Brandi Jones
Vice President, People, Culture & Community Trinity University
Dr. Brandi P. Jones is a nationally recognized strategist, thought leader, and minister whose career bridges higher education, organizational leadership, and ministry. She is the inaugural Vice
President for People, Culture, and Community at Trinity University. In this role, she serves as a trusted strategist and culture-builder, dedicated to strengthening Trinity as a destination of choice
for faculty, staff, and students. With more than two decades of higher education faculty and leadership experience at institutions such as the University of Southern California, Princeton University, California Institute of Technology, and Occidental College, Dr. Jones has shaped programs and policies that align people and purpose. At Trinity, she oversees efforts that elevate employee engagement, leadership development, and staff thriving—including signature initiatives such as the Trinity Leadership Institute and The Learning Collective. She also leads Community Relations, advancing Trinity’s partnerships with civic leaders, non-profit organizations, and community boards that expand the University’s role as a cultural, educational, and economic anchor in San Antonio and beyond.
Her work has shaped national conversations on STEM equity, leadership development, and organizational transformation through contributions to the National Science Foundation, American
Society for Engineering Education, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She also brings extensive service through leadership and board roles with organizations
such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Links, Incorporated, the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum, the Los Angeles Minerva Foundation, the White Rose
Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education Board, the San Jose State University Black Alumni Network, Children Youth and Family Collaborative, the National
Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates, and Odyssey Charter School. A mission-driven leader, Dr. Jones is known for integrating scholarship, strategy, and service. Her
work inspires leaders to thrive, institutions to transform, and communities to flourish.
Seminars
- Trinity University launched a 12-week, cohort-based leadership development program designed to close the gap between leadership theory and real-world application. The program equips leaders with practical tools they can immediately apply to their daily leadership challenges—driving confidence, clarity, and consistency across the organization.
- Each module intentionally embeds real-time implementation, reflection, and practice. Participants work on live challenges, apply new skills as they learn them, and receive peer and facilitator feedback—building stronger decision-making capabilities, solving complex problems, and leading effectively in an increasingly dynamic environment.
- Program impact is measured through pre- and post-assessments, applied learning checkpoints, and observable shifts in leadership behavior. Early results demonstrate smoother execution of strategic initiatives, more resilient team performance, and the long-term development of a confident, sustainable leadership pipeline aligned with Trinity University’s culture and strategic goals.
- What design elements help cohort‑based programs work in a higher‑education context with decentralized decision‑making, shared governance, and diverse leader backgrounds?
- How can live institutional challenges (academic priorities, service delivery, cross‑campus initiatives) be embedded into cohorts so learning translates into better day‑to‑day leadership decisions?
- What role do peers, facilitators, and senior sponsors play in creating accountability and psychological safety across faculty and staff leaders?
- Which measures best demonstrate the impact of cohort‑based development in higher ed beyond satisfaction, such as execution of strategic initiatives or reduced leadership friction?
