakeholder Advisory and Working Groups

Stakeholder Advisory and Working Groups — consisting of representatives from our stakeholder constituencies — will help shape our communications strategy and dissemination, providing input at critical junctures. These groups will evolve with the process.

  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Students
  • Alumni
  • Academic Affairs
  • Business Affairs
  • Development
  • Athletics
  • Government Relations
  • Research
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Web

Task Force Members

Task Force Co-Chairs

Kimberly Maldonado

Associate Vice President for Strategy and Executive Communications

Heather Adkins

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Members

UTSA

Debra Del Toro

Senior Director, Strategic Messaging and Academic Support

Jennilee Garza

Senior Director, Strategic Communications for Donor Engagement

Joe Izbrand

Chief Communications Officer and Associate Vice President, University Strategic Communications and External Affairs

Anne Peters

Chief Marketing Officer and Associate Vice President for Marketing and Special Projects

Liz Rockstroh, EdD

Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Communications for Business Affairs

UT Health San Antonio

Lety Laurel

Senior Director, Communications

Monica Taylor

Senior Director, Public Relations

Kristen Zapata

Communications Specialist-Senior

Working Groups

Integration Website Working Group

UTSA

Anne Peters

Chief Marketing Officer and Associate Vice President for Marketing and Special Projects

Kimberly Maldonado

Associate Vice President for Strategy and Executive Communications

Shashi Pinheiro

Director, Web Services

David Rodriguez

Director, Digital Communications

Jenny Gonzalez

Web Developer

Alyssa Luna

Digital Communications Specialist

UT Health San Antonio

Heather Adkins

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Rene Echavarri

Manager, Web Initiatives

Kevin Howell

Senior Director, Web and Digital Strategy

Lety Laurel

Senior Director, Communications

Kristen Zapata

Communications Specialist-Senior