Cecile Montañez, MBA

VP of Operations & Administration

Cecile brings over a decade of experience across the public and nonprofit sectors, with expertise in operations, business management, communications, event planning, and fundraising. She has led and supported multimillion-dollar initiatives that drive community impact and organizational growth across San and South Texas.

Prior to joining the South Texas Business Partnership, Cecile served in the Office of the President at Texas A&M University–San Antonio as Assistant Director for Strategic Initiatives. There, she helped secure more than $20 million in funding for key initiatives benefiting South San Antonio and Bexar County, including the development of the first nationally recognized Educare School in Texas to address the region’s childcare desert and strengthen the early childhood workforce pipeline. She also secured $300,000 through Congressman Joaquin Castro’s Community Project Fund in support of the Autism Mobile Assessment Bus and Learning Environment (AMABLE) and contributed to a $10 million proposal for multipurpose athletic facilities to support community health and wellness.

Prior to Texas A&M-San Antonio, Cecile led development efforts for the Archdiocese of San Antonio for nearly a decade, raising more than $40 million to support social, educational, and outreach programs serving over 300,000 individuals across 19 counties and provided grant support across diocesan entities and worked closely with volunteers, church leadership, and community partners.

A Rio Grande Valley native from La Feria, Texas, Cecile is a first-generation college graduate. She earned her MBA from Texas A&M University–San Antonio and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from University of Texas at San Antonio, along with minors in Business Administration and Nonprofit Leadership and Management. She is a Certified Nonprofit Professional through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals San Antonio Chapter, and serves on the board of Cleft Strong.

Outside of work, Cecile is a proud boy mom who enjoys spending time with her family, cheering on her kids at their sporting events, and staying active through weightlifting and fitness. She is deeply committed to serving and strengthening the South Texas community.