Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
Speaker, Humanity and Security at the Southern Border
Honoree, Keepers of the American Dream
Norma Pimentel is a Sister with the Missionaries of Jesus. As Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley for over 12 years, she oversees the charitable arm of the Diocese of Brownsville, providing oversight of the different ministries & services in the areas of the Rio Grande Valley through emergency assistance, homelessness prevention, disaster relief, clinical counseling, pregnancy care, food programs, and the Humanitarian Respite Center.
In recognition for her work on the US-Mexico border in which Sister Norma oversaw the provision of a safe space for migrants to rest and regain strength, in 2015 Sister Norma received the Martin Luther King, Jr. “Keep the Dream Alive” Award from Catholic Charities USA and awards from the University of Texas-Pan American, the Texas Medical Association, and a nomination for “Texan of the Year.”
Sister Norma Pimentel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Pan American University, a Master’s degree in Theology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.