About

Lynnette M. Heard is a trustee emerita of the University of Cincinnati Foundation Board. Prior to her retirement from the foundation as executive director of board relations and secretary of the board, she was the first executive to hold this position in the organization’s 44-year history. In her role, she brought extensive experience in higher education governance, compliance, strategic planning, and executive leadership acumen. She solidified the governance and compliance protocols, led the board’s first self-assessment, elevated the national presence of the foundation among peer institutions, and successfully chartered and launched the foundation’s engagement and philanthropy legacy initiatives for former board members. With more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors, she served the president’s offices at the University of Dayton and Wright State University as the executive director, board secretary, and assistant vice president of student affairs.

At the University of Dayton, she aided in the development of an early college high school and served as a lead facilitator for the institution’s reaccreditation. Previously, she was the president and CEO of the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education, where she developed and delivered the regional consortium’s strategic plan by leveraging scarce institutional resources, advanced collaboration and cooperation among diverse institutions, and improved student access to higher education for area community colleges and four-year public and private institutions. While at Wright State University, she served as the principal collaborative officer for the university’s strategic plan, Vision 2020, and directed numerous community and media relations programs.

Heard leads AGB’s Board Certificate Program Task Force, which developed and launched an innovative inaugural professional development program for board professionals. In addition, she is AGB’s ambassador for the Board Professionals Council and the Membership Experience Division. Previously, she served as a board member of AGB’s Board Professionals Leadership Group and the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education. She served on and led numerous nonprofit boards.

Professional Credentials

Heard received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Wright State University. In addition to completing postgraduate courses and advanced leadership and organizational development certificate programs, she is a certified parliamentarian.