Gustavo Flores-Macías

Gustavo Flores-Macías serves as the dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Prior to joining the University of Maryland, Flores-Macías served 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 at Cornell University. In his role of associate dean for strategic initiatives, Flores-Macías 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 BA in public policy jointly with the College of Arts and Sciences.

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. 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, 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.

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. 

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.

Executive Assistant - Kati Zang