RISK PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR — 2025

Sallyann Rigdon
 
With an expansive career spanning over three decades as a licensed attorney, as the former Wyoming State Risk Manager and Assistant Risk Manager for the City of San Antonio, Sallyann is currently part of VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Legal Team and serves as the Manager of Risk Management. In this capacity, she combines her legal background with her risk management experience to administer VIA’s Self-Insurance Liability Program. Sallyann is responsible for supervising an exceptional team of risk management personnel who handle VIA’s public liability matters and for the investigation, evaluation, and management of complex claims and tort litigation lawsuits. In addition to maintaining VIA’s insurance portfolio, she pursues subrogation recoveries for damage to VIA property and fleet. Sallyann acts as a liaison with the Office of General Counsel, VIA’s Tort Litigation Attorney, and retained outside counsel, in supporting efforts to settle or defend litigated matters. She is vested with settlement authority on behalf of VIA and serves as VIA’s representative in all tort litigation matters including depositions, mediations, and trials.

Sallyann earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Spanish from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School. She is licensed to practice in both state and federal courts in Texas. She received her Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation from the American Insurance Institute. She is a current member of the Public Risk Management and Insurance Association (PRIMA), the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), and the State Bar of Texas. She has been a member of Texas PRIMA since 2007.

2024 - Veronica Guevara, Bexar County
2022 - Tina Paquet, City of Houston
2021 -  Nancy Mckenzie, City of Arlington
2020 - Debby Glass, Northside ISD
2019 - Gilbert Sanchez, City of Corpus Christi
2018 - Ida Wall, Alief ISD
2017 - Robert Warren, CRM, City of Arlington
2016 – Melissa Steger, UT System
2015 – Leslie Milvo, City of Austin
2014 – Norma Martinez, City of Sugar Land
2013 – Rick Stockton, CSRM, Klein I.S.D.
2012 – Kermit Falgout, Houston I.S.D.
2011 – Cecil Tatum, Northside I.S.D. 
2010 – Clark Adkins, Corpus Christi I.S.D.
2009 – Norma Carabajal Essary, CPCU, ARM, DFW International Airport
2008 – Gary Urban, City of Waco
2007 – Bill Tarro, Lubbock I.S.D.
2006 – Darrell Wells, City of Odessa
2005 – Robby Neill, City of Garland
2004 – Martha Rider, Fort Bend County
2003 – Ron Josselet, SORM
2002 – Robert Waggoner, City of Denton
2001 – Cheryl Johnson, Dallas I.S.D.
2000 – David Kester, Harris County
1999 – Alan Smith, Garland I.S.D.
1998 – Terri Richardson, Northeast I.S.D.
1997 – Leroy Hyltin, Jr., City of Waco
1996 – James Huckaby, Mesquite I.S.D.
1995 – Joey Page, City of Plano