Mary Ann Perez has made an undeniable impact as a member of Houston Community College’s Board of Trustees.
In the less than two years since she was first elected, Perez helped institute a set amount on how much board members can spend on meals. She pushed for vendors to not speak with trustees while bids were under review by the administration and a recommendation was given to the board. The board implemented a formal policy last year.
She also was appointed to a subcommittee in charge of addressing some of the financial challenges at the school.
Perez was unanimously chosen by her colleagues as vice chairwoman in just her second year on the all-volunteer board, which is a rare occurrence for a new trustee.
“She was able to do a lot of work in just one year. Not many people can do that, but she sure did,” says Dr. Renaldo Garay, director of student services at HCC, who served as a guidance counselor while Perez was enrolled at the college before she graduated nearly 13 years ago. “That just shows the dedication and work she puts into the position.”
One of the biggest praises Perez receives is for her work on board policy.
Prior to Perez joining the board, it went through some turmoil when four current and former board members were accused of using their influence to help family and friends obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in contract work at HCC.
