Alex Cantu Joins Surge Institute as Chief Operating Officer

Cantu brings more than a decade of experience in driving strategic growth in the nonprofit sector

CHICAGO, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Surge Institute, a national nonprofit dedicated to elevating leaders of color in education, proudly announces Alex Cantu as its new Chief Operating Officer. A dynamic leader and advocate for equity and inclusion, Cantu brings more than a decade of expertise in nonprofit operations, governance, strategic growth and organizational development to the Surge community.

Cantu's career has been marked by a deep commitment to strengthening communities and creating empowering spaces for children and families. Most recently, Cantu served as Chief Operating Officer at MAYA Consulting, where his leadership helped double the company's revenue and headcount while fostering a culture of belonging and innovation. Under his guidance, MAYA Consulting was recognized as a "Best Place for Working Parents" and received the Small Business Excellence Award from the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. Prior to his work at MAYA Consulting, Cantu worked with local and statewide nonprofit organizations focused on supporting children and families through direct service, public policy and coalition building.

"I am deeply honored to join Surge Institute, an organization that embodies my values and passion for equity and transformative change," Cantu said. "I look forward to collaborating with our talented team and partners to amplify the organization's impact and continue advancing opportunities for historically marginalized communities."

Cantu's educational background includes graduating magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame'sMendoza College of Business with a Master of Nonprofit Administration, where he was honored with the Dean's Graduate Business Award for leadership and academic excellence. He also earned a bachelor's degree from St. Edward's University'sBill Munday School of Business and is an alumnus of Leadership Austin. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Cantu is an active philanthropist and board member, with over a decade of service to various nonprofit organizations.

"Alex is the ideal leader to help drive our mission forward," said Carmita Semaan, founder and CEO of Surge Institute. "His passion for creating systems, optimizing processes, and driving impact while shepherding a transformative and human-centered culture will catapult our ability to invest in leaders who build transformative systems for our children and communities."

As Chief Operating Officer, Cantu will oversee Surge Institute's operations, ensuring the organization continues to scale its impact while remaining rooted in its mission to uplift and empower leaders of color in education and beyond.

ABOUT SURGE INSTITUTE
Surge Institute is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established with a simple but important mission: to develop and elevate leaders of color who create transformative change for children, families and communities. Founded by Carmita Semaan in 2014, the organization was designed to empower emerging diverse leaders to change the landscape of education by providing them with a unique, authentic leadership development experience. To learn more about Surge Institute, please visit www.surgeinstitute.org.

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SOURCE Surge Institute