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Announcements

Announcing our New School of Public Policy Dean

June 13, 2025

Silhouette of the Maryland M cut into a heavy dark coated metal plate set into an ornate fence

Dear colleagues and School of Public Policy community,

I am delighted to share the news that Gustavo A. Flores-Macías has been named the new Dean of the School of Public Policy. His appointment will begin on September 1, 2025.

Dr. Flores-Macías will have the pleasure of working alongside the incredibly talented faculty and staff of the School of Public Policy to expand its educational mission and offerings, grow its robust portfolio of research, and continue to develop mutually-beneficial partnerships with government, nonprofit and private organizations, and across our campus. As Dean, he will build upon the school’s rich history, take advantage of our strategic location just outside of our nation's capital, and deepen our commitment to Do Good.

Dr. Flores-Macías joins us from Cornell University, where he currently serves as Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives for the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, and Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. Since taking on the role of Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Flores-Macías has overseen the development of the school’s new D.C. Start semester for first-year students in Washington, D.C., and the launch of a new B.A. in public policy jointly with the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Flores-Macías joined Cornell in 2010 as an Assistant Professor, and has held a variety of leadership roles, including serving as Interim Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the Brooks School, where he oversaw key areas of the unit’s growth, including admissions, student services, and career management. Dr. Flores-Macías provided integral leadership during the Brooks School's early development, shaping its design, shepherding new degree programs, developing online certificates and establishing standards for students' academic standing.

Prior to his leadership roles in the Brooks School, Dr. Flores-Macías served as Associate Vice Provost for International Affairs for the university, equipping international students for success through strategic partnerships with universities abroad and fundraising. In addition, he was previously Director of Cornell's Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program.

Dr. Flores-Macías’ scholarship focuses on political and economic development in Latin America. He is the author of three books. The most recent, Contemporary State Building: Elite Taxation and Public Safety in Latin America, discusses strategies for successful contemporary state-building efforts. His book After Neoliberalism? The Left and Economic Reforms in Latin America won the Latin American Studies Association Tomassini Award in 2014. He is the author of academic articles, policy briefs, and book chapters, and has delivered numerous lectures and conference presentations.

He is frequently featured as an expert in national and international news media, and has consulted for local and national organizations, including the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security, and has served as Director of Public Affairs in Mexico's Federal Consumer Protection Agency.

Dr. Flores-Macías received the "One Cornell" presidential award for employee excellence and has been recognized for excellence in teaching with awards from Cornell and Harvard University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico City, a master’s degree in public policy from Duke University and a doctorate in comparative government from Georgetown University.

Dr. Flores-Macías is an accomplished scholar with a profound passion for understanding the influence of public policy on people and societies in the past, present and future. I am confident that he will excel as a leader for the School of Public Policy, serving as an innovative partner to our exceptional faculty and staff, and fostering new collaborations with partners across campus and beyond to expand and enhance transformative educational opportunities for our outstanding students.

I’m grateful for the work of the search committee, led by Dean Susan Rivera, for their thoughtful work in identifying exceptional candidates for the school’s next leader. I also offer my deep appreciation to Dean Bob Orr for his leadership of the School of Public Policy over the past decade, and for extending his role as Dean through August 31 to ensure a seamless transition.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Flores-Macías to the Maryland community!

Sincerely,

Jennifer King Rice
Senior Vice President and Provost
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