The Data Science Playbook

Michael F. Chavez, Ed.D., is the Vice President of Student Success at Lone Star College—Montgomery. He has more than 20 years of experience in community college higher education. His leadership is driven by compassion, collaboration, honesty, and the use of data science to guide decisions. His innovation and creativity strategies using data science has increased enrollment, retention, transfer, and graduation rates. As a first-generation student and a community college alumnus, he has dedicated his entire career to closing the access and achievement gaps in higher education. He received his doctorate in higher education administration from New Mexico State University. Recently (2018), he completed a second master’s degree in business analytics from Syracuse University. Dr. Chavez has held various leadership positions in student services and instructional services at colleges such as Arizona Western College, Alamo College, Midland College, and Lone Star College.

Brian Mullen is Executive Director of Marketing at Lone Star College. He has more than ten years of experience in public relations and marketing communications, and a passion for maximizing an organization’s image and reputation. He has already done so for such prestigious organizations as the Smithsonian Institution, Clemson University, Georgia State University, and now Lone Star College. He was awarded the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil Award for Excellence and seven additional awards from PRSA and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education for outstanding strategic marketing communication programs and projects, excellent and innovative use of social media with a high impact, online innovation and experimentation, and outstanding media relations programs. He earned his bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Barry University in Miami, Florida, and his M.B.A. from Clemson University in South Carolina.