The Palm School Steering Committee will be made up of up to eleven community members and four partner agencies who will be active partners in the Concept Plan development leading up to restoring and reimagining Palm School.
The Steering Committee Interest Form deadline was August 18, 2023. A selection team made up of County staff and other individuals reviewed all applications. The review process, including interviews of potential Steering Committee members, has been completed.
The Commissioners Court approved the recommended slate for the Palm School Steering Committee on May 21, 2024. The Steering Committee is made up of community members and representatives from partner organizations. Community members who attended the school, or had family who attended, were given priority. Partner representatives are from organizations with helpful expertise or projects that will impact the Palm School property.
These were the individuals in the recommended slate approved by Commissioners Court:
Marcos De Leon, former Travis County Commissioner & Palm School Alum (1961)
De Leon is a Palm School Alum who attended from 1954-1961. He grew up in East Austin. He attended The University of Texas earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Inspired by his life’s journey, he promotes community empowerment, education, arts and historical preservation. He served as president of East Town Lake Neighborhood Association and on various boards/commissions. His employment fields included child development, adult probation, and counseling. His career highlight was serving as Travis County Commissioner from 1991-1994. He was a college readiness advisor from 1999-2019 at Huston-Tillotson University, Texas State University, and LULAC’s National Educational Service Center.
Palm School is part of De Leon’s history. As a Mexican American Studies scholar, he understands that preserving and promoting a community’s history can help shape its future. It is De Leon’s privilege to help guide Palm School’s concept plan for future generations.
Ted Eubanks, certified interpretive planner & certified heritage interpreter
Eubanks is a certified interpretive planner, a certified heritage interpreter, and a community advocate. His organization, Fermata, has worked in heritage parks, nature preserves and sanctuaries, and museums around the world. In recent years, Eubanks has been focused on the integration of heritage (including tourism) into overarching city and park planning efforts.
In Austin, Eubanks' interpretive plan for Austin's historic squares, as well as Congress Avenue, received the Texas Historical Commission Award of Excellence in Preserving History. Eubanks and Fermata developed the interpretive signage for Eastwoods Park commemorating Juneteenth. Most recently, Eubanks completed the interpretive plan and panels for the Neill-Cochran House Museum slave quarters.
Eubanks' interest in Palm School comes from the varied research he’s done in Austin and the East Side. Eubanks is currently the chair of the Restoration Committee for Mount Calvary Cemetery, the oldest Catholic Cemetery in Austin.
Andrew Gonzalez, Austin ISD Board Trustee and relative of Palm School Alum
Andrew Gonzales is an Austin ISD Board Trustee for District 6 in South Austin. Andrew’s grandfather and other relatives attended Palm School. As an education advocate, Andrew is excited to work with this committee and use his experience as a former teacher to create the best possible plan for the future of Palm School.
Anna Maciel, community advocate and Palm School Alum (1962)
Maciel is a Palm School Alum who attended in 1962 along with her 12 siblings. A native Austinite, she grew up on East 6th street and has been a long-time, prominent Community Advocate. Maciel served as the Tourism Director for the Austin Mexican American Chamber of Commerce as well as the board of the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation. Maciel also served as the Chair of the ESB-MACC Board (Mexican American Cultural Center). As the Chair of the Pan-AM Rec Center Advisory Board, she has led major community events such as Pan Am Hillside Concert Series.
She understands the history of East Austin and the Palm School community, the importance of elevating the untold stories and History of Palm School, and the significance of preserving community institutions. She is excited to work on this committee and hopes to work with all stakeholders involved towards the best possible solution for Palm School.
Novert Morales, practicing attorney
Morales is a local lawyer who has practiced in Austin and Travis County for over 20yrs. During his time as Chairman for the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (2019-2020), Novert Morales became interested in the old Palm School building when he learned of its connection to Mexican American History and the local Hispanic business community. Novert Morales hopes to use his professional knowledge and experience from various boards to create a well-rounded plan for the future of the Palm School building.
Linda Quintanilla, community archivist and Palm School Alum (1959)
Quintanilla attended Palm School in the 1950s and grew up on Rainey Street. As a child she experienced discriminatory school practices that did not respect her culture. Subsequently, as a history instructor at community colleges and at the University of Houston, where she earned a doctorate, she actively incorporated the history of Mexican Americans and other slighted minority groups in her lectures. She strongly believes that it is a moral obligation, in classrooms and elsewhere, to offer all groups in society information on their rich culture and history.
As a member of the Steering Committee, she will continue to promote the history and culture of Mexicans and other minority groups.
Peggy Vasquez, community advocate and former business owner
Vasquez is a community member who has been active in advocacy to preserve Palm School. She grew up in East Austin, and her family owns La Prensa Newspaper as well as the Tamale House Restaurants. She’s served as the first female Chairperson of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and was also the first female President of Austin Saltillo Sister Cities Association. She has worked within the community to Save East Austin Schools. She hopes her experience will help to make the Palm School building a place that preserves the historical relevance of the school.
Tona Vasquez, community advocate and Palm School Alum (1959)
Vasquez is a community advocate who attended Palm School. Her family and friends were part of the landscape of downtown Austin at the time. Her past advocacy work includes helping the City create the Summer Youth Program, Prime Time (an after-school program) and Capital Idea. In addition, she worked as an AISD Parent Support Specialist Lead / Organizer. As a leader since 1992, she continues her work with Central Texas Interfaith and now serves as a member of Save Palm School Coalition.
Her desire has been to make our schools and communities better places to thrive and grow up in. She hopes to use her experience and knowledge to create the best outcome possible for the Palm School building.
Gilberto Rivera, Travis County Historical Commission
Rivera is a Community Advocate and historian who grew up in East Austin. Rivera attended University of Washington. He’s advocated for the Palm School building for years, hoping to preserve the rich Mexican American history of the area. Committed to preserving historic places and people that have made contributions to Austin and Travis County.
John Rosato, Member, Urban Land Institute, Austin
John C. Rosato applies his 40 years of commercial real estate experience to all of Southwest Strategies' four service areas of planning and development, investments, brokerage, and public agency consulting. He has been a general partner in over 40 real estate partnerships responsible for the management of all activities of the partnerships including acquisition, development, financing and investor relations.
He was a general partner and planning consultant for the 230,000-square-foot Penn Field, named the Best Mixed-Use Development of 2004 by the Austin Business Journal. He manages real estate acquisitions and leasing for Austin Travis County MHMR, a public agency with more than 60 commercial and residential buildings. Mr. Rosato coordinated project management for a $9 million joint public works project for the City of Austin and Travis County, and has provided relocation consulting for those displaced by construction of State Highway 130. From 2004-2016 he was the Managing Partner for Seaholm, a $230M mixed-use development in downtown Austin. Currently, he is Managing Partner of a 3-Phase $180M mixed-use East Austin development.
Mr. Rosato earned a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas School of Architecture. A licensed real estate broker, he has furthered his education with courses in the psychology of marketing, real estate contracts and appraisal.
He served as President of Preservation Austin and was the Chair of the Downtown Austin Alliance board of directors. Previously he served on the Citizens Planning Committee, the Robert Mueller Redevelopment Task Force, and the Capital Metro develop enhancement guidelines for South Congress Avenue, and he has provided consulting services to Victoria Bank and the University Catholic Center at UT.
His memberships include ULI, International Right of Way Association, Commercial-Investment Division of the Austin Board of Realtors and the Commercial Leasing Brokers Association.
Efrain Velez, Director of Capital Projects, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy
Velez is an Architect and Industrial Designer with a lifelong commitment to the design and development of better and more inclusive public spaces. As a representative of the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, he looks forward to providing insight and sharing work progress at Palm Park
Mercy Okoye, Planner III, Long Range Planning - District Planning, City of Austin
Mercy Okoye is an experienced urban planner with a background in GIS analysis, policy evaluation, plan development, and community engagement. Demonstrated track record of conducting thorough due diligence research and successfully executing projects that contribute positively to communities and the built environment.
Maria Solis, Save Palm School Coalition
Solis is a community advocate who currently works with the Save Palm School Coalition. She has been on the board of the Tejano Genealogy Society since 2017 and as a member since 2012. Her passion for her community has shown itself in her work as a volunteer for 15 years at El Buen Samaritano previously teaching ESL classes and currently working at the food pantry, as well as her work as a former member of the City of Austin Boards and Commissions Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Advisory Committee and former member of The Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
She currently serves on the Austin Independent School District School Health Advisory Council. She hopes to use both her personal and professional experience to aid the committee in suggesting the best possible outcome for the Palm School building.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Palm School Steering Committee will be a group of community stakeholders who will be active partners in the Concept Plan development process and in planning processes leading up to the restoration and reimagining of the Palm School property. Learn more about the Concept Planning process here.
