Jessica Lane Wilson came to the University of the Incarnate Word in 2015 to serve as the Director of Business Initiatives for the School of Professional Studies. She brought with her many years of experience in university administration, holding a BS degree in Business Administration and Marketing, an MBA in Human Resource Management, as well as an MS in Administration, Justice & Security. In addition, Jessica had twelve years of progressive leadership in customer/student service, relationship development, financial management, counseling, and career development through her various roles as Director of Student Services and Financial Services at the University of Phoenix.

From 2018 to May 2023, Jessica held the position of the Director of Career Services for UIW. She served as the primary liaison between the university, its students, alumni, and potential employers regionally, nationally, and internationally. She was responsible for developing new contacts with external organizations to expand employment opportunities for students and alumni. Jessica currently serves as the Director of Development for the H-E-B School of Business & Administration at UIW, with a focus on alumni relations, planned giving, major gift procurement, comprehensive and capital campaigns, annual giving, and community affairs.

Mario Vela is a double alumnus of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in the United States and one of 20 tier one HSIs (Carnegie R1). During his time at UTSA, Mario earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Philosophy and his Master of Science in Sociology. After earning his bachelor’s degree, Mario started his professional career in social services at the non-profit Family Service Association in San Antonio.

Before joining the UTSA University Career Center (UCC), Mario held the role of Director of Partnerships at the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) in Chicago, a leading organization dedicated to the employment, development, and advancement of current and aspiring Latino professionals. After HACE, Mario served as the Director of Employer Relations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago. In this role, Mario created, monitored, and evaluated the sustainable development and maintenance of over one thousand recruiting relationships. In 2019, Mario returned to his alma mater to serve as the Executive Director of the University Career Center after nearly a decade in Chicago. As of 2021, Mario is the Assistant Vice-Provost of Career Engaged Learning to advance UTSA’s Classroom to Careers initiatives.

Dr. Nicole Rodriguez works at the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) as the Organizational Development Manager managing organizational leadership & development for the company with a team of advisors that enhance talent and optimize performance. Before joining SoCalGas in February of 2022, Rodriguez held various senior leadership roles and provided the overall strategic vision for career and workforce readiness at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She is a strategic leader with over 18 years of collective expertise in higher education, inclusive of oversight in areas such as special projects management for executive leadership, career, and workforce readiness, advising, retention, training, and development for student and campus-wide success, talent management, and women's leadership initiatives.  Rodriguez also held an additional role as a Title IX Investigator and Advisor while serving in higher education.

In addition, Rodriguez is a nationally published scholar with expertise in women's leadership in higher education and industry, addressing barriers women face in leadership and dismantling perceptions, attitudes, and assumptions regarding female leaders, as well as women’s experiences in Academia on the path to full professor.

Finally, she is a founding member and an executive board member for the national Hispanic Serving-Institution (HSI), Career Collaborative. Nicole holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Fresno State, a Master's in Higher Education Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University.

Kamara Jackson joined UTRGV in June 2021 and currently serves as the Director of the Career Center. She brings with her over 14 years of experience in Higher Education, Career Services and Employer Engagement.

Kamara has shared her passion for educating, empowering, and influencing students to identify their purpose and boldly live in their truth.

Her previous roles include serving as the Associate Director of Employer Relations at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Associate Director of Career Services at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago) and as a Career Advisor at her alma mater, Chicago State University. She has a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with a focus in Higher Administration and a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Kamara has a heart of a servant leader and believes that everyone has purpose, gifts and contributions that are necessary to change the world’s landscape and leave it better than it was!

Jessica Lane Wilson came to the University of the Incarnate Word in 2015 to serve as the Director of Business Initiatives for the School of Professional Studies. She brought with her many years of experience in university administration, holding a BS degree in Business Administration and Marketing, an MBA in Human Resource Management, as well as an MS in Administration, Justice & Security. In addition, Jessica had twelve years of progressive leadership in customer/student service, relationship development, financial management, counseling, and career development through her various roles as Director of Student Services and Financial Services at the University of Phoenix.

From 2018 to May 2023, Jessica held the position of the Director of Career Services for UIW. She served as the primary liaison between the university, its students, alumni, and potential employers regionally, nationally, and internationally. She was responsible for developing new contacts with external organizations to expand employment opportunities for students and alumni. Jessica currently serves as the Director of Development for the H-E-B School of Business & Administration at UIW, with a focus on alumni relations, planned giving, major gift procurement, comprehensive and capital campaigns, annual giving, and community affairs.

Mario Vela is a double alumnus of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in the United States and one of 20 tier one HSIs (Carnegie R1). During his time at UTSA, Mario earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Philosophy and his Master of Science in Sociology. After earning his bachelor’s degree, Mario started his professional career in social services at the non-profit Family Service Association in San Antonio.

Before joining the UTSA University Career Center (UCC), Mario held the role of Director of Partnerships at the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) in Chicago, a leading organization dedicated to the employment, development, and advancement of current and aspiring Latino professionals. After HACE, Mario served as the Director of Employer Relations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago. In this role, Mario created, monitored, and evaluated the sustainable development and maintenance of over one thousand recruiting relationships. In 2019, Mario returned to his alma mater to serve as the Executive Director of the University Career Center after nearly a decade in Chicago. As of 2021, Mario is the Assistant Vice-Provost of Career Engaged Learning to advance UTSA’s Classroom to Careers initiatives.

Dr. Nicole Rodriguez works at the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) as the Organizational Development Manager managing organizational leadership & development for the company with a team of advisors that enhance talent and optimize performance. Before joining SoCalGas in February of 2022, Rodriguez held various senior leadership roles and provided the overall strategic vision for career and workforce readiness at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She is a strategic leader with over 18 years of collective expertise in higher education, inclusive of oversight in areas such as special projects management for executive leadership, career, and workforce readiness, advising, retention, training, and development for student and campus-wide success, talent management, and women's leadership initiatives.  Rodriguez also held an additional role as a Title IX Investigator and Advisor while serving in higher education.

In addition, Rodriguez is a nationally published scholar with expertise in women's leadership in higher education and industry, addressing barriers women face in leadership and dismantling perceptions, attitudes, and assumptions regarding female leaders, as well as women’s experiences in Academia on the path to full professor.

Finally, she is a founding member and an executive board member for the national Hispanic Serving-Institution (HSI), Career Collaborative. Nicole holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Fresno State, a Master's in Higher Education Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University.

Kamara Jackson joined UTRGV in June 2021 and currently serves as the Director of the Career Center. She brings with her over 14 years of experience in Higher Education, Career Services and Employer Engagement.

Kamara has shared her passion for educating, empowering, and influencing students to identify their purpose and boldly live in their truth.

Her previous roles include serving as the Associate Director of Employer Relations at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Associate Director of Career Services at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago) and as a Career Advisor at her alma mater, Chicago State University. She has a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with a focus in Higher Administration and a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Kamara has a heart of a servant leader and believes that everyone has purpose, gifts and contributions that are necessary to change the world’s landscape and leave it better than it was!