Sabrina Tolentino was born on January 28, 1982 in Harlingen, Texas.  Her mother was Mary Helen Rodriguez Tolentino and her father was Rolando Tolentino.  Her parents were married for slightly over one year when they had Sabrina, their first born child.  Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, Sabrina enjoyed the luxury of being the first grandchild on her mothers side. Having a large extended family had its benefits, especially during Christmas time.  As a little girl, Sabrina loved music and dance.  She received private ballet lessons and played the clarinet in elementary and middle school.  She was a member of the Girl Scouts of America through Jr. High.  She loved the beach and fishing.  Her sister, Vanessa Tolentino, also a UT Austin graduate and Xi chapter sister, received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in May 2009. Her brother Benjamin Tolentino graduated from Klein Collins High School in 2008 and received a technical certificate from Universal Technical Institute of Houston in Diesel Automotive Technologies in 2009.   Sabrina's parents move to Spring, TX in the Houston area when Sabrina was eleven years old.  They currently reside in the same area.  

 

Klein High School

While attending high school, Sabrina was heavily involved in church youth group activities at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Community.  She participated in numerous mission trips to Colorado, South Carolina, and Mexico.  Academically, she was a member of the National Honor Society, National Hispanic Honor Society, and the Golden Key Society.  As extra-curricular activities, she participated in co-ed soccer league.  Sabrina graduated in the top ten percent of her class and received an SAT score that assured her admission to UT Austin.

 

UT Austin

While Sabrina was attending the University of Texas- Austin she worked at Ellis Pediatrics for three years and at one point, aspired to be a pediatrician.  She became a chapter sister of Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority  Xi Chapter on December 5, 2002.  Her line name was Atrevida because she had a strong daring attitude and was assertive towards new challenges and thought outside the box.  During her tenure at UT  Austin she became very involved with the sorority.  Sabrina received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology on August 16, 2004. 

 

Professional Career

After graduating from UT-Austin, Sabrina joined the Sigma Lambda Gamma Houston Alumni Association and served as Vice President, Secretary and Social Event Coordinator.  In the fall of 2006, Sabrina married Edward Piña, a founding brother of Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity - Lambda Beta Chapter of Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas.  Edward is a Texas CPA working as an assurance manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Houston, TX.  In 2007 Sabrina educated the Texas Southern University colony and the colony became a chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority (SLG) in 2008.  She also volunteered at Saint Michaels Catholic Church specifically in youth ministry for three years.   Her involvement in the sorority did not stop there she also assisted UT-Austin SLG founder Ruby Rivera in helping market events for the Texas Salsa congress and other salsa workshops held in Houston, Texas.  Sabrina worked at Parkstone Estate Homes as the Market Coordinator for three years overseeing numerous marketing events held by the builder. In 2008 she accepted a sales marketing position with TXU Energy.   She quickly adapted to her new role and less than a year later became responsible for educating and training new sales representatives within the utilities sector, specifically electricity.  

 

In February 21, 2009, Sabrina T. Piña was abducted from Kohls parking lot and subsequently found on February 22, 2009.  Though she is not here today, her memories will be with those who loved her forever.