A nationally recognized leader in the engineering and manufacturing industry, Dr. Cesar Maldonado joined Houston Community College in May of 2014 as the 8th Chancellor in the nation’s fourth largest city. Under Dr. Maldonado’s leadership, HCC has expanded to 19 locations, and created 14 new Centers of Excellence.
Board of Trustees’ Chair Robert Glaser is founder of a Houston-based energy services and manufacturing company operating for over 25 years serving a global clientele. His vision is to help HCC meet the needs of Houston’s diverse community with traditional college education and a range workforce programs. He earned two undergraduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
Vice Chancellor of Strategy Planning & Institutional Effectiveness/Chief of Staff
Houston Community College
Dr. Kurt Ewen
Dr. Kurt Ewen is vice chancellor of strategy, planning, and institutional effectiveness and chief of staff at Houston Community College. He leads the development of strategy and planning to promote innovation and enhance student success. He completed graduate and post-graduate studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium and earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida and served as a professor, director of institutional assessment, associate vice president and presidential fellow at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida.
After being elected in 2019, Mr. Daniel Dylla serves as the President of the Houston Community College Faculty Senate for 2021 academic year. His decade of experience in librarianship helped him serve as a critical component of the shared governance of the institution, including organizing and facilitating access to information relevant to faculty and students. The Faculty Senate represents and advocates for the almost 900 full-time and over 1500 part-time members of the HCC Faculty Association.
Hugo Ortega is executive chef/co-owner of four of Houston’s top restaurants – Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s Caracol and Xochi, and winner of Best Chef: Southwest at the prestigious 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. Ortega has been recognized locally, nationally and globally for his inspirational story and his passion for sharing traditional Mexican cooking and culture. Ortega’s American Dream story started at Backstreet Cafe, a neighborhood bistro started by Tracy Vaught in 1983. Ortega graduated from HCC’s Culinary Arts program in November 1992.
Pamela Velazquez is a recent HCC graduate and recipient of the David & Jean Wiley Foundation Scholarship while a student at HCC. She is continuing her studies at the University of Houston Downtown in the Social Work program.
Bob Harvey is president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership. He earlier served as a McKinsey & Company consultant and was vice chair of Reliant Energy. A trustee emeritus of the United Way of Greater Houston, he holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M and earned a Harvard MBA.
Carol Y. Guess is a seasoned lawyer who has represented individuals and businesses with passion and professionalism through her private law practice and family business, The Guess Group, Inc., a commercial real estate firm. She currently serves as Interim President of the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, and also serves her community in Position 3 of Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #9 (South Post Oak) and the South Post Oak Redevelopment Authority, and as an associate minister at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. A native Houstonian, she attended Houston area magnet schools and matriculated at Vanderbilt University, obtaining a B.S. degree, and a law degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.
Frances Castañeda Dyess, a native Houstonian, is President of the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, and is driven by passion for her community and championing the advancement of businesses as the engines of economic progress. Prior to joining the East End Chamber, Ms. Castañeda Dyess was Director of Corporate Services for the Houston Rockets. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and believes deeply in the power of community. She supports numerous communities causes and sits on several board throughout Houston. She has received many honors and has completed ten full marathons.
Dr. Laura G. Murillo is founding president & CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Sher formerly served as an executive at the University of Houston and at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate from the University of Houston. She serves on numerous boards locally and regionally. The youngest of nine children, she was born to Mexican immigrant parents and was raised in Houston.
Bin Yu serves as board director on the board of the Asian Chamber of Commerce in the last 6 years, and has been Chair of the chamber since 2019. Mr. Yu was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Asian Chamber of Commerce in 2013. His company Utegration was recognized as one of the top 25 minority firms in Houston, received the Aggie 100 award 2014 and 2015, and awarded The Best Place to Work in 2016 and 2019. Mr. Yu was also chosen as a winner of Immigrant Business Magazine’s Immigrant Entrepreneur. As a first generation immigrant, Mr. Yu strives to provide entrepreneurial opportunities to young professionals who are just beginning their careers.
