Jacob Fraire

With over 35 years of experience in higher education, philanthropy and public policy advocacy, Jacob Fraire became president of ECMC Foundation in February 2023. He leads the Foundation’s strategic grantmaking and investing to transform the postsecondary ecosystem and improve higher education and career outcomes for students from underserved backgrounds. Before joining the Foundation, Fraire served as director of policy and strategy for the Diana Natalicio Institute at the University of Texas at El Paso. Previously, Fraire was president and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) where he represented the presidents and chancellors of the state’s 50 public community college districts Prior to TACC, Fraire served as vice president of philanthropy at Trellis Company. For a decade, Fraire served in policy advocacy roles in Washington, D.C. He has also served on national and state boards, including Grantmakers for Education, Institute for Higher Education Policy (board chair), Advisory Board for the Community College Research Center, federal Committee on Measures of Student Success, Corporate Advisory Committee of the Council for Opportunity in Education, TACC Business Advisory Council, Texas Transfer Working Group and Texas Dual Credit Task Force. The son of migrant farmworkers, Fraire grew up in El Paso, Texas. He holds a bachelor of science from St. Edward’s University and a master of public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin.