Madeline Pumariega

Madeline Pumariega was appointed the seventh Florida College System (FCS) Chancellor in August 2015. She is both the first woman and first Hispanic FCS Chancellor. As Chancellor, Pumariega oversees the administration of the Florida Department of Education's Division of Florida Colleges, which superintends more than 800,000 students from 28 public state and community colleges throughout the U.S. state of Florida.

Pumariega was born and raised in Hialeah, Florida and attended Hialeah High. Pumariega enrolled as an undergraduate at Miami Dade College (MDC), the country's largest higher education institution, and later attended University of Central Florida. She received a bachelor's degree from St. Thomas University. She later went on to receive her Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Administration at the Florida Atlantic University College of Education. Pumariega is currently a doctoral candidate at Barry University for Community College Leadership.

Pumariega began her career at her alma mater, MDC, in 1992. She was hired as the Dean of Students Services and later, Dean of Student and Administration Services and served in the latter position for over seven years. Pumariega was promoted to President of MDC's Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami in 2011 and held the position for nearly two years. During her time there she played key roles in growing MDC's Culinary Institute and launching their Idea Center - "Miami's hub for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship." In 2013, Pumariega became the President and Chief Executive Officer of the statewide non-profit Take Stock in Children, "an organization that helps break the cycle of poverty through education." During her two years as President and CEO, she was responsible for connecting Take Stock in Children with their biggest affiliate to date: Miami Dade College. In 2015, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart announced the appointment of Madeline Pumariega as Chancellor of the Florida College System.

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