Executive Director to Lead Washington's Community and Technical College System
Reynaldo (Rey) R. García, Jr., PhD
Dr. Rey García serves as Professor and Portfolio Director for Community College Policy
and Administration at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Dr. García led the
transformation of the doctoral program at UMGC with the support of an investment from
Ascendium Education Philanthropy.
Dr. García served as President and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) from 1995 through 2015 and is now President Emeritus of TACC. Dr. García led the advocacy work for TACC with the Texas Legislature and state agencies. Through Dr. García’s leadership, TACC has become a leader in advocating for community colleges with a focus of student success. Dr. García spearheaded the establishment of the Texas Success Center at TACC to support diffusion of the student success agenda across TACC member colleges. Dr. García is a recognized leader having served on key national and state boards and committees.
Dr. García served as Professor of the Practice and Co-Director of the Adult and Community College Education program in the College of Education at North Carolina State University from 2017 through 2019. At NC State, Dr. García served as Co- Principal Investigator on over $12 million in grants that led to the creation of the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research.
Dr. García served as Special Assistant for Education to the Lieutenant Governor of Texas and served as Education Policy Specialist for the Texas Senate Research Center.
Dr. García has consulted with visiting foreign delegations, the US State Department, and has traveled to several foreign countries to consult on policy issues.
Rey García holds a PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in Communication Studies from Baylor University, and a B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin.
