Celebrate. Support. Give.
Join us on May 6 at 11:00am at 1 Valero Way for an inspiring afternoon celebrating the incredible mothers of AVANCE.
AVANCE San Antonio’s Mother of the Year event is one of our longest-standing traditions, with more than three decades of history celebrating the strength, resilience, and leadership of mothers in our community.
We honor two incredible women each year: one AVANCE parent and one community leader who uses her voice and service to strengthen San Antonio for families.
We are proud to celebrate the impact of mothers and this beautiful tradition year after year.
Mother of the Year is possible because of the generous partners who choose to stand with AVANCE families.
Their support strengthens this event and advances our work year-round, from early childhood education to parent leadership and workforce pathways. We are proud to recognize these partners and invite others to join us in making an even greater impact.
Ready to join them? Secure your table online or connect with us about sponsorship opportunities.
Jamie Kowalski — Community Honoree
Jamie Kowalski is The RK Group’s Vice President of Corporate Relations where she spearheads its corporate philanthropy initiatives while also driving business development through marketing and design oversight.
Following graduation from UTSA with a bachelor’s degree in communication, Jamie initially began her career in education where she taught middle school reading and writing, and coached middle and high school sports teams. After later being asked to spearhead The RK Group’s philanthropic efforts in 2018, Jamie joined her family’s business to continue her passion in education and community advancement by formalizing RK Cares.
Kowalski is very active in San Antonio. She was named 2023 Woman of the Year in San Antonio and was recently recognized as Texas Top 100: Influential pros to know in 2024 by the American City Business Journals. She was appointed by the mayor as a Tri-Chair of the City of San Antonio’s 2022 Bond Program and she serves on various boards, including: Port San Antonio, Mays Cancer Center, Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy, and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.
Angela Palacios — AVANCE Honoree
Ms. Angela Palacios is a proud San Antonio native, devoted mother to Roy Aguillon, Erynn Tello, and Julia Aguillon-Cerros, and loving grandmother to Imani, Nikkali, Reagan, and Petra. Her journey of transformation began in 1998 after graduating from the AVANCE Program—an experience that ignited her passion for education, personal growth, and community service.
After dedicating years to raising her family and working in the nonprofit and healthcare sectors, Angela returned to school, earning an Associate of Arts from Alamo Colleges in 2021 and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Business Administration from Texas A&M University–San Antonio in 2024.
Today, Angela serves as a Center Supervisor at the United Way Eastside Family Resource Center, where she leverages more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership and coordination experience to support families with compassion and dignity. Outside of her professional work, Angela is an avid motorcycle rider and proud member of the all-female K9Too Motorcycle Club of San Antonio.
