After a nationwide search, Misael was selected to serve as the inaugural Director of the new School of Mining & Mineral Resources (SMMR) at the University of Arizona. Jointly administered by the Colleges of Science and Engineering, the School is bringing together students, professionals, industry, and communities across disciplines and boundaries to meet the complex challenges of mineral supply and sustainability.

In his prior role as the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Misael stood out as the longest-serving and first Latino Director in the Department’s 36-year history. Under Misael’s leadership, ADEQ spear-headed what is known today as the Arizona Management System (AMS) – used across state government. ADEQ dramatically increased environmental outcomes during his tenure delivered award-winning online services and was recognized by local and national organizations 28 times.

Before joining ADEQ, he held a variety of technical and leadership roles at several international engineering firms.