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Christian (Alex) Cruz is an innovative Advancement and Higher Education professional serving as the Assistant Director and Editor of Advancement Services at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ. A proud HCU alumnus, he specializes in Advancement Operations, strategic planning, data-driven fundraising, donor engagement, CRM management, financial reconciliation, and advancement communications.

In his role, Alex oversees gift processing, donor acknowledgements, financial reconciliation, constituent and portfolio management, reporting, and donor stewardship initiatives. He also leads Advancement communications and serves as Editor for the University’s Giving website, general newsletters, Advancing the Vision e-newsletter, and other donor and alumni engagement communications. In addition, he manages office operations, vendor coordination, documentation systems, and other initiatives that support the effectiveness of Advancement Services.

Alex also serves as the System Administrator for Ellucian CRM Advance and played a key leadership role in the University’s successful migration from Banner 9 to CRM Advance. Serving as Advancement Lead, Advancement Operations Lead, Functional Advancement Lead, and Project Manager, he coordinated cross-functional implementation activities, testing, training, and operational readiness. He helped oversee the migration of many constituent records, ensuring data accuracy, integrity, and continuity of Advancement operations, and trained Advancement staff members on the new system, workflows, and best practices. As System Administrator, he manages user access and security roles, system configuration, ongoing staff support, training, and CRM-related process improvement.

Prior to joining HCU, Alex spent eight years in healthcare operations, serving in emergency centers, primary care, and specialty care clinics. This experience provided him with a strong foundation in organizational leadership, customer service, process improvement, cross-functional collaboration, and operational excellence. His professional experience spans Healthcare, Higher Education, Payroll, Finance, Student Financial Services, and Advancement.

During his time as a student, Alex served in several campus organizations, including Student Foundation, the only student organization affiliated with the Office of the President.

Outside of the University, he serves as the Director of Operations and Event Logistics at his local church.

With a career centered on service, systems, and relationships, Alex brings analytical insight, mission-centered leadership, and a commitment to using data, technology, and strategic operations to strengthen institutional advancement and foster meaningful relationships that advance the University’s vision.

Alex holds a B.A. in Medical Humanities with a minor in Spanish Linguistics and an M.A. in Psychology, both from ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ.