Mary Ullmann Japhet ’84, a Trinity University alumna and longtime San Antonio communications leader, was recently named San Antonio Business Journal’s 2026 Women’s Leadership Awards Woman of the Year. Japhet has led promotions for national championships, built campaigns addressing community health, and started her own business, Japhet Media, in 2019.
Japhet’s journalism experience started at Trinity and continued after she graduated and landed a news anchor job at KENS 5. She left San Antonio for Los Angeles in 1989, where she worked as a field-producer. But San Antonio called her back after a former Trinity classmate recommended she look into opportunities at the newly formed San Antonio Sports foundation. At the time, the nonprofit was looking for a director of advertising and special events for the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival. Japhet accepted the position.
Her work for the organization helped lead to the summer's record-setting attendance for a U.S Olympic Festival, a major multi-sport event run by the U.S. Olympic Committee. She went on to spend 18 years with San Antonio Sports, and in 2025 was named the first female chair of the board.
Now, through Japhet Media, she provides public relations and marketing support to Geekdom startups through Launch SA, a city partnership with Geekdom where Japhet serves as spokeswoman. The firm’s other clients include Texas Parasport and Weston Urban.