Texas Christian University Welcomes New Chief of Staff
Chancellor Daniel W. Pullin is pleased to announce that Jeremy Vickers, Ph.D., has been appointed Texas Christian University Chief of Staff beginning July 15, 2025. As a senior advisor to the Chancellor and key member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet, Dr. Vickers will provide executive-level planning and guidance in support of TCU’s mission and LEAD ON: Values in Action strategic plan goals.
Advancing TCU’s mission, vision and values with excellence, Dr. Vickers will work with the campus community to facilitate organizational, leadership and strategic plan alignment across the university. The Chief of Staff reports to the Chancellor and serves as the Chancellor’s primary liaison to internal and external stakeholders, oversees Cabinet operations and executive communications and supervises and supports the professional development of the Office of the Chancellor staff. The Chief of Staff also serves as Secretary of the Board of Trustees and is the principal liaison between the TCU campus community and the Board, managing governance records, Trustee communications and meeting logistics.
“Throughout an extremely competitive search, Dr. Vickers stood out as a collaborative and enthusiastic leader with a proven record of managing and aligning multi-faceted initiatives and high-impact teams to achieve institutional priorities,” Chancellor Pullin said. “Jeremy comes to TCU sharing in our values of integrity, engagement, community and excellence. His entrepreneurial mindset, passion for higher education and dedication to leadership excellence make him a perfect fit for this impactful role. We are excited to welcome him to the Horned Frog family.”
Dr. Vickers has 20 years of experience leading innovation and strategic planning execution in higher education and high-impact commerce and technology organizations. Most recently, Dr. Vickers served as Associate Vice President at Baylor University, leading university-wide initiatives in innovation, research, economic development and external affairs. As a liaison to senior leadership and external partners at Baylor, Dr. Vickers successfully managed complex strategic initiatives, fostered strong collaboration across myriad stakeholder and governance groups and enhanced organizational efficiency. His additional higher education background includes leadership roles at Dallas Baptist University and the University of Texas at Dallas, where he also taught classes in entrepreneurship, strategic management, leadership, leadership communication, philanthropy and public service.
“TCU is a university on the rise, and I am honored and excited to be a part of this community and support the outstanding leaders and initiatives underway,” Dr. Vickers said. “The Horned Frogs’ national reputation for excellence in academics, the student experience and athletics is a reflection of its dedicated people, values, culture and community. With the leadership of Chancellor Pullin and a bold, new strategic plan, the future is bright. I look forward to working with Trustees, university leaders, students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community to achieve our vision and advance TCU’s mission.”
Dr. Vickers earned a B.S. in education from Baylor University, an M.S. in entrepreneurship from Southern Methodist University and a Ph.D. in public affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas. In a search led by Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer Yohna Chambers-Hastings, with input from key university stakeholders, Dr. Vickers was selected from a pool of outstanding candidates from leading universities.
Since January 2025, Dr. Lauren Nixon, Director of Programs and Executive Initiatives, has served as Interim Chief of Staff. Ms. Janine Cox, Deputy Chief of Staff, has served as Interim Secretary of the Board of Trustees. Ms. Jean M. Pickett previously served as Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Board of Trustees for over a decade. To support a smooth transition, Ms. Pickett has served as Senior Advisor to Chancellor Pullin since February 1, 2025.