TM² Executive Search Tapped by Texas Southern University Foundation for Two Senior Searches
December 12, 2024 – TM² Executive Search (TM²), a subsidiary of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, has been retained by Texas Southern University Foundation to lead in its searches for an executive director and financial controller. This search is being led by TM² Executive Search’s managing principal, Dakota Doman, principal, Amanda Washington Lockett, and associate principal, Ndeh Anyu. “These positions represent transformative opportunities to join a historic institution dedicated to advancing education and empowering communities,” said Mr. Doman. “These roles offer the chance to contribute meaningfully to student success, research, and innovation at Texas Southern University.”
The executive director will serve as the chief executive officer of the TSU Foundation, reporting directly to the board of trustees. This visionary leader will develop and implement comprehensive philanthropic initiatives, cultivate major gifts, and establish key partnerships to advance the foundation’s mission. The executive director will also work closely with TSU leadership to support enrollment growth, facility enhancements, and innovative academic programs.
This leader will oversee key philanthropic initiatives, cultivate transformative donor relationships, and guide the foundation’s strategy to generate resources that support student scholarships, research, and innovation at Texas Southern University.
The financial controller will oversee all accounting and financial reporting activities for TSU Foundation. Reporting to the executive director, this role includes responsibility for general ledger management, financial compliance, budgeting, and external reporting. The financial controller will also ensure robust financial controls and play a pivotal role in supporting the foundation’s strategic initiatives.
The purpose of the foundation is to support the parent institution of higher learning known as Texas Southern University. Such support includes but is not limited to the following: Securing funds for all legitimate purposes of the University; receiving, investing, distributing and accounting for all funds belonging to the Foundation; giving support both materially and through encouragement to the enhancement of the University, its programs, its students, its staff and its faculty; providing suitable recognition of the achievements of students and alumni; as well as creating and fostering a sense of pride and spirit among the students and the alumni of the university.
TM² Executive Search specializes in providing exemplary executive talent acquisition consultation for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and other organizations looking to attract highly qualified, motivated, accomplished diverse candidates at all levels of the administration. The firm focuses on filling C-suite leadership positions, including presidents, chancellors and their cabinet-level direct reports, and board directorships.
In 2016, four former black college presidents launched TM² Executive Search. The firm is the brainchild of former black college presidents John Garland (former president of Central State University); Sidney Ribeau (former president of Howard University); Wayne Watson (president emeritus of Chicago State University); and Dorothy Cowser Yancy (president emerita of Johnson C. Smith University & Shaw University).
Dr. Doman has over 15 years of executive higher education experience at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Predominantly White Institutions at various Research Carnegie Classifications. He has served as an executive administrator, academician, strategist, policy analyst, governmental relations liaison, and researcher. Dr. Doman has presented over 75 presentations across the country on various higher education topics related to HBCUs, organizational leadership and change management, talent acquisition, and student success.
Dr. Doman has served as a consultant, chair, or search advocate for over 50 executive searches in higher education throughout his career. He has coordinated executive searches at all levels of administration including president, provost, CFO, CTO, and chief student success/enrollment officer. He has considerable search experience in governance and policy organizations for State Higher Education Executive Officer (SHEEO) agencies such as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board where he completed five executive searches.
Related: TM² Executive Search Fills Senior Position for Benedict College
Dr. Washington Lockett recently joined TM² as principal and senior consultant. She is a dedicated scholar-practitioner with over a decade of experience in higher education and strategy development. Dr. Washington Lockett’s research and practice focus on innovations in higher education, transformative leadership and institutional sustainability. She has served as a strategic advisor to the presidents of two Minority Serving Institutions and most recently served as a Strategist for the Institute for Capacity Building (ICB) at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In this role, she developed strategic priorities and initiatives that improved the sustainability and institutional outcomes of HBCUs.
Beyond her experience in higher education, Dr. Washington Lockett has experience from the executive search industry. She honed her skills at True Search, where she was part of the people, talent, and legal team. In this role, she played a key part in connecting exceptional talent with leading organizations. Her placements included board members, C-suite executives, vice presidents, directors, and other strategic hires for both private and public companies.
Dr. Anyu has over a decade of experience spanning executive search, higher education, and corporate environments. His career began in higher education as assistant director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Minority Serving Institutions, where he managed programs and developed initiatives for students, faculty, and administrators nationwide.
Dr. Anyu’s career in executive search started at Storbeck Search as a junior associate, supporting C-suite searches for educational and non-profit organizations. After Storbeck, he joined HTI/True Search as a senior associate leading dozens of executive level searches across diverse sectors including climate tech, edtech, and CEO & board practices.
Related: TM² Executive Search Tapped by Wiley University to Lead Provost Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
