Cornell Professor, Administrator Named Dean of School of Public Policy

The University of Maryland on Thursday named Gustavo A. Flores-Macías dean of the School of Public Policy, effective Sept. 1. As dean, Flores-Macías will provide strategic vision to advance the school’s mission to develop innovative leaders, advance the frontiers of applied interdisciplinary knowledge, and promote local, national and global public good. 

Flores-Macías will lead a talented and committed team of faculty and staff 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 the campus.  

“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,” said UMD Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice. “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.”  

Flores-Macías joins UMD from Cornell University, where he 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. He recently oversaw 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.

Flores-Macías, who joined Cornell in 2010 as an assistant professor, has held a variety of other leadership roles, including interim senior associate dean for academic affairs for the Brooks School, where he oversaw admissions, student services, and career management. He also 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. 

Before that, 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.

“I am delighted to join the University of Maryland and collaborate with the exceptional faculty, staff and students at the School of Public Policy to further grow its quality and prestige,” said Flores-Macías. “The school's proximity to the nation's capital, combined with its emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, renowned research capabilities and excellent student support initiatives, positions it as the perfect place to cultivate the public policy leaders of tomorrow.”  

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, while “After Neoliberalism? The Left and Economic Reforms in Latin America” won the Latin American Studies Association Tomassini Award in 2014. He is also 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, 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. 

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.