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Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal

Mary Ann Villarreal has built her academic and professional life around expanding opportunity and fostering environments where faculty, staff, and students thrive, and communities engage. Her appointment as Interim President of ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉú, Dominguez Hills reflects both the trajectory of her career and the values that shape her leadership.

"I am excited to join CSUDH in advancing its vital mission of serving California students in all their diversity and promise," Villarreal said upon her appointment. "Dominguez Hills is a beacon of inclusivity and a vital anchor for its community."

Raised in a small South Texas town, Villarreal witnessed firsthand the sacrifices her family made to support her education. These early experiences shaped her belief that higher education should be a place where curiosity, growth, and aspiration can lead to purpose and success.

During her senior year of high school, she joined the Air Force Reserves, a decision shaped by family expectations and a desire to ensure access to higher education. She attended Mount Holyoke College while serving in the Reserves. While an undergraduate, she served a brief tour during Operation Desert Storm, balancing overnight shifts on base with her daytime studies.

Mentorship has been a defining force throughout Villarreal’s life. In the Air Force, commanding officers modeled leadership grounded in care, accountability, and service. At Mount Holyoke and Arizona State University, faculty mentors deepened her love of learning, challenged her intellectually, and encouraged her to pursue doctoral study—affirming her path as a scholar.

Villarreal earned her bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from Mount Holyoke College and a doctorate in U.S. history from Arizona State University. She served as an assistant professor at the University of Utah and the University of Colorado, Boulder before moving into senior leadership roles.

Prior to her appointment as interim president, Villarreal served as vice president for institutional excellence at the American Association of Colleges and Universities, a global membership organization dedicated to advancing equity, innovation, and educational excellence. Her leadership experience also includes roles at the University of Utah, CSU Fullerton, and Colorado Women’s College at the University of Denver.

A historian by training, Villarreal’s scholarship examines race, gender, class, and cultural narratives in U.S. history. Her 2017 book, Listening to Rosita: The Business of Tejana Music and Culture, 1930–1955, received the South Texas College Américo Paredes Book Award.

Outside of work, Villarreal enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling with her partner, Lisa, and their two children.