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Christine Holliday Cerda
Known to all as Tina, is a native Laredoan who has been a member of the Society of Martha Washington since 2004.
She follows the tradition of her mother who served as president in 1989 and her grandmother who was an early member of the organization founded in 1939. Tina was presented by the Society in 1984 as was her mother in 1962. Again, following her mother’s legacy, Tina served as president of the Society in 2019.
Tina’s professional success, entrepreneurial spirit, and lifelong commitment to service have left an indelible mark on the Laredo community. As a partner at Laurel Insurance and Associates, Tina has devoted nearly 30 years to the field of employee benefits and individual health insurance, building a career in an industry that was long dominated by men. Through determination, expertise, and integrity, she shattered barriers and emerged as one of the few women in Laredo to rise to the highest levels of leadership in her profession.
Most recently, Tina was recognized by the Laredo Morning Times for International Woman’s Day 2026 and was inducted in the Laredo Commission for Women’s Hall of Fame. Tina’s success has never been measured solely by professional achievement. After returning to Laredo in 1996, she made a conscious decision to invest her time, talents, and treasure back into the community that shaped her. Her civic journey began with Gateway Rotary, where the guiding principle of “Service Above Self” became the foundation of a lifelong calling to serve her community and was awarded the Rookie of the Year recognition.
In 1998, as a young mother, she was motivated to serve on the board of the Laredo Children’s Museum, now the Imaginarium of South Texas, to create both a respite for parents of young children and an interactive learning experience for youth in our community. This experience inspired her to remain committed to serving the youth of Laredo.
When her sons were young, Tina became involved with Scouting as a den mother and eventually served on the Aztec District Council. She continues to support Scouting with annual contributions to the Friends of Scouting campaign. Both her sons achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
Throughout her civic career, Tina has been entrusted with leadership of some of Laredo’s most cherished institutions. In 2018-19, she served as President of the Society of Martha Washington, successfully guiding more than 200 women through a historic transition when the Colonial Pageant and Ball was relocated following the closure of the Laredo Civic Center. Most recently she established Martha’s Closet which collects donated evening wear for distribution to both United and Laredo Independent School Districts in advance of prom season.
From 2007 to 2009, she served as President of the International Good Neighbor Council, which, in partnership with the Washington’s Birthday Celebration, hosts the internationally recognized Bridge Ceremony symbolizing unity between nations. For more than 50 years the IGNC has fostered supportive relationships with both the Nuevo Laredo and Laredo communities. This warmth is represented by the Abrazo Children who serve as WBCA Ambassadors and whose embrace in the middle of the international bridge is a lasting symbol of our combined futures. In recognition of her service Tina’s son, Michael, was selected to represent the United States as an Abrazo Child in 2009.
Tina represented Laredo in 2013 as a member of Leadership Texas, Class of 2013. The statewide program gathers women nominated by their communities to meet in three sessions held throughout the state giving participants a unique opportunity to expand leadership skills and gain valuable insight into the challenges facing the state. This hands-on program provided a unique and robust leadership development that served Tina well as she continued to take governance roles in various local organizations.
In 2019, after serving on the board for many years, she began a two-year term as President of Communities In Schools of Laredo, a non-profit organization devoted to supporting at-risk students in both local school districts, Zapata, Hebbronville and Triumph Public High School. Her commitment continues today as an honorary board member.
In 2025, Tina completed a distinguished four-year term as President of the Laredo Area Community Foundation, which grew by 40 percent under her guidance and now actively stewards nearly $27 million in donor funds dedicated to improving quality of life across South Texas. Her management helped strengthen the Foundation’s impact and ensured long-term support for vital community initiatives. Moreover, Tina was recently appointed by Councilmember Alyssa Cigarroa to the Laredo Commission for Women.
At the center of Tina’s life is her family. She and her husband, Russell, are the proud parents of three children: Alex, an attorney in San Antonio; Michael, a graduate of St. Edward’s University living in Austin; and Angelina, a senior at The University of Texas. They are active parishioners of St. Patrick Catholic Church and have long supported parish ministries.
A proud native of Laredo, Tina is a 1984 graduate of J.W. Nixon High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Texas at Austin in 1987. Her family’s roots in Laredo span multiple generations, and she proudly follows the example of her grandfather, Renato Zapata, a dedicated community volunteer, who instilled in her a deep responsibility to give back to the community she calls home.
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Jeffrey Gerard Puig
Has been a volunteer and member with The Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association (WBCA) since 1997.
He has served on and chaired numerous committees and events within the organization. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2000 and the Executive Committee in 2013. In 2018, he served as President of the 121st Celebration and was inducted as a Caballero in the Order of Los Caballeros De La Republica del Rio Grande on February 16, 2018. He has served on the executive board of the Caballeros and was Jefe for the organization in 2025.
A native Laredoan with deep roots, Jeff graduated from United High School and Texas A&M University earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Under the direction and guidance of great local mentors, Puig honed his professional skills becoming a successful licensed Professional Engineer and Registered Professional Land Surveyor. He opened Puig Engineering, LLC in 2004, later merging his business with Don Durden and Civil Engineering Consultants of San Antonio, becoming owner and Division Manager of the Laredo Office. In November of 2021 Civil Engineering Consultants (CEC) was acquired by KCI Technologies, Inc. where Mr. Puig is currently serving as Practice Leader for KCI Laredo.
In addition, Puig is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, the Texas Society of Professional Land Surveyors, the Knights of Columbus Council 10939, and the Msgr. George M. Gloeckner Assembly 2565. Jeff served in the ACTS and Teen ACTS Communities serving on teams at San Martin de Porres Church, Blessed Sacrament Church, and St. John Neumann Church. He has also served on retreat teams for the Journey to Damascus in Corpus Christi, Texas. He is also a past member of City of Laredo Historic District/Landmark Board and Charter Revision Committee and served on the Industry Advisory Board for Engineering at Texas A&M International University.
Married 31 years, Jeff and his wife Judith Martinez Puig are blessed with four wonderful children: Jeffrey, Raquel, Joseph, and Judith. In his free time, Jeff enjoys hunting, swimming, cycling, and spending time with his family and friends. He attributes his many successes to all those who have been in his life and most importantly his parents, John and Ana Puig, for instilling in him and his siblings the values of having a strong faith in God, family unity, love of country, excellence in education, and dedicated service to others.