The Northside Education Foundation (NEF) has announced its 2026 Pillars of Character, honoring seven exceptional Northside Independent School District (NISD) alumni whose lives and careers reflect the values Northside strives to instill in every student.
The honorees will be celebrated at the NEF Pillar Recognition and Banquet on Nov. 18 at the Boeing Center at Tech Port. The annual event brings together approximately 700 business partners, community members and educators for an evening of music, a lively live auction and, most importantly, a celebration of the Northside community.
As the NEF’s largest annual fundraiser, the event helps provide grants directly to NISD educators. Last year, the foundation awarded more than $370,000 through Resource, Innovation and Team grants, giving faculty and staff the opportunity to bring new ideas and experiences to their students.
The Pillars of Character are selected from more than 120,000 NISD alumni who have graduated since 1951. Each honoree represents one of the seven character traits taught to Northside students through the Josephson Institute’s Character Counts program: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship and learning.
Kristi Traugott – Pillar of Learning
For Dr. Kristi Traugott, learning has been a lifelong pursuit — one that began in Northside classrooms and continues through her work educating the next generation of health care professionals.
A San Antonio native, Traugott attended Braun Station Elementary, Stevenson Middle School and Health Careers High School, where her early experiences sparked her passion for health care. She earned a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science through UT San Antonio and UT Health Science Center before earning her PharmD from UT Austin and completing postgraduate residency training in Infectious Diseases.
Today, Traugott serves as Lead Clinical Pharmacy Specialist for Infectious Diseases, Co-Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and PGY2 Residency Program Director at University Health. She shares her passion for learning by mentoring pharmacy residents, fellows and medical students, blending education with clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.
Capt. Angelina Robledo – Pillar of Trustworthiness
For Capt. Angelina Robledo, trust is built through integrity, humility and showing up for others — qualities that have guided her from Northside classrooms to a career of service in the U.S. Air Force.
A Northside ISD alumna, Robledo attended Evers Elementary, Jordan Middle School and Warren High School. She graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a B.S. in Systems Engineering and went on to serve in demanding leadership and special operations roles.
As a special operations pilot flying the MC-130J Commando II, Robledo leads crews on complex global missions where precision and dependability are essential. She also serves as Assistant Flight Commander for the Operations Support Flight and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology at St. Mary’s University.
Her commitment to her community is equally strong. Robledo established the Never Stop Dreaming Scholarship for Warren High School seniors, helping future generations pursue their own dreams while carrying forward the values of service and trustworthiness.
Anamaria Suescun-Fast – Pillar of Respect
Anamaria Suescun-Fast learned early that listening is the first step toward understanding — a lesson that has shaped the way she leads, serves and builds relationships.
A 1986 Clark High School graduate who attended Locke Hill Elementary and Hobby Middle School, Suescun-Fast is CEO of marketing agency talkStrategy and Board Chair of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In both roles, she leads with the belief that every voice matters.
She puts that belief into practice by welcoming different perspectives, valuing people over titles and recognizing that success is a team effort. Beyond her professional work, she mentors emerging leaders through Leadership San Antonio and the Latina Leadership Institute while advocating for local businesses.
For Suescun-Fast, respect is more than a value — it is a daily practice of listening, recognizing the contributions of others and creating opportunities for people to be heard.
Robert Garcia – Pillar of Responsibility
Robert Garcia’s journey is a powerful example of taking responsibility for your future — even when the road ahead is difficult.
Raised by a single mother in Texas, Garcia attended Jay High School, where he faced significant challenges that ultimately led him to drop out and face arrest. He made the decision to change the direction of his life, earning his high school diploma before enrolling at Northwest Vista College.
Garcia went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation from UTSA. After 15 years in financial leadership with firms including KPMG, he took another step forward by founding his own CPA firm, #IHaveACPAGuy.
Today, Garcia serves as a Trustee on the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees, where he brings his personal experiences and professional expertise to his commitment to expanding educational opportunities for students across the region.
Connie Gonzalez – Pillar of Fairness
For Connie Gonzalez, fairness means making sure opportunity is not determined by a person’s background or ZIP code.
A Northwest San Antonio native, Gonzalez attended Westwood Terrace, Scobee and Carson Elementaries, Connally Middle School, and Communications Arts High School. Today, as Chief Strategy Officer for Brooks, she helps lead the redevelopment of more than 1,500 acres into a thriving mixed-use community.
Gonzalez approaches that work with a strong belief in equitable access to opportunity. From recruiting quality employers and expanding accessible housing to building school partnerships and ensuring diverse voices are represented, she works to create opportunities that benefit the broader community.
Her commitment to fairness has earned her recognition as a Northside ISD Pillar of Character — an honor that reflects her belief that success is measured not only by what we accomplish, but by the positive impact we make on others.
Elizabeth Hurd – Pillar of Caring
For Elizabeth Hurd, caring is about investing in people — encouraging others, creating opportunities and strengthening the communities around her.
Hurd, AIA, is Principal and Vice President of Architecture at RVK Architecture. Her Northside roots include Carlos Coon Elementary, Leon Valley Elementary, Rudder Middle School, and Marshall High School.
After graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Architecture from UT Arlington, Hurd built a distinguished career leading multidisciplinary teams on corporate, civic and educational design projects. But some of her most meaningful work happens beyond the design table, through her commitment to mentoring and service.
She has supported organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Girls Inc., the ACE Mentor Program and NOMA. Hurd also served as 2023 President of AIA San Antonio and on the Texas Society of Architects Board.
Through her leadership and service, Hurd demonstrates that caring for people and community is an important part of building a lasting legacy.
Adolph Zuniga – Pillar of Citizenship
For Adolph Zuniga, citizenship has meant a lifetime of service to his country and his community.
A 1991 graduate of Holmes High School, Zuniga first served as a U.S. Army Medical Specialist before beginning a 31-year career with the San Antonio Police Department, where he rose to the rank of captain.
Throughout his career, Zuniga served in critical leadership roles, including commanding the Training Academy, Southwest Texas Fusion Center and Narcotics Unit. He also served as Incident Commander for major events, including the 2018 NCAA Final Four and multiple hurricane responses.
Zuniga holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Criminal Justice from UTSA and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. His commitment to citizenship continues through his work promoting collaboration among agencies and organizations dedicated to keeping San Antonio safe.
Together, the seven 2026 Pillars of Character represent the lasting impact of a Northside education — carrying the values they learned as students into their professions, their communities and the lives of others.
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