About dr maldonado
Background and Experience
Dr. Cesar Maldonado is a visionary leader whose extensive career spans across industry, public service, and higher education, marked by transformative contributions to each. Most recently he served as the longest-tenured Chancellor of the Houston Community College System (HCCS), holding the position for over nine years. Under his leadership, HCCS served the fourth largest city in the country, with a metro-area population of over 5 million, and 85,000 students across 7 colleges with 20 locations. He led the transformation to a unified shared services structure achieving institutional goals, increasing student completions while upholding high academic standards, and increasing financial strength. His strategic risk mitigation proved crucial during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Harvey, enabling a swift shift to multi-modal instruction and highlighting HCCS's organizational resilience.
While at HCCS Dr. Maldonado led the development of AI-based student academic planning and holistic support services to better guide students in achieving their goals. Currently, his work focuses on the use of AI in improving operational dynamics across organizations in industry and higher education, leveraging technology to enhance risk mitigation, efficiency, and innovation.
His industrial career began as a process engineer in the petrochemical sector. He then moved to systems engineering, specializing in mathematical modeling and digital control design across petrochemical applications. His insights into digital methods and systems design allowed him to lead multiple companies through technological upgrades in various sectors, including oil & gas, energy, manufacturing, transportation, and water management.
Maldonado's executive roles include CEO of Tex-Steel Corporation, CTO of United Dominion Industries, and VP of Systems Engineering and COO Infrastructure Division at Maverick Engineering. During his time in leadership positions, he led numerous mergers and startups. His leadership extended to roles on public boards, including the Texas Emerging Technology Fund and as Chairman of the Border Governors Conference on Science and Technology.
Prior to HCCS, Dr. Maldonado served as Vice Chancellor for Institutional Effectiveness for the Texas State Technical College (TSTC) System where he led its state-wide implementation of a shared services organizational structure. He has also served as an elected public school trustee for a decade and was the founding director of a non-profit focused on college-going student support.
Recognized widely for his contributions to industry and education, Dr. Maldonado was inducted into the Texas Tech University Industrial Engineering Academy and elected to Pi Theta Kappa’s Texas Hall of Honor for his impact on student engagement. He has also been honored by resolutions from the Texas House and Senate for his contributions to higher education.
Dr. Maldonado holds a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, a Ph.D. in Systems and Engineering Management from Texas Tech University, is a graduate of the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business Executive Program, is a licensed professional engineer and a certified project management professional. He lives in Houston with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Maldonado. Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys photography, capturing moments that celebrate life with family.