The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has revamped the South San Antonio Independent School District (SSAISD), appointing a new superintendent alongside a seven-member Board of Managers. The board will replace the current elected Board of Trustees, assuming their responsibilities and oversight of the district.
Saul Hinojosa, Ed.D., joins SSAISD as superintendent after a successful 15-year tenure at Somerset ISD. A highly accomplished academic, he has received multiple awards for his distinguished work. Dr. Hinojosa holds a Doctor of Education from The University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University.
The members appointed to the Board of Managers include:
- Raymond Tijerina.
- Karla Gomez Sanchez.
- Darrell Balderrama.
- Adrian Guerra.
- Dr. Kelly Murguia.
- Aurelina Prado.
- Jesus Rendon III.
Tijerina was recommended to serve as president of the board. A native of San Antonio, he is a co-founder and CEO of an educational support company that helps school systems source premium talent. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from both Sul Ross State University and Ashford University.
Gomez Sanchez was selected to serve as vice president of the board. Another San Antonio native, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). She brings extensive healthcare and management experience to the position.
Balderrama was appointed as the board’s secretary. He brings more than two decades of higher education experience to the role, currently responsible for an undergraduate research office at a local university. After graduating from South San Antonio High School, Balderrama earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison before returning to finish his Master of Public Administration from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at UT-San Antonio.
Guerra is has a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from UTSA. He currently works as a technology and cybersecurity partner for small businesses in San Antonio. Previously, he worked with USAA for 34 years, serving in several executive-level leadership positions such as vice president of CIO corporate staff technology, vice president of HR IT and vice president of business application support for property and casualty insurance.
Dr. Murguia brings more than 15 years of educational experience to the role, previously serving as a teacher, teacher educator, curriculum designer and systems and operations managing director. She has a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from UT-Austin, a Master of Education Leadership from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship from Brown University.
Prado’s career has taken her from starting as an aircraft technician to being a senior corporate leader. Her range of experiences overseeing military programs across multiple states while continuing her higher education provides unique insight into knowing how best to guide the district as part of the board.
Rendon, an expert in the cybersecurity industry, is an adjust professor in the business school at Palo Alto College. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and multiple engineering degrees from UT-Austin
