Leadership

Technology that serves people.

More than 25 years leading technology, security and digital transformation across the California Community Colleges and the CSU, and now as CTO of Momentum Coaching · VeloIQ, Inc.

Dr. Peter Maharaj smiling, seated in a dark suit
Why this work

Dependable, secure and human.

I am a product of the California Community College system and the CSU, so this work is personal. Technology in education decides whether a student can register, learn, get paid on time and trust that their data is safe.

Across my career I have led cloud migrations to Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud with full security due diligence, introduced HECVAT as a formal vendor-assessment standard, and supported service members from every branch of the military through military education programs.

How I lead

Anticipate. Illuminate. Elevate.

AnticipateSee what is coming, from a cyber threat to a race strategy, and prepare people before the moment arrives.
IlluminateMake the complex clear. Share what we know early and honestly, so everyone can act with confidence.
ElevateRaise the people and systems around you, and leave both stronger than you found them.
AI informs, the human decides.Governance principle · grounded in the NIST AI Risk Management Framework
Selected roles

Twenty-five years of keeping promises to students.

Now

CTO, Momentum Coaching · VeloIQ, Inc.

Co-founder of a performance intelligence platform serving athletes, venues and national federations, from velodrome timing to multi-sport insight.

Until 2026

Associate Vice Chancellor, Information Technology Services

San Diego Community College District. District-wide technology, security and digital services for students, faculty and staff.

Research

National Research Platform · NSF principal investigator

Co-architected the partnership with UC San Diego, CENIC and others that made a California community college the first to join the National Research Platform, opening AI tools to faculty and students. Brought UC and CSU experts together with the Chancellor’s Office to expand services.

Security

Information Security Manager

California State University, Los Angeles.

Forensics

Network forensics

Coastline Community College.

Compliance

HIPAA and PCI DSS compliance

Cypress College and the North Orange County Community College District.

Education & credentials

Lifelong student.

Ed.D.

Organizational Change, Leadership and Innovation

University of Southern California

MBA

Master of Business Administration

University of California, Irvine

Graduate

Education Technology and Information Systems

National University

Bachelor's

Business Administration and Information Systems

California State University, Long Beach

Certified

Chief Information Security Officer

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Cybersecurity & riskCloud migrationVendor risk · HECVATAI governanceResearch computingSports technologyDigital transformation