Lochlin Partners Helps Recruit Executive Director for Educate Texas
January 13, 2025 – After an extensive five-month search, Lochlin Partners has recruited Kerri Briggs as the new executive director of Communities Foundation of Texas’ (CFT) Educate Texas. This follows the departure of longtime Educate Texas executive John Fitzpatrick. “Building partnerships as a means of success has been a focus of Kerri’s career and this role will benefit from her strength in strategic organizational and financial leadership, external relationships, and deep understanding of Texas systems,” said Wayne White, president and CEO, Communities Foundation of Texas. “Her experience in collaborating with educators, stakeholders, donors, policymakers, and elected leaders makes her an exceptional candidate for this role. Kerri has the right experience to lead Educate Texas now and into the future in support of students and educators throughout the state.”
“Not only does Kerri have an impressive career, she has been actively involved in education policy as well as local and national boards dedicated to communities and improved social outcomes,” said Matrice Ellis-Kirk, chair, Educate Texas committee. “We believe CFT’s Educate Texas will see significant benefit and growth from Kerri’s expertise. What she’s accomplished thus far in her career is truly inspiring. We are eager for what she will make possible for Texas students and families through her leadership of Educate Texas.”
Ms. Briggs is a seasoned professional with extensive expertise in federal and state government, K-12 education, higher education, and corporate social responsibility. Most recently, she served as the chief of staff for Houston ISD, the largest district in Texas and eighth largest in the US. Before joining the HISD team, Ms. Briggs was a partner at Cicero Group, where she led projects across industries in the social impact and K-12 sectors – working alongside partners to measure, evaluate, and implement strategies that realize change. Prior to joining Cicero Group, she served as the education program and policy officer for ExxonMobil, where she managed the education grantmaking portfolio and provided policy advice on issues related to teacher quality, state standards, and federal policy issues. Her prior role as the founding director of education reform at the George W. Bush Institute was what brought her back to Texas after nine years in Washington, D.C.
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Ms. Briggs also served as State Superintendent of Education for Washington D.C., where she led the state system that included early childhood education, school food services, federal K-12 policy and finances, and higher education programming. In this role, she managed $100 million in local and $550 million in federal funding and was the liaison to the State Board of Education, D.C. City Council, and the Mayor’s Office. Ms. Briggs was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education and was confirmed in June 2007, where she played a pivotal role in policy and management issues affecting students. That role capped off nearly eight years of service at the U.S Department of Education (USDE), where she was involved in policy creation and implementation, state engagement, regulatory development, and budget creation and administration.
Provide a Strategic Vision
As executive director, Ms. Briggs will provide strategic vision and operational management of Educate Texas in leading a transformation of Texas’ public and higher education systems to prepare students for success in school, the workforce, and in life.
“I am truly honored to join Educate Texas and Communities Foundation of Texas,” said Ms. Briggs. “The opportunity to improve our critically important public system of education for students in my home state is why I pursued this role. Schools and public education are a promise and an investment that our country makes to young people and their future – we must get it right. I look forward to building on Educate Texas’ strong history and reputation while bringing a fresh perspective to our work that supports education here locally and across the state.”
Lochlin Partners conducts searches for board and executive-level positions within government and corporate affairs, government contracting, technology and services, higher education, the public sector, financial services, and healthcare. The firm is led by managing partners Liza Wright, and Pat Friel. Each of the managing partners has been in the search business for 20 or more years and has been a partner in one of the four large international firms—and in most cases has run a major office or practice at those firms.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
