Dr. Annabelle Palomo

Dr. Annabelle Palomo is a native resident of the Rio Grande Valley. She graduated from the University of Texas Pan American with a Bachelor of Science, a Masters of Education and a Doctorate in Education Leadership. Dr. Palomo has held positions in the educational field as a teacher, principal and executive director for an independent school district throughout a 17-year span. Dr. Palomo has received a number of prestigious awards for educational excellence including the Texas Elementary Principal of the Year Award and District Teacher of the Year. Dr. Palomo is the founder and CEO of Rio Grande Valley College which has educated thousands of students in the healthcare field. Starting with one program and five students, Dr. Palomo utilized her educational curriculum background and expanded the institution by adding nine more programs. The success of the Vocational Nursing Program facilitated the approval of its first associate degree in nursing (Registered Nurse) in 2019. RGV College has educated over 1,200 nurses and is ranked as one of the top nursing schools in the state of Texas. Recently, RGV College was granted candidacy approval for its second-degree granting program (Physical Therapist Assistant). Dr. Palomo currently serves as a Board Member for the Pharr Economic Development Board Foundation, the Pharr Chamber of Commerce and VAMOS Organization. She also serves as an Advisory Board Member for Lone Star National Bank, UTRGV Advisory Board Member for Educational Leadership and TEAM Mario which focuses on exploring educational opportunities for individuals with Autism. Dr. Palomo has been an educator and advocate for student success in the last 30 years. Through her high display of determination, Dr. Annabelle Palomo’s extraordinary personal and professional commitment, profoundly adds value to the success of students and faculty at Rio Grande Valley College and the Hispanic community in our Region.