President's Biography

Dr. Manuel Alejandro Pérez is a first-generation scholar practitioner with nearly 20 years of professional experience in higher education across the California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), California Community College, and private university systems. His early beginnings in school as a community college student in Sacramento have greatly shaped his leadership and passion for strategic planning and action that is equity-informed and rooted in liberation for our communities. From 2019-2024, Dr. Pérez has served as the Vice President of Student Services at Cañada College, where he was proud to lead the College in building new and strengthening existing support for students.

Dr. Pérez received his Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Ethnic Studies from Santa Clara University, and his Master’s degree in Communication Studies from San Diego State University. He completed his doctorate in education from the University of San Francisco where he also teaches courses as part-time faculty.

Before arriving to SMCCCD, Dr. Pérez served as the Interim Assistant Vice President for Equity & Community Inclusion for San Francisco State University. In this role, he led and supported campus climate and diversity initiatives to inform equity interventions and programming at the University. Prior to SF State, Dr. Pérez served as the Dean of Student Development and Dean of Equity Programs & Pathways for American River College (ARC). Over the course of his eight years at ARC, he was responsible for equity and student success initiatives for underserved communities, student leadership and engagement programs, six Federal TRIO grants with comprehensive counseling and embedded learning communities, and the development of guided pathways for feeder middle and high schools to the college.

In his previous role as Vice President of Student Services at Cañada College, Dr. Pérez actively led and participated in justice-centered projects and initiatives that remove barriers for students. He served as the lead administrator in building and launching the College’s Equity & Antiracism Planning Council and is proud to have been part of the leadership team responsible for the College’s first mural, first Cultural Center, and inaugural Director of Equity position. He has actively contributed to building new and stronger structures for student success such as professional development in antiracist pedagogical practice for faculty, support for new and continuing Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institute (AANAPISI) grant initiatives, and the adoption of a Transformational Antiracism Leadership Framework for service area outcomes in Student Services.

Dr. Pérez has led and supported critical College-wide initiatives such as the Guided Pathways college redesign, enhanced support for Dual Enrollment and the Promise Scholars Program, and an increase in partnerships with critical community partners. Beyond the College, he is also a co-chair for the District’s Undocumented Student Coalition which leverages resources and advocacy for our undocumented community. Dr. Pérez currently serves as the President for the Chief Student Services Officer Association, as a Board member for San Francisco Pride, and as a member of the Upward Scholars Advisory Committee. He is also a proud graduate of the 2021-2022 Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities (HACU) La Academia de Liderazgo and the 2023 first cohort of the Wheelhouse Advancing Leaders Institute. Both associations provide learning and development for the next generation of college and university presidents. Dr. Pérez is enthusiastic about making change that is informed by community. This is his passion. He credits this dynamic on his upbringing as a first-generation son from a migrant, immigrant, and Spanish-speaking household. These experiences inform his commitment to always lead with corazón and conviction in pursuit of justice and liberated communities.