Thursday, May 2, 2013

This Campaign Is About A Lot More Than Trees


I saw the recent mailing from my opponent and his cohorts, and I have to respond because what they suggest is both misleading and untrue.  I would never ask residents to choose between core services and planting trees to make Leon Valley greener.

Yes, we do have a 10,000 trees plan that is an initiative from our SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) Report, that was a collaborative process involving citizens, elected officials, architects, planners, economists and city staff to develop a long-range plan for development.  Leon Valley has a history of being a leader in conservation; conservation is a value held by our citizens that over time has become a directive, and is part of our city's mission to "provide our community with a superior quality of life by balancing social equity, environmental stewardship and economic development to achieve sustainability."

But we do have a plan for making your family and your neighborhood safer.  That's our #1 job! That's part of our strategic plan that is being implemented every day.  We just last year passed a $7 million Public Safety Bond to expand and enhance the facilities in which our Police, EMS and Fire responders work, and to give us room to grow as we serve an increasing population.  

We currently maintain a higher police per square mile ratio with 3 officers in 3.5 square miles, as compared to 1 in 10 in San Antonio, and are actively working with neighborhoods to strengthen existing neighborhood watch programs and implement new ones.  My neighborhood utilizes a private social network to connect neighbors, share information and strengthen our commitment to each other; I plan to take that to our Police Chief to see how we might incorporate LVPD and roll it out to the rest of our  city. We do need to look at compensation of our first responders, and I do commit to making that a priority this next year.

As we near Election Day, I invite you, if you still have questions, to contact me.  You may email me at Vote4KathyHill@gmail.com.  


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Free Home Safety Survey Can Lead to Homeowners Insurance Savings


Leon Valley Police Department's Community Resource Officer, Lt. Victor Reyes, tells me a simple Home Security Survey can identify safety solutions that can save you money and make you less susceptible to crime. 

Free to Leon Valley residents, the home security survey, conducted by the Leon Valley Police Department, looks for ‘target hardening’ techniques most effective in deterring home burglary. Perimeter, exterior and interior barriers to burglary are recommended, including alarm systems and auxiliary locking devices for both doors and windows. Depending on your homeowners insurance policy, you may save up to 15% on your insurance as a result of your actions to make your home safer and from information you learn in the survey. There is no cost or obligation. This survey takes approximately 30 minutes.

For more information or to schedule a survey, call Lt. Reyes at (210) 684-3215.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Walk and Talk with the Mayor this Weekend

Mayor Riley will hold one of her quarterly Walk and Talk With the Mayor events this Saturday, April 6, beginning at 8:30 a.m.  Meet up is at the Community Garden in Raymond Rimkus Park.  Wear your walking shoes and bring a neighbor!  If you've got a burning question, or just want to hear what the Mayor has been working on, this is the opportunity you've been waiting for. 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Senior Residents Thank Leon Valley Police, Fire and EMS

Leon Valley Police Department Lt. Reyes and Detective Jimmie Wells
receive an appreciation award on behalf of the LVPD.
Christian Village Apartments residents at an appreciation barbecue lunch
for the Leon Valley Police and Fire Departments.
Interim Fire Chief Luis Valdez accepts thanks on behalf of the  Fire Department and EMS.

The residents of Christian Village Apartments, an active seniors apartment complex, held a barbecue lunch today to thank the Leon Valley Police, Fire and EMS.  Our first responders take a proactive approach and make regular visits to the apartments to talk about a wide variety of safety topics, including how to avoid being a scam victim and fire prevention.  I enjoyed representing the mayor today, and meeting the residents.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Let's Welcome Next Level Training to Leon Valley

The Grand Opening invitation is open to all residents.  Hope to see you there!


Welcome Next Level Training!
Next Level  

Next Level Training will hold a grand opening on Saturday, April 6, 2013, at 2 p.m. at its location at 6737 Poss Road, Suite 102.

The Leon Valley community is invited to come out to tour the facility and watch a boot camp demonstration.  The grand opening will begin with welcoming remarks and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2 p.m.

Come out and welcome Leon Valley's newest business.
  
 For more information call 210-684-1391, Extn. 235

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

My Resume


I think it's important for voters to know my full history. And I'm proud of the work I've been entrusted to do. 

KHILL PR
Owner/Founder
2006 – Present
Armed with more than 25 years experience, Kathy Hill has earned a reputation for excellence in strategic communications, public relations and marketing.  She has worked on both the agency and client sides, and has developed specific expertise in corporate social responsibility, media relations, crisis communications and special events.  She has successfully managed pro-vote campaign strategy and communications for four bond campaigns to build new schools and renovate existing schools for the students of San Antonio’s Northside ISD, as well as worked on accounts for the U.S. Army, JCPenney, Tecate, Mercedes-Benz USA, AT&T, H-E-B Grocery Company, Foundations for Laity Renewal (founded by the H.E. Butt Foundation), Natural Bridge Caverns, Time Warner Cable San Antonio, CityView, the San Antonio Conservation Society and Oncology San Antonio.  Committed to community service, she serves as Vice President of Communications for the Northside Education Foundation and was elected to City Council in the City of Leon Valley in 2011.  She is the current Mayor Pro Tem. She is a former board member and board chair of JOVEN.  Recognition for her work includes the Public Relations Society of America, San Antonio Chapter, Public Relations Professional of the Year.  She is a graduate of Leadership San Antonio and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber’s Alex Briseño Leadership Development Program.  Kathy holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin and Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

UTSA CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Leadership Coach, Executive MBA Class 14
2010 – 2012
Provided practical, insightful and professional mentoring in support of graduate student academic success in the EMBA program, specifically:
  • detecting issues emerging within the learning community and in specific classes before they become major problems and providing feedback to the course director,
  • providing mid‐semester face-to-face opportunities to reinforce the spirit of the front porch, 
  • advising students about experimenting with leadership concepts in their work,
  • supporting students individually and in reflection teams in the understanding and completion of reflection portfolio assignments,
  • grading and providing feedback on content and writing of reflection portfolio assignments and refered students with writing challenges to the course director, and
  • coordinating with the Director of the Center for Professional Excellence issues of importance relating each student’s academic success.

inHOUSE PR (formerly inHOUSE Consulting Group)
1999 – 2006, Co-Founder, Owner/Partner
  • Seven years building a successful full-service public relations agency from the ground up to become the 13th largest public relations firm in San Antonio.  
  • Responsible for business development and communications service for all clients, including The Alameda; AT&T; American CityVista, a Cisneros Communities Venture;  The Cartel Group (subcontracted to assist with the U.S. Army national Hispanic account); GlobalHue (subcontracted to assist with Jeep Chrysler Hispanic PR); Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU); Hispanic Educational Telecommunications System (HETS); Magnet (subcontracted to assist with the Lactaid Hispanic account), Merced Housing Texas; 2004 & 2001 Northside ISD Bond Committees; Rosa Verde Behavioral Health; Texas Conference for Women; Time Warner Cable; UTHSCSA Medical Alumni Association and Ventana Communities.
  • Hired staff, interns and supervised their work and professional development.
  • Managed agency budget and decisions about expenditures and investments.
  • Demonstrated community service and professional expertise that were instrumental in inHOUSE being honored as one of two 2002 San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce “Emerging Business” award recipients.
HISPANIC ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
1997 – 1999, Director of Conferences and Sponsored Events
1996 – 1997, Conferences and Sponsored Events Coordinator
  • Three years coordinating nine conferences and meetings annually for HACU, including site selection, contract negotiation and management of a $750,000 annual budget.  
  • Team leadership that increased HACU annual conference net revenues by $172,000 the first year and tripled attendance within three years. 
  • Coordinated official protocol with Cabinet-level officials, including the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Agriculture.  
  • Editor of The Voice of Hispanic Higher Education, a 20-page newsletter with a national distribution of over 10,000 readers highlighting issues relevant to educational advancement for Hispanic Americans.
  • Staff liaison to the Corporate and Philanthropic Council.
CASH CAN INCORPORATED
1994 – 1996, Director of Public Relations
  • Managed financial public relations during the company’s Initial Public Offering.
  • Designed, wrote and edited a quarterly shareholder newsletter.
  • Developed and conducted media training for company officers and franchise owners.
  • Implemented crisis management steps to maintain media confidence during a critical restructuring of corporate leadership.
THE WITTE MUSEUM 
1993, Marketing Associate
  • Assisted with media buys and development of marketing tools, including parade float construction oversight, to promote the Witte’s own Thundering Hooves:  Five Centuries of Horse-Power in the American West.
SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
1991 – 1992, Development Associate/Special Events
1989 – 1991, Development Assistant
  • Over the course of five years assisted with, and later responsible for, association fundraisers and events that netted one million dollars in revenues.  
  • Doubled the Association’s facilities rental income in the first year by developing and implementing a comprehensive marketing program.
BASS ANGLER NEWSPAPER
1989 – 1991, Editor
  • Wrote, edited and designed the layout for a 20-page quarterly newspaper for professional  tournament anglers distributed nationwide.
COX PIPPEN COMMUNICATIONS
1988, Account Coordinator
  • Designed and implemented various facets of public relations plans for clients including H-E-B Grocery Company, North Star Mall, La Mansion Hotels, Aquarena Springs,  Pioneer Flour Mills, Riverwalk Mall (New Orleans), and the San Antonio Bar Association.
COMMUNITY SERVICE

Northside Education Foundation.  Board of Directors, Vice President-Communications.  The foundation fosters community involvement in innovative educational programs by generating and disbursing funds and other resources to provide enrichment for Northside students. NEF is recognized as the top public school foundation in Texas, and the 12th best in the nation.

City of Leon Valley.  Current Mayor Pro Tem, elected unanimously by the City Council.  Developed campaign strategy and key messages for the successful passage of a $7 million bond campaign that will build a new Fire Station and renovate the existing City Hall for an expanded Police Station, City Support Services and Municipal Court.  Proposed the creation of a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to ensure proper stewardship of tax dollars and provide transparency to the project.  Served as the co-chair of Leon Valley Days: New History in the Making, a partnership between the City and the Leon Valley Historical Society to jointly recognize the City's 60th anniversary of incorporation and the 150th anniversary of the Huebner Onion Homestead and Stagecoach Stop.  Worked with staff to redesign the City Website to be user friendly with improved navigation and enhanced content.  Worked to find efficiencies at City Hall that have held taxes unchanged for residents (except for the voter approved bond) while reinstating cost of living and longevity raises for City Employees.  Formerly served on the city’s Zoning Commission.

JOVEN.   Board of Directors, past Chair. The 15 year old non-profit provides services to empower more than 13,000 at-risk youth and their families, and operates on a $3 million annual budget.  As Chair, Kathy led the board through a complete restructuring of the financial reporting process and a CEO search and recruitment.

Alamo Area Student Intervention Alliance.  Helped raise funds to host an annual college fair for area students whose schools are typically not visited by college recruiters because their numbers of college-bound graduates are too low.  The fair is a forum for students and their parents to learn about funds and programs that can help them achieve their academic goals. College recruiters and employers are also invited to participate.

LULAC.  55th Rey Feo, member of “The People’s Court.”

Junior Achievement.  Two years teaching personal economics at Truman Middle School in the Edgewood Independent School District. 

San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.  Service on the Blue Ribbon Task Force for the Better Jobs Initiative, the Governmental Affairs Committee, the 2001 and 2002 Golf Tournament Planning Committees to raise funds for Chamber leadership programs, the 2001 spring and fall membership drive committees, and as an Embajadora.  

Society of Mexican-American Engineers and Scientists, UTSA Chapter.  Provided planning-advice and volunteer time for the 2000 and 2001 Science and Engineering Extravaganza, hosted annually by the chapter and UTSA for the benefit of area middle school students.  More than 1200 middle school students attend the one-day event.  

AWARDS AND HONORS
  • 2010, 2007, 2004 & 2001, Appreciation Award, Northside ISD Citizens’ Bond Committee
  • 2004, Public Relations Professional of the Year, Public Relations Society of America, San Antonio Chapter
  • 2004, Leadership San Antonio Graduate, Class XXIX
  • 2002, Alex Briseño Leadership Development Program Graduate
  • 2001, Nominated by the SAHCC for the San Antonio Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” award
  • 2001 & 2000, Appreciation Award, Mexican-American Engineers and Scientists, UTSA Chapter
  • 2000, Appreciation Award, Hispanic Association of AT&T Employees
  • 1997, Employee of the Year, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
PROFESSIONAL and COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

League of Women Voters - San Antonio Chapter
Northside Education Foundation
Public Relations Society of America
San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists

EDUCATION

University of Texas, Austin, TX
1987, Bachelor of Journalism.  Concentration:  Public Relations

University of Texas at San Antonio, TX
2010, Master of Business Administration

Saturday, March 23, 2013

What a beautiful Saturday to be out campaigning in Leon Valley!  I love hearing what neighbors think about our community, and sharing with them my experiences these last two years on city council.  I look forward to speaking with as many of you as possible over then coming weeks.  In the meantime, if you have a question, concern or comment, please contact me at Vote4KathyHill@gmail.com