Education:
Middle school: Christa McAuliffe Middle School
Years: 1990 – 1993
High school: Southwest High School
Class of 1997
Rank #4
University of the Incarnate Word
Bachelor of Arts in communication Arts in Journalism
Minor in Spanish and Photography
Class of 2000
Master of Arts in Communication Arts
Class of 2000
University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D in Advertising
Class of 2014
Research:
Mackert, M., Garcia, A., & Whitten, P. “Interventions for Low Health Literate Audiences.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, January 2008.
Garcia, A. (accepted) “Educational Information and Health Literacy Concerns in Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising.” Poster at 2008 Kentucky Conference on Health Communication.
Mackert, M. & Whitten, P., & Garcia, A. (accepted) “E-Health Interventions for Low Health Literate Audiences: Reaching a Broader Audience.” Panel at the International Communication Association Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada, May 2008.
Garcia, Adriana R. (accepted) “PR on a Shoestring Budget: How to make the best out of a small, or non-existent advertising budget” to be presented at the National Catholic Educational Association 105th Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 2008.
Work Experience:
Our Lady of the Lake University
August 2016-Present
Assistant Marketing Professor (Full-time, Tenure-Track)
Project QUEST
November 2016-Present
Communications Coordinator (Part-time)
Public Relations Dept., Southwest ISD
August 2013-2016
Public Relations Director
Human Resources Dept., City of San Antonio
February 2012-August 2013
Executive Recruiter
City Manager’s Office, City of San Antonio
April 2010-February 2012
Special Projects Manager
San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Oct. 2006-April 2010
Vice President of Communications
Furniture For A Cause
May 2005-Oct. 2006
Marketing Manager
Our Lady of the Lake University
July 2004-May 2005
Marketing & Community Relations Specialist
University of the Incarnate Word
2001-July 2004
Chief News and Information Officer, Office of Public Relations
Extracurricular Activities:
Leadership San Antonio Class 43 (2018)
City of San Antonio Ethics Review Board Chair (2016-Present)
City of San Antonio Ethics Review Board District 4 Rep. (2015-Present)
President, San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Exes (2016-Present)
San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Exes Board Member (2014-Present)
Lifetime Member, Texas Exes (2015-Present)
Johnny Hernandez Culinary Arts Foundation Board Member (2015-Present)
Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas San Antonio Communications Chair, (2016-Present)
Chair, Finance Committee, Divine Providence Catholic Church (June 2017-Present)
Finance Committee, Divine Providence Catholic Church (2014-Present)
Archbishop’s Appeal Coordinator, Divine Providence Catholic Church (2017, 2018)
Treasurer, Southwest High School Mariachi Boosters (2017-2018)
Awards:
40 Under 40 San Antonio Business Journal (2018)
Leadership San Antonio Class 43 (2018)
City of San Antonio Ethics Review Board Chair (2016-Present)
City of San Antonio Ethics Review Board District 4 Rep. (2015-Present)
President, San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Exes (2016-Present)
Johnny Hernandez Culinary Arts Foundation Board Member (2015-Present)
Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas San Antonio Communications Chair, (2016-Present)
Chair, Finance Committee, Divine Providence Catholic Church (June 2017-Present)
Finance Committee, Divine Providence Catholic Church (2014-Present)
Archbishop’s Appeal Coordinator, Divine Providence Catholic Church (2017, 2018)
Treasurer, Southwest High School Mariachi Boosters (2017-2018)
Hobbies/Interest:
Ethics
Politics
Marketing
Civic Engagement
Biography:
A life-long resident of San Antonio, Adriana Rocha Garcia was raised in and continues to call Southwest San Antonio home. The first in her family with a college degree, she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of the Incarnate Word. In 2004, she was accepted into the University of Texas at Austin’s doctoral program, where ten years and many miles later, she became the first Hispanic woman to earn a PhD in Advertising from UT’s prestigious Moody College of Communication. She currently serves as President of the San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Exes. Today, Dr. Garcia is molding tomorrow’s leaders as a professor at Our Lady of the Lake University, where she teaches marketing in the School of Business and Leadership. In her spare time, Dr. Garcia oversees marketing and communications for Project QUEST, and serves as Chair of the City’s Ethics Review Board. Dr. Garcia has a son, Steve R. Garcia III and visits her parents, Petra and Valeriano Rocha every day.