Honoring women of distinction

Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas has annually honored an area woman who has made a significant contribution to the community and represents the ideals and values of a Girl Scout. The Trefoil Award is the highest honor we bestow outside of Girl Scout-related awards. New Trefoil honorees join a long line of inspiring women who have worked to make the world a better place, just like Girl Scouts do.

2026 Trefoil Award

This year, we are celebrating a woman of distinction who has made a difference in our community. The 2026 Trefoil Award recipient is Laura Vaccaro. Join us Monday, September 28, at 11:00 a.m as we honor her and continue to celebrate women in leadership!

Laura Vaccaro is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, overseeing all operations of a perpetual charitable trust established by Albert and Bessie Mae Kronkosky and administered by corporate trustee Bank of America. The Foundation’s mission is to produce profound, tangible, and measurable good in Bandera, Bexar, Comal, and Kendall counties in Texas.

With more than $400 million in assets and annual grantmaking of $15–$20 million, Laura leads the Foundation’s strategic direction and grantmaking priorities in partnership with a three-person Distribution Committee. She also manages the Foundation’s San Antonio–based office at the Weston Centre, leading a team of professional staff. Since its inception 28 years ago, the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation has distributed approximately $400 million to more than 500 nonprofit organizations across Texas. As CEO of one of the largest grantmaking organizations in the state, Laura represents the Foundation daily through extensive civic and philanthropic engagement.

Prior to joining Kronkosky, Laura spent nearly a decade as Vice President for Community Investment and Engagement at Valero Energy, where she led all community investment activities for the Valero Energy Foundation and Valero Energy Corporation. She also oversaw employee engagement strategies, including Valero’s volunteerism programs and community events. Previously, Laura served for 12 years as Executive Director of Learning, Education, and Development at Valero, directing leadership development, e-learning, and professional development initiatives for more than 10,000 employees across the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Peru, Mexico, and Canada.

Read more about Laura Vaccaro toggle arrow

Earlier in her career, Laura spent 12 years in the healthcare industry, gaining extensive experience in management, marketing and public relations, physician relations, events, and hospital operations. She also served for five years as an adjunct faculty member at the University of the Incarnate Word, teaching management and marketing.

A deeply engaged civic leader, Laura is actively involved in numerous community organizations. She currently serves as a Tri-Chair of Leadership San Antonio during its 50th anniversary year and is a proud alumnus of the program. She served as Chair of the San Antonio Greater Chamber’s Tribute to Women Business Leaders in 2023 and 2024 and joined the Chamber’s Board of Investors in January 2025.

Laura is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees for United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. She has held numerous leadership roles within United Way, including inaugural Chair of the Human Resources and Diversity Committee and Chair of Women United from 2016 to 2019. During her tenure with Women United, membership grew to more than 3,000 and over $10 million in leadership gifts were raised in support of United Way and childcare scholarships. She also served on the Women United Global Leadership Council, the Women’s Leadership Council Advisory Board, and the San Antonio Campaign Cabinet.

Laura is Chair of the Alamo Area Community Network, a closed-loop referral platform founded by Kronkosky that connects individuals to nonprofit services across San Antonio. She has chaired and served on numerous charitable gala committees, including as Chair of the Go Red for Women Campaign for the American Heart Association and Chair of the Tobin Center’s 10-Year Anniversary Gala.

She currently serves on the Advisory Board for Early Matters San Antonio. Laura also completed a nine-year term on the National Board of Directors for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a 15-year term on the South Central Region Board of Trustees, where she held leadership roles including Governance Chair and Nominating Chair. She was inducted into the National MS Society Hall of Fame in 2015 for fundraising excellence.

Laura has received numerous honors for her civic leadership, including induction into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, the Hope Award from the Tribute to Women Business Leaders, the Comet Award from the San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the OutStander Award from the Harlequin Feel Good Movement, and the Joci Straus Trailblazer Award from United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Laura has proudly called San Antonio home for more than 37 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Gannon University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word. She and her husband, Ricardo, share a blended family, including six children and four grandchildren.

Thank you to our 2026 Trefoil sponsors!

Presenting

Bill & Margie Klesse/The Klesse Foundation

Trefoil Level

Platinum Level

Gold Level

Silver Level

Special Thanks

*Includes sponsors as of September 22, 2026

Trefoil Recognition Award

Each honoree receives the Trefoil Recognition Award at their celebration, designed by artist Gini Garcia of Garcia Art Glass.

Artist’s statement:

“The Trefoil Award brings the friendship bracelet more into front and center, with each bead representing the Past (Courage), Present (Confidence), and Future (Character) and symbolizing the shiny reflection of each recipient into the community and their ability to be introspective and look inward.

PAST: The darker, richer green represents the founding members of Girl Scouts who laid the groundwork of the movement. While the whispers of years past have become darker and more distant with age, it is due to the courage these members had that has given the next generation a foundation upon which to build.

PRESENT: We often hear, “Let’s live in the now.” It is a golden moment, and as the gold reflects outward like a beacon, it is seen by all as the brightest of stars. Yet it is in this reflection that we also see ourselves. At this present moment, we sense that now is the time to live to our greatest potential. Today, collectively and as individuals, we seek to make great decisions with confidence as our guiding light.

FUTURE: Let all the youth play! As young girls bloom into their springtime, they share friendship bracelets with each other. These charms are sowing the seeds of friendship so that one day, the friends will come back together as the flowers of tomorrow with a sense of optimism and character to move forward."

Past Trefoil Honorees toggle arrow

Margie Klesse, 2025

Mary Henrich, 2024

Jelynne LeBlanc Jamison, 2024

Lisa Wong, 2024

Leticia Van de Putte, 2023

Tracy Wolff, 2022

Mary Rose Brown, 2019

Jane Macon, 2018

Cecilia Abbott, 2017

Janet Holliday, 2016

Marsha Shields, 2015

Suzanne Wade, 2014

Carri Baker, 2013

Esperanza “Hope” Andrade, 2012

Suzanne C. Goudge, 2011

Harriet Marmon Helmle, 2010

Linda Whitacre, 2009

Dela W. White, 2008

Jimmie Ruth Evans, 2007

Nancy Loefﬂer, 2006

Nancy Zachry, 2005

Lila Cockrell, 2004

Rosemary Kowalski, 2003

Vikki Carr, 2002

Jocelyn L. Straus, 2001

Veronica Salazar Escobedo, 2000

Charline McCombs, 1999

Janey Briscoe, 1998

Suzy Finesilver, 1997

Amy Freeman Lee, 1996

Aaronetta H. Pierce, 1995

Sally Cheever, 1994

Josephine Musselman, 1993

Elizabeth H. Maddux, 1992

Mary Nan West, 1991

Edith S. McAllister, 1990

Irene S. Wischer, 1989

Cyndi Taylor Krier, 1988

Group of various girl scout grade levels

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