The seventh president of Texas A&M International University
The seventh president of Texas A&M International University
President
Texas A&M International University
Dr. Christopher Maynard serves as the seventh President of Texas A&M International University (TAMIU). Appointed by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in August 2025, Dr. Maynard began his tenure on October 1, 2025, bringing more than 25 years of experience in higher education leadership, teaching and scholarship.
Prior to joining TAMIU, Dr. Maynard held the position of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL). As the chief academic officer, he led the university’s successful reaffirmation of accreditation, helped more than double sponsored research funding, and launched collaborations with NASA and industry partners through the Houston Spaceport Consortium for Research, Education, and Workforce.
Previously, Dr. Maynard held a series of academic leadership roles at Sam Houston State University (SHSU), including Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice Provost and Associate Vice Provost. At SHSU, he led the COVID-19 pandemic response by the Division of Academic Affairs, provided critical leadership during the inaugural year of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and created the Texas Academic Leadership Academy. A tenured professor of history throughout his administrative career, Dr. Maynard also served as department chair and associate dean at the University of North Alabama. He is a past president of the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers.
As the son and grandson of educators, Dr. Maynard’s commitment to education is deeply rooted in family tradition. Throughout his career, he has championed student success, academic excellence and transformational educational opportunities, believing that universities change lives not only through learning but through the communities they build.
A native of Louisiana, Dr. Maynard earned both the M.A. and Ph.D. in U.S. Political and Diplomatic History from Louisiana State University. An accomplished scholar, he is the author of Out of the Shadow: George H.W. Bush and the End of the Cold War, published by Texas A&M University Press, and has contributed numerous articles and book chapters to the field of history.
Dr. Maynard met his wife, Carole Medlin Maynard, while they were undergraduate students at Lee University in Tennessee. They have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents of two children. Their daughter, Lauren, and her husband, Alex, both Texas A&M graduates, live in College Station. Their son, Henry, is a sophomore at The University of Texas.
As he leads TAMIU into its next chapter, Dr. Maynard remains guided by a lifelong belief in the power of education to transform individuals, strengthen communities and expand opportunities for future generations.