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Dr. Ana Margarita “Cha” Guzman has been a  national leader in education for the past thirty years. She served as president of Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) from September 2012 to 2014. During her Presidency at SFCC retention rates increased by 12%, graduation rates by 47%, and enrollment rates by 12%. Under Dr. Guzman’s leadership, the Legislature approved a Higher Education Center that allowed Santa Fe students to have access to bachelor’s and graduate programs from public universities throughout New Mexico.

At Palo Alto College (PAC) where she served as President for 12 years she increased enrollment by 61%, retention rates increased from 62% to 84%, and continuing education revenues increased by 400%. During her tenure, PAC garnered millions of dollars in State and Federal grants and was chosen to establish the first recovery high school in the State of Texas by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. During her tenure, fourteen new  programs were established and 28 additional certificate programs were submitted to the US Department of Education for approval for Pell eligibility.

Dr. Guzman led PAC through two successful reaccreditations with the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities in 2002 and 2011. AT SFCC she led them through a successful reaccreditation with the Central Association of Colleges and Universities in 2012.

Dr. Guzman was confirmed by the US Senate in 2012 to serve a four-year term on the National Security Education Board(NSEB) . A 13-member panel that develops criteria for scholarships and grants for students who express an interest in National security issues. She also serves on the Board of Directors of a national early childhood and family support organization AVANCE.

Dr. Guzman was appointed by President Clinton as the Chair of the White House Commission on Educational Excellence from 1993-to 2000. She was honored with the Ford Salute to Education in 2005 and was named to the San Antonio Hall of Fame in 2006. She served on the Board of Trustees for the College Board. Dr. Guzman began her career as a public school teacher, she taught at the University of Texas at Brownsville as well as Corpus Chisty University. She served as Vice Chancellor for the Texas A&M University System, and as Executive Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Administration, and Community Relations at Austin Community College.

Dr. Guzman has attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University as well as Harvard’s training for Corporate Boards. She holds an Ed.D. in Education from the University of Houston, an M.A. in Sociology from  Texas Southern University, and a B.S. in Education from Stout State University in Wisconsin.

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