Anthony Maciel Turned His Back on Private Industry to Make Education Possible for More People Like HimCIO Anthony Maciel is a technologist, lifelong learner, and developer of talent wherever he goes
Anthony Maciel, CIO, MiraCosta College BY BILLY YOST, HISPANIC EXECUTIVE At just twenty-two, Anthony Maciel was riding in limos, greeted at airports by drivers holding signs with his name, and cashing checks that proved he had “made it.” But the young engineer from Compton, California, who once celebrated with his family the milestone of moving into a modest two-bedroom apartment, quickly realized something was missing. “I got to where I thought I should be, and I just didn’t find it fulfilling,” Maciel says. “Education had gotten me where I wanted to be, and I wanted to continue that journey. The world of private industry just didn’t fit me very well.” That choice to leave a lucrative private-sector career behind shaped the rest of his professional life. Today, Maciel is Associate Vice President and Chief Information Systems Officer at MiraCosta College, a nationally respected institution that serves 30,000 students and nearly 1,400 employees.
Anthony Maciel, MiraCosta College (Photo courtesy of MiraCosta College) Maciel’s passion for education stems from his own journey. After emigrating from Jalisco to Compton at the age of ten, he excelled academically, maintaining perfect attendance for three years in a challenging environment. A high school presentation by DeVry University changed his life: he enrolled, worked while studying, secured financial aid, and finished his engineering degree in just three years. He later earned an MBA at California State University, Long Beach, where he and his team managed a $100,000 portfolio that outperformed the S&P and studied European finance abroad in France. He eventually completed a doctorate in higher educational leadership at the University of Southern California (USC). Throughout his career, Maciel has worked to expand access, particularly for women in STEM. His dissertation research took him to Costa Rica, where half of STEM graduates are women, a stark contrast to the U.S. “I was astounded,” he says. “I wanted to see if there was something we could replicate here.” Maciel joined MiraCosta in 2022 after two decades in higher education leadership. What brought him here? Its reputation.
Anthony Maciel, MiraCosta College (Photo courtesy of MiraCosta College) “I remember hearing a colleague say, ‘MiraCosta always does it right,’ and that piqued my interest,” Maciel recalls. “When a national recruiter called me about the AVProle and shared more about the college and about Dr. Sunny Cooke as a nationally recognized leader, I was in. I wanted to be part of this great organization.” At MiraCosta, Maciel oversees a team of about 45 IT professionals supporting an expansive IT portfolio: cloud computing, infrastructure, IT security, media services, enterprise application services, web services, academic computing, computer support, and a help desk that keeps the campus community connected. Since arriving, Maciel has advanced an ambitious five-year technology plan centered on cybersecurity, cloud migration, modernized enterprise systems, and student-centered online resources. His work has included:
But challenges remain. “Just to list a few,” Maciel says with a smile. “Balancing cybersecurity and compliance with the open access education requirements. Meeting growing and diverse demands with limited staffing. Attracting top IT talent. Migrating critical systems to the cloud without disrupting operations or blowing up budgets. And, of course, managing change.” By leveraging vendor relationships, such as Experis, and procurement tools like CMAS, Maciel has been able to mitigate staffing shortages while maximizing value, meeting project deadlines and compliance, an approach that reflects his pragmatic yet student-centered leadership style. For Maciel, leadership is about more than systems; it’s about people. He mentors women leaders, continuing a personal mission shaped by his mother, sisters, and now his daughter. “I saw the struggles the women in my life faced,” Maciel reflects. “I know what it can mean to have someone help reach out and give you a hand.” He considers himself a developer of talent, someone who takes genuine pleasure in helping others reach their potential. “I always see the potential,” he says. “I really dive into that potential and get so much satisfaction from seeing people become the best version of themselves.” When the day comes to step away from IT leadership, Maciel envisions himself in the classroom. “Education gave me everything,” he says. “I’ll always find a way to give back. Read other hispanic articles |
