Amanda Washington Lockett, PhD is a dedicated scholar-practitioner with over a decade of  experience in higher education and strategy development. Drawing inspiration from her esteemed  lineage as the great-great granddaughter of Booker T. Washington, she uses her passion and voice as  a tool to advocate for equity and innovative solutions to fortify the infrastructure of American  education. Dr. Washington Lockett’s research and practice focus on innovations in higher education,  transformative leadership and institutional sustainability. 

Dr. Washington Lockett 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 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including the publication of a 2024 report in partnership with Prudential  Financial and PGIM, researching the endowment performance, institutional capacity, and  perspectives of endowment professionals from nearly one-third of all private HBCUs. 

Beyond her experience in higher education, Dr. Washington Lockett brings valuable 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. Washington Lockett earned a PhD in Higher Education at The University of Pennsylvania, where  her research focused on Presidential Retention and Organizational Leadership. Additionally, she has  earned a Master’s degree in Education Policy and Social Analysis from Columbia University  Teachers College, a Master's degree in Teaching from American University, and a Bachelor of Arts  degree from Spelman College. She has also received credentials in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion  and Organizational Culture. She has contributed to multiple academic book chapters, peer-reviewed  journals, co-authored reports for the United States Department of Education, and frequently provides  social commentary on topics related to K-20 education and leadership. Dr. Washington Lockett serves as an adjunct professor at the Indiana University Indianapolis Graduate School of Education  and a lecturer at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. 

Dr. Washington Lockett has reached across the K-20 educational continuum—teaching students in  both primary and post-secondary education classrooms. She has previously worked within the  University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Minority Serving Institutions, the New York State Department of Education, the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. 

Throughout her professional life, Dr. Washington Lockett has volunteered and served on national and  civic boards. Currently, she serves as the President of the Booker T. Washington Family Association. A native of Richmond, Virginia, she resides in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband and their three children.