Texas Municipal League, TML Region 12, Pepe Cabeza de Vaca, NASA, Debbie Korth, Regional Collaboration, McAllen TX
Staff Report
McAllen TX - Regional municipal leaders from five South Texas counties gathered May 14-15, 2026, for the Texas Municipal League Region 12’s 15th Annual Training Workshop at the Isla Grand Beach Resort, where McAllen District 6 Commissioner Pepe Cabeza de Vaca was elected as the new Region 12 Board President. Participants also heard McAllen native Debbie Korth, Deputy Program Manager for NASA’s Orion Program, speak on future impacts and innovation.
The two-day conference brought together elected officials, city managers, municipal staff, and regional leaders from Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, Starr, and Brooks counties for professional development sessions covering leadership, public finance, municipal operations, emergency management, media relations, ethics, legislative updates, grant compliance, cybersecurity, open government, and community risk reduction.
Cabeza de Vaca Elected Board President
During the conference business meeting, attendees voted to elect Cabeza de Vaca as Region 12 Board President.
“Regionalism is no longer just an idea. It is how we move forward,” Cabeza de Vaca said following his election. “When our cities focus on collaboration rather than competition, we position the entire Rio Grande Valley to make its mark across Texas and beyond. I am proud to help lead that effort and represent as we continue building a stronger, more connected future for the communities we serve.”
NASA Keynote Speaker
A featured highlight of the conference was keynote speaker Debbie Korth, Deputy Program Manager for NASA’s Orion Program and a McAllen native. Korth oversees the design, development, production, and operations of NASA’s Orion spacecraft for Artemis missions. Her keynote addressed future economic impact, innovation, leadership, and opportunities connected to the aerospace industry.
Her appearance was described as a tremendous honor for the City of McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley, highlighting local talent making a global impact in science, technology, and space exploration.
Regional Collaboration
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez participated as a conference speaker, addressing the importance of regional cooperation. “Thank you to TML Region 12 for the invitation to be part of this year’s conference program and for the opportunity to speak on a topic that is so important to the future of our communities,” Cortez said. His session, titled “Working Together to Reach Our Full Potential,” focused on regionalization, alignment, and collaboration among local leaders.
Conference Topics
Sessions at the workshop covered a broad range of municipal topics including crisis communication and emergency response coordination, flood recovery and disaster response strategies, open meetings and public information laws, web accessibility and digital government services, municipal court processes and procedures, legislative updates impacting Texas cities, community fire and life safety education, and leadership and collaboration among regional municipalities.
The Texas Municipal League hosts 15 regional meetings and various specialized conferences across the state. Additional information is available at tml.org.
Source - Texas Municipal League Region 12