Edition #44
June 24, 2026
Welcome to The W Profile, a study of the women leading at the intersection of sports, media, and global business. As college athletics adopts professional structures, it is instructive to look to the visionaries who have already mastered the complexities of the corporate world. By bringing C-Suite lessons to the athletics community, this series will provide leaders with the insights necessary to build a lasting legacy.
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Introduction
When TIAA needed a visionary to fundamentally address America’s growing retirement crisis, they targeted a leader with a proven ability to humanize massive financial institutions. Thasunda Brown Duckett, who took the helm as President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA in 2021, stepped into the role carrying the responsibility of managing over $1.3 trillion in assets while serving as one of the few Black female Fortune 500 CEOs in history.
She is responsible for overseeing the financial futures of millions of educators, healthcare workers, and non-profit employees. Her leadership is defined by a fierce commitment to closing the wealth and retirement gaps, an empathetic approach to corporate culture, and an overarching philosophy that financial institutions must look beyond immediate profit to ensure long-term, dignified security for all demographics.
From Retail Banking to the Retirement Revolution
Duckett’s executive DNA was forged in the high-stakes, consumer-facing world of traditional finance. Before joining TIAA, she served as the CEO of Chase Consumer Banking at JPMorgan Chase, where she oversaw a banking network with more than $600 billion in deposits and 50,000 employees. During her tenure, she spearheaded the bank’s massive branch expansion and played a pivotal role in Advancing Black Pathways, an initiative aimed at helping Black Americans build wealth and achieve financial success.
Her transition to TIAA represented a shift from traditional retail banking to the personal realm of lifelong financial security. Growing up, Duckett watched her parents work tirelessly to provide for their family. While her father worked in a warehouse for Xerox, a pivotal moment occurred when she was in college and helped him plan his retirement. She discovered that his pension would be vastly insufficient and, crucially, he had never contributed to his employer-sponsored 401(k) simply because he was unaware he was eligible. By the time she joined TIAA, she possessed a powerful, personal playbook: she understood that democratizing access to financial literacy and lifetime income wasn't just a corporate initiative; it was a societal imperative.
The TIAA Playbook
Duckett approaches the complex world of retirement planning with a strategy that treats financial inclusion as a baseline requirement for economic stability. Her playbook encompasses three critical pillars:
➤ Closing the Retirement Gap: Duckett recognizes that millions of Americans—disproportionately women and people of color—are hurtling toward retirement without adequate savings. She explicitly directs TIAA's institutional energy toward policy advocacy and product innovation that guarantee lifetime income, shifting the industry narrative from simply "saving for retirement" to actually securing a sustainable post-career paycheck.
➤ Life as a Diversified Portfolio: Recognizing the impossible expectations placed on modern executives, she completely rejects the myth of "work-life balance." Instead, Duckett champions the idea of living life like a diversified portfolio. By allocating time and emotional investments across different "asset classes"—family, career, self-care, and community—she ensures long-term personal outperformance even when daily equilibrium is impossible.
➤ Purpose-Driven Platforms: She understands that the platform of a Fortune 500 CEO is a tool for systemic change. Duckett leverages TIAA's massive institutional weight to push for broader social equity, proving that a company can deliver elite financial results while simultaneously championing the "art of possibility" for marginalized communities.
Lessons on Boldness and Cultural Relevance
Duckett has built a career on the philosophy of radical authenticity in spaces historically devoid of diversity. She operates with the belief that true leadership requires showing up as your full self. She refuses to assimilate into traditional, rigid corporate molds, proving that elite competence and cultural pride are not mutually exclusive.
Crucially, she is an executive who profoundly understands the difference between a job and an identity. Her guiding mantra—"I rent my title, I own my character"—is a masterclass in grounded leadership. It serves as a constant reminder that while corporate roles are temporary and belong to the company, a leader's integrity, empathy, and impact are the permanent assets they carry with them forever.
Takeaways
➤ Character is the Ultimate Asset: Duckett’s mantra of "renting" the title and "owning" the character emphasizes that long-term influence is built on integrity and how you treat people, not the temporary power of a C-suite position.
➤ Balance is a Myth, Allocation is Key: Her "diversified portfolio" approach to time management provides a highly actionable framework for leaders struggling with burnout, prioritizing long-term holistic success over daily perfection.
➤ Purpose Scales Profit: By focusing TIAA on closing the retirement gap, she proves that aligning a company's core commercial engine with a massive, unaddressed societal need is the most effective way to drive enterprise value.
➤ Visibility as a Responsibility: As one of the few Black women to lead a Fortune 500 company, Duckett embraces her visibility. She uses her platform to pull others up, demonstrating that elite leaders don't just break ceilings—they build infrastructure for those coming next.
Read. Watch. Listen.
READ: In a visit to the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Brown Duckett shares lessons she’s learned in life and in business. She offers insights on vision-driven and people-centered leadership, the importance of financial literacy and security, and leading with authenticity and purpose in moments of change. (link)
WATCH: Her appearance on the Professional Troublemaker podcast with Luvvie Ajayi Jones, where she candidly breaks down the "diversified portfolio" approach to her life as a mother and CEO, and how she gives herself permission to fail fast and grow. (link)
LISTEN: Her View From The Top interview at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she details how she utilizes her platform to shape culture and why leaders must deliver more than just financial results to make real progress. (link)
Quote to Remember
To be a leader, it starts with vision. It’s not just about executing for today, but what is that longer-term strategy. Vision is about seeing something bigger than what is, and being anchored to what you do extraordinarily well.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Maria Valdes – Chief Brand Officer, PUMA
Publication Date: Sunday, June 21
Morgan Cato – EVP of Player Operations, National Basketball Players Association
Publication Date: Wednesday, June 17
Emily Prazer – Chief Commercial Officer, Formula 1
Publication Date: Sunday, June 14
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(Posted from most recent over the last 15 days)
(NEW!) Head Women's Lacrosse Coach (Virginia Wesleyan University / Virginia Beach, VA): Virginia Wesleyan (becoming Batten University 7/1), a NCAA Division III institution and a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, is accepting applications for a Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Virginia Beach? Click HERE.
(NEW!) Vice President of Athletics and Recreation (St. Mary's College of Maryland / St. Mary's City, MD): Senior Cabinet leader responsible for strategic oversight of athletics and recreation, including enrollment, fundraising, and athletic excellence while supporting SMCM’s mission and long-term vision. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to St. Mary's City? Click HERE.
(NEW!) Head Acrobatics & Tumbling Coach (West Virginia State University / Institute, WV): Responsible for all aspects of the Acrobatics & Tumbling program. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Institute? Click HERE.
Diving Coach (Florida International University / Miami, FL): Provides assistance to the Head Coach with activities associated with the Swimming & Diving program and student athletes, including recruitment, monitoring academic performance and social development. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Florida International University / Miami, FL): Florida International University's Athletics Department is seeking an Athletic Trainer to support the health, safety, and performance of student-athletes. More details HERE.
Assistant Coach, Women's Lacrosse (Kennesaw State University / Kennesaw, GA): Assists with coaching, recruiting, scheduling, budgeting, fundraising, player development, academic support & administrative duties while ensuring compliance with KSU, NCAA & conference regulations. More details HERE.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (Florida International University / Miami, FL): Enhances the physical and mental development of student-athletes through the establishment of specific training programs and activities to increase the performance of student-athletes. More details HERE.
Sr. Assoc. AD for Revenue Generation (Southern Methodist University – SMU / Dallas, TX): The Senior Associate A.D. for Revenue Generation will assist with the implementation and execution of key strategic revenue generation initiatives across the department. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Dallas? Click HERE.
Director, Wrestling Operations (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Manage internal team operations and logistics: team travel, team meals, on-campus recruiting, and off-campus recruiting for coaching staff. Support external efforts: designing social media strategy. More details HERE.
Director of Sports Communication (SUNY New Paltz / New Paltz, NY): Oversees all facets of athletics communications including media relations, digital strategy, website management, social media, branding, game-day operations, including live stats and event coverage. More details HERE.
Athletics Mental Health and Performance Counselor (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Help Arizona student-athletes thrive. Lead mental health care, performance psychology, and wellness initiatives while shaping a championship-focused culture of growth, resilience, and success. More details HERE.
Director, Business Office, Accountant (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Focused on accounts payable, purchase orders, cash & travel advances, month end close, audits, United States Military Academy (“USMA”) and related party transactions and vendor payment processing More details HERE.
Associate Director, Development (Athletics) (Kennesaw State University / Kennesaw, GA): Join the team at Kennesaw State University and become part of a supportive and thriving community. More details HERE.
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Coaching Cadet-athletes, recruiting, monitoring Cadet-athletes’ academic progress, scheduling, managing travel, overseeing the discipline and conduct of the Cadet-athletes. More details HERE.
Assistant Coach - Baseball (Missouri State University / Springfield, MO): The Assistant Coach is responsible for specifically designated aspects of the sport, exercises independent judgment in providing technical expertise in the fundamentals of the sport. More details HERE.
Assistant Director of Athletic Counseling (Oregon State University / Corvallis, OR): Provide strategic leadership for academic counseling, supervising a team of academic counselors across all sports. Responsible for establishing, maintaining, and promoting best practices. More details HERE.
Assistant Manager of Facility Events and Rentals (Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT / Cambridge, MA): Working in conjunction with students, coaches, faculty, and staff, provides management for the evening and weekend operations of facilities with a focus on managing and supervising athletic events. More details HERE.
Vice President of Athletics (Baker University / Baldwin City, KS): Seeking a high-energy leader committed to competitive excellence, student-athlete success, and advancing the University’s values of integrity, service, innovation, and community. More details HERE.
Senior Director/Director of Athletic Business & Finance - Business & Finance (University Athletic Association, Inc. at the University of Florida / Gainesville, FL): Perform and manage services for the UAA Business & Finance office. Oversee the monthly/quarterly/annual UAA required financial statements and reporting. More details HERE.
Director, Athletics Fields (Kennesaw State University / Kennesaw, GA): Responsible for leading athletic field operations, turf maintenance, staff, budgets, and vendors to ensure safe, high-quality, NCAA-compliant playing surfaces for athletics and special events. More details HERE.
Deputy Athletics Director, Internal Operations (Towson University / Towson, MD): This position provides oversight of internal operations, student-athlete development initiatives, departmental policy and compliance functions, conference and NCAA reporting. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Towson? Click HERE.
Tyler Family Endowed Director of Student-Athlete Development (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Empower Wildcats beyond competition. Lead career readiness, leadership development, and life skills initiatives that prepare student-athletes for success in college and beyond sport. More details HERE.
Hockey Equipment Manager (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Manages all equipment operations for the Division I Men's Ice Hockey program -procuring, maintaining, and overseeing uniforms, equipment, and gear for athletes, coaches, and support staff. More details HERE.
Financial Analysis, Manager II (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Drive financial strategy for Arizona Athletics by leading complex reporting, data analysis, benchmarking, and forecasting to support informed decision-making and organizational success. More details HERE.
Nutritionist (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Help fuel championship performance by delivering expert sports nutrition counseling, education, and meal planning to support the health, wellness, and success of Arizona student-athletes. More details HERE.
Assistant Director, Ticket Operations (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Support the Wildcat fan experience by managing ticket operations for assigned sports, overseeing event-day box office functions, and delivering exceptional customer service. More details HERE.
Associate Director, Ticketing (University of Notre Dame / Notre Dame, IN): Part of a dynamic ticket office team - primary responsibility for a reserved seating sport while helping shape and elevate the overall ticketing strategy. More details HERE.
Associate General Counsel (Athletics) (Vanderbilt University / Nashville, TN): Vanderbilt University is seeking an Associate General Counsel to join the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and provide legal advice to Vanderbilt University Athletics. More details HERE.
Head Baseball Coach (University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma / Chickasha, OK): Head coach responsible for recruiting, coaching, player development, program administration, and compliance with NAIA, conference, and university regulations. More details HERE.
Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director, Administration & Risk (University of Southern California / Los Angeles, CA): USC seeks a collaborative Exec. Sr. Assoc. AD, Administration & Risk to oversee legal affairs, organizational strategy and risk management to help guide one of the nation's premier athletics programs More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Los Angeles? Click HERE.
Head Women's Golf Coach (Methodist University / Fayetteville, NC): The head coach will be responsible for the leadership and organization of a competitive women’s golf program that has had tremendous success winning 26 NCAA Division III Team National Championships. More details HERE.
Assistant Women's Tennis Coach (Part-time) - Intercollegiate Athletics (Duquesne University / Pittsburgh, PA): Under the general direction of the Director of Tennis, the Asst. Women’s Tennis Coach is responsible for supervising, planning, and coordinating the activities of the women’s tennis program. More details HERE.
Assistant AD, Business Office, Senior Accountant (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Active role in financial reporting & analysis, budgeting, audits, accounts payable, credit card reconciliations and staff supervision. More details HERE.
Assistant Men's Gymnastics Coach (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Coaching, recruiting, monitoring Cadet-athletes’ academic progress, scheduling, managing travel, overseeing the discipline and conduct of the Cadet-athletes. More details HERE.
Assistant Men's Ice Hockey Coach (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Coaching Cadet-athletes, season planning, recruiting, logistics, scheduling, managing travel, and managing the team’s budget including purchasing. More details HERE.
Assistant/Associate Head Men's Rugby Coach (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Coaching, recruiting, monitoring Cadet-athletes’ academic progress, scheduling, managing travel, overseeing the discipline and conduct of the Cadet-athletes. More details HERE.
Assistant Baseball Coach (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Coaching, recruiting, monitoring Cadet-athletes’ academic progress, scheduling, managing travel, overseeing the discipline and conduct of the Cadet-athletes. More details HERE.
Football Equipment Manager (Florida International University / Miami, FL): Manages the procedures for the storage, maintenance, repair, and inventory control of all equipment apparel, and field equipment for the football team. More details HERE.