Cynthia Teniente-Matson

President, San Jose State University

Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson serves as the 31st president of San José State University. An internationally-recognized Latina leader, President Teniente-Matson is a champion of student success initiatives; diversity, equity and inclusion; civic engagement; and experiential learning.

Her career that spans more than 30 years in higher education, including serving as Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer at California State University, Fresno from 2004 to 2015. From there, President Teniente-Matson led Texas A&M University-San Antonio from 2015 to 2023 as the second president in the university’s history.

She also serves as past chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), a university presidents and chancellors membership association; is a board member of the American Council on Education and the Girl Scouts USA National Board; and is a member of the HSI-Educational Testing Service (ETS) Steering Committee and LiftFund.

President Teniente-Matson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, her Master of Business Administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University, Fresno.