Welcome to our new VP of University Advancement

October 5, 2018

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce that Kimberly Russell, Ed.D., has accepted the position of vice president for University Advancement, effective Dec. 1st. She will, however, make campus visits and attend meetings between now and then.

Dr. Russell has served as chancellor of Louisiana State’s Eunice campus for the past three years, following more than two decades of leadership in advancement, foundations, corporate relations and grants for both public and private higher education institutions.

During her leadership at LSU, enrollment at the Eunice campus has grown 29 percent, and degree and certificate programs in high-demand healthcare fields were expanded. She also worked with the LSU Foundation on a new comprehensive fundraising campaign to benefit all LSU institutions.

Prior to her current position, Dr. Russell worked at Tyler Junior College as vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the TJC Foundation, which had a 35-member board of directors. During her 16-year tenure there, TJC completed a historic capital program that expanded the campus by 25 percent, including a new nursing and health sciences center, an energy center and residence hall. In addition, from 2013-2016, CASE consecutively recognized the TJC Foundation’s fundraising program for overall fundraising performance and sustained excellence.

Before joining TJC in 1999, Kimberly served as director of foundation and corporate relations at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, where she and her team landed more than $5 million in successful grant proposals from a number of high-profile foundations. In her earliest career days, she also served as a secondary English teacher (grades 7-9) and as an adjunct professor of English at Kilgore College.  

In moving to TWU, Dr. Russell has expressed a keen interest in returning to her passion—higher education advancement. In addition, she is excited to be returning to North Texas—after growing up in East Texas, attending the University of Texas at Tyler, and completing both of her graduate degrees at UNT.  

As you all know, TWU is poised to take full advantage of its distinctive national position as the largest university primarily for women. We also mirror Texas’ population, and are tied for sixth among a set of the most diverse universities in the U.S, according to US News and World Report. This advancement leadership position is strategically important to our success in leveraging our distinctive brand position as well as our ability to prepare students to achieve their dreams and contribute meaningfully to Texas.  

I am, therefore, thrilled that our search committee and I have found someone like Dr. Russell, who sees huge opportunities to generate philanthropic support for our university across the state.  

I know that many of you had a chance to attend or listen to Dr. Russell’s presentation last month, and I’d like to thank you for taking the time to consider her candidacy for this important position. I also extend special thanks to Robin Head for serving as interim vice president since this spring, to Jennifer Martin for leading this successful search, and to the members of her committee. And I hope all of you will join me in extending a special TWU warm welcome to Dr. Kimberly Russell when she joins us.

With Pioneer Pride,

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.
Chancellor and President