Paula Cobler is the interim director of marketing & communications for the University of Houston-Victoria. She oversees and coordinates UHV’s overall image, which includes advertising, promotions and public relations. She also provides leadership to an eight-member marketing team. In her interim role, she continues to serve as UHV’s communications manager by supervising all press releases and marketing copy; creating presentations; and assisting the media and faculty, staff and students to increase communication about UHV. Paula has a bachelor’s degree in technical journalism from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. During the 2005-2006 school year, she took classes at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., as a Nieman affiliate. She was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor in Colorado and Texas for nine years before becoming president and general manager of The Mirror, the student newspaper at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo. Prior to moving to Victoria in 2007, she was an adjunct journalism professor at UNC and CSU. Paula and her husband, Chris, have two children, Nicole and Paul.

Melody Vecera is the creative services manager in the Marketing Department. Her duties include coordinating and designing marketing pieces that effectively promote the university and its departments. Melody earned her bachelor’s degree from UHV in applied arts and sciences with a concentration in communications. She also studied visual communication design at Austin Community College. Prior to joining UHV’s Marketing Department, Melody worked as a graphic artist for Graphix Unlimited and a production manager for the Victoria Business Magazine. She and her husband, John, reside in Victoria County, and have two children.

Amberley Gutierrez is a graphic designer in the Marketing Department. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in communication design from Texas State University in San Marcos where she won awards for her student work. Her previous employment has included work as a designer for Aloe Software Group, where she created websites and logos, along with greeting cards, advertisements and promotional material for the company. She also was a graphic artist and promotions assistant for the Victoria Television Group, where she created on-air and website graphics, advertisements and commercials for the station. She also designs websites for a start-up company based in Austin.

George Rodriguez is a graphic designer in the Marketing Department. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from the International Academy of Design & Technology-San Antonio. He previously designed ads, Web banners, postcards and posters at Sharkmatic Advertising in San Antonio. He also worked at the Port Lavaca Wave newspaper, where he was part of redesigning the newspaper; as well as at Sport Zone magazine in San Antonio; the Waco Tribune; and CC Creations in College Station. He won three ADDY Awards for logo design from the Waco Chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Rodriguez is originally from Port Lavaca and moved back to the area in November 2012.

Jeremy Shapiro is a communications specialist in the Marketing Department. He writes news releases, edits marketing materials and helps coordinate media inquiries. He earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in sports management from Wichita State University. Jeremy had worked for a decade as a newspaper reporter and editor. Prior to joining UHV’s Marketing Department, he was the assistant sports editor for The Emporia Gazette in Emporia, Kan. Jeremy is a Kansas native. He and his wife, Lisa, moved to Victoria in April 2012.

Katy Walterscheidt is a communications specialist in the Marketing Department. She writes news releases, edits marketing materials and helps coordinate media inquiries. Katy has nearly 10 years of experience in public relations and marketing for nonprofits, professional associations and the hospitality industry. She also provides media relations and assists with operations at her family’s Christmas tree farm in Elgin. Katy has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas A&M University and attended Texas State University in San Marcos as a mass communications graduate student. She and her husband, Chris, moved to Victoria from Austin in July 2012.

Della Rampley is the administrative secretary in the Marketing Department. She handles the day-to-day administrative tasks that keep the office running, answers phones and emails, assists in marketing and research projects, and supports Paula Cobler and other members of the marketing team in their assigned duties. Della has worked for UHV for over four years and has lived and worked in the Victoria area for more than 20 years.

Danielle Meador is a student worker in the Marketing Department. She maintains press clippings about UHV, assists in research, aids in the planning of market strategies, sends and receives deliveries, and assists with surveys and research. She has an associate’s degree in health administration from the University of Phoenix and is pursuing her Bachelor of Business Administration at UHV. She has one son, Aiden.