After earning her associate degree in business administration from San Antonio College, La-Tieka Sims Howell transferred to Texas A&M University-San Antonio, where she discovered the “career field that lit the fire in my soul.” Strongly influenced by the Jaguar motto--On a Mission—La-Tieka embraced every opportunity the University offered. She was very active on the A&M-San Antonio campus and held leadership roles in numerous student organizations such as campus activities and campus governance.

Throughout her tenure at A&M-San Antonio she served as president of the Student Government Association, president of the Campus Activity Board, and treasurer of the Black Student Union. La-Tieka collaborated with the faculty senate and several commissions to develop and implement student success initiatives, advocate for and promote student interests, and served as the student representative to city, county, and state entities. She provided leadership, education, training, and programming to improve campus culture. Those campus roles and opportunities honed her skills in collaboration, organization, and implementing initiatives. Armed with those skills and coupled with her passion for good governance and serving her community in full flame, it was inevitable that La-Tieka would seek a community-focused career.

While earning her B.B.A. in management, she began her career interning for San Antonio District 2 Councilwoman Jada Andrews Sullivan and within a year became the deputy director of policy. The following year, she became the constituent services representative for City District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo and currently serves in his office as director of constituent services. Employing the same skills that made her a campus standout, La-Tieka works closely with community organizations, neighborhood associations, faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups to address concerns and provide running updates on district issues. She also drafts responses on the Councilman’s behalf. During her year (Aug. 2020-July 2021) as the San Antonio Fellow for IGNITE National, a movement of young women who are ready and eager to become the next generation of political leaders, La-Tieka collaborated with four local colleges to educate and interest young women in civic engagement , provide voter education resources, help registered voters, and collaborated with 24 other Fellows across the country to present a variety of topics centered on political engagement.

Ever mindful of the opportunities that launched her career, La-Tieka includes giving back in her mission. She makes it her business to reach out and offer internships and volunteer opportunities to students, and volunteers at campus events whenever her pressure cooker schedule permits.

Though obviously focused on training, encouraging, and empowering young women to assume leadership roles, she is also keenly aware of the difficulties many young women face as they try to establish their independence or engage with the community. Toward alleviating a niche but long-overlooked need in the community, La-Tieka sits on the board of Driving Single Inc., a local non-profit that raises funds to provide a car to single parents who need transportation. As her mission to “serve, grow, and have an impact on the communities around me continues unabated,” La-Tieka says, “I’ll always be grateful to A&T-San Antonio for the life-changing impact it has had on my life.”