The Brooks Development Authority Board unanimously elects first woman as Board Chair, and new Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary

One of San Antonio’s fastest-growing mixed-use communities conducted its biennial board elections to determine its slate of board officers for its 2024 and 2025 calendar years. Dr. Lorena “Lorraine” Pulido was elected as Chairwoman, the first-ever woman to lead the Brooks Development Authority Board of Directors in its more than 20 years of existence. Rudy Garza was elected as Vice Chair, Dan Rossiter was elected as Treasurer, and Sonia Veliz was elected as Secretary. Board officers will begin their terms on January 1, 2024.

“I am honored to continue my service to the Brooks Board and the community that raised me,” said Chairwoman Dr. Pulido. “As the first woman to serve in this esteemed role, I look forward to building on our momentum and working together to keep Brooks moving on a positive path, with continued support from City and County leaders, the community, and the Board of Directors.”

Dr. Lorraine Pulido is the Communications Manager for VIA Metropolitan Transit. She has more than 28 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry, previously serving as public relations manager for the City of San Antonio and the Health Department. She also serves on the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees for District 4 and as an adjunct faculty member in the communications department at Texas A&M-San Antonio. Dr. Pulido was appointed to the Brooks Board of Directors in December 2017, and has served as Vice Chair since 2019. In addition, she served on the Brooks Gives Back Board as Vice Chair from 2019 to 2023.

Rudy D. Garza is the President & Chief Executive Officer for CPS Energy, the nation’s largest municipally owned electric and natural gas utility. He has more than 25 years as a leader in the electric and natural gas utility industry and has served in both the public and private sectors over the course of his career. Mr. Garza was appointed to the Brooks Board of Directors in December 2020 and has served as Treasurer since 2022.

Dan Rossiter was appointed to the Brooks Board of Directors in April 2021 and reappointed in August 2023. He was recently elected to serve as the President of the Thunderbird Hills Neighborhood Association where he plans to champion various infrastructure projects.

Sonia Veliz is the Board Secretary and Administrator for Brooks. She began her position with Brooks in April 2013, after 25 years of service with the City of San Antonio in various administrative roles.

The members of the Brooks Board of Directors are as follows:

  • Pat Jasso, District 3
  • Dr. Lorraine Pulido, District 4
  • Geraldine Garcia, District 5
  • Dan Rossiter, District 6
  • Ashlee Peña, District 7
  • Roland F. Gonzales, District 8
  • Rudy Garza, District 9
  • Joe Nix, District 10
  • Alejandra “Alex” Lopez, Mayoral

Appointed by the San Antonio Mayor and City Council members, the Brooks Board of Directors governs the Brooks Development Authority, which owns and manages the 1,308-acre mixed-use campus. The Brooks Board of Directors consists of 11 members, each representing one of San Antonio’s ten districts, in addition to a Mayoral appointee. Board meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 11:00am.

Brooks has completed more than $1.34 billion in development, to date, with another $550 million underway