MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION

SECRETARIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION


[photo, James D. Fielder, Jr., Secretary of Appointments, Maryland Governor's Office] JAMES D. FIELDER, JR., Ph.D.
Secretary of Higher Education, 2015-23

Secretary of Higher Education, December 17, 2015 to January 2023.

Member, Governor's Executive Council, 2015-23; Governor's Subcabinet for International Affairs, 2015-23; Smart Growth Subcabinet, 2015-23; Governor’s Warrior to Worker Council, 2015-23. Chair, Segmental Advisory Council, 2015-23. Chair, Governing Board, Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center, 2016-23 (member, 2015-23). Co-Chair, Pathways in Technology Early College High (P-TECH) Schools Stakeholder Work Group, 2016-23.


Member, Task Force to Study the Impact of Expanding Credit and Noncredit Courses for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2015-16; College Savings Plans of Maryland Board, 2015-16. Board of Directors, Maryland Workforce Corporation, 2015-16. Member, Maryland Advisory Council on Libraries, 2015-17; Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, 2015-17; Interdepartmental Advisory Committee for Minority Affairs, 2015-17; P-20 Leadership Council on Maryland, 2015-21; Student Transfer Advisory Committee, 2015-22; Coordinating Council for Juvenile Services Educational Programs, 2015-23; Correctional Education Council, 2015-23; Financial Education and Capability Commission, 2015-23; Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, 2015-23; Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs, 2015-23; Governor's Workforce Development Board (formerly Governor's Workforce Investment Board), 2015-23; Task Force to Study a Promise Scholarship Program in Prince George's County, 2016-17; Teacher Induction, Retention and Advancement Act of 2016 Work Group, 2016-17. Member, Maryland 529 Board, 2016-23; Southern Regional Education Board, 2016-23; Project Green Classrooms Initiative, 2017-23; Interdepartmental Advisory Committee on Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, 2017-23; Maryland Opportunity Zone Leadership Task Force, 2019-23; Juvenile Services Education Board, 2021-23; Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland, 2021-23.

Director, Office of Economic Development, Harford County, 1991-94.

Assistant Secretary for Business Development, Department of Economic and Employment Development, 1994. Acting Secretary of Economic and Employment Development, January-April, 1995. Deputy Secretary, Department of Business and Economic Development, 1995-98. Board of Directors, Maryland Small Business Development Center Network, 1992-93 (executive committee). Member, State Information Technology Board, 1995-98; Maryland Economic Development Corporation, 1995-98; Port Land Use Task Force, 1996; Task Force to Study Retail Electric Competition and the Restructuring of the Electric Utility Industry, 1997-98.

Acting Secretary of Business and Economic Development, April 28, 1998 to November 27, 1998. Member, Governor's Executive Council, 1998; Cabinet Council for Career and Technology Education, 1998; Cabinet Council on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, 1998; Smart Growth and Neighborhood Conservation Subcabinet, 1998; Maryland Economic Development Commission, 1998; Maryland Industrial Development Financing Authority, 1998; Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority, 1998; Maryland Aviation Commission, 1998; Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, 1998; Advisory Council for Port Land-Use Development, 1998; State Use Industries Advisory Committee, 1998; Governor's Council on Adolescent Pregnancy, 1998; Maryland Museum of African-American History and Culture Commission, 1998; Maryland Advisory Council for New Americans, 1998.

Vice-President for Administration and Finance, Towson University, 1999-2000.

Secretary of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, March 12, 2003 to January 17, 2007. Acting Secretary of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, January 16 to March 12, 2003. Member, Governor's Executive Council, 2003-07. Member, Unemployment Insurance Funding Task Force, 2003; Asbestos Oversight Committee, 2003-07; Maryland Building Rehabilitation Code Advisory Council, 2003-07; Governor's Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2003-07; Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, 2003-07; Interdepartmental Advisory Committee for Minority Affairs, 2003-07; Maryland Advisory Council for New Americans, 2003-07; Governor's Interagency Council for the Nonprofit Sector, 2003-07; State Board of Pilots, 2003-07; Governor's Workforce Investment Board, 2003-07 (executive committee); Governor's Task Force on Centralized Bidder Registration for Minority Business Procurement, 2004-05; Interagency Disabilities Board, 2004-07; Task Force on Common Ownership Communities, 2005-06.

Town Administrator, Bel Air, 2014-15.

Member, Governor-elect's Transition Team, 2014-15.

Secretary of Appointments, Office of Governor, January 21 to December 16, 2015.

Born in Harford County, Maryland, July 2, 1948. University of Maryland, College Park, B.S., 1970, M.ED., 1972; Michigan State University, Ph.D., 1984. Director, Budget, Human Resources, and Analysis, University of Michigan - Flint, 1981-83. President, On-Campus Management, Capstone Properties, 2000-03. Chief Business Development Officer, SMART Business Advisory and Consulting, 2007-08. Regional Director, Business Development, CliftonLarsonAllen, 2008-12. Vice-President, Business Development, Woofound, Inc., 2012-13. Board of Directors, Liriodendron Foundation, Inc., 1988-91; Al Cesky Scholarship Foundation, Inc., 1989-91; National Association of State Development Agencies, 1997- (member, 1992-97). Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Harford County Farm Fair, 1989-96. Co-Chair, March of Dimes Walkathon, Harford County, 1990-91. Vice-President, Business and Education Advisory Task Force, Harford County Department of Education, 1992-93. President, Maryland Industrial Development Association, 1993-94 (vice-president, 1992-93). Member, Legislative Committee, Harford County Chamber of Commerce, 1990 (chair, strategic planning subcommittee); Southern Industrial Development Council, 1991-97; International Development Research Council, 1991-97; Maryland Distribution Council, 1995-98. Leadership Maryland, Class of 1998. Board of Directors, Leadership Maryland, 2014-. Vice-President, Board of Directors, Community Foundation of Harford County, 2014-. Award, Outstanding Young Men of America, National Jaycees, 1978. Who's Who in United States Business Executives, 1990. Governor's Citation, 1992, 1997. Governor's Salute to Excellence Award, 1993.

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