Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Brandon L. Simmons as Director of Institutional Policy and Oversight for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman. The appointment is effective until further notice from the Governor and requires confirmation by the Senate.
The Office of the Ombudsman acts as a link between Texas higher education institutions, lawmakers, and the public on matters related to institutional governance and student success. It also manages financial compliance, data reporting, and oversight activities.
“Texas continues to lead the nation with more top-ranked research universities and programs than any other state,” said Governor Abbott. “In order to maintain this lead, we must place the success of Texas students first. Brandon Simmons’ achievements and dedication to educate our future leaders as an entrepreneur, professor, and university chairman will help ensure Texas’ higher education institutions continue to set the national standard and prepare our students to thrive.”
Simmons previously served on the Texas Southern University Board of Regents after his confirmation by the Texas Senate in May 2023. He was chairman of that board from October 2023 through October 2025. In addition, he is a Distinguished Professor of Business at Wiley University in Marshall, where he formerly held the role of Entrepreneur in Residence.
Earlier in his career, Simmons worked as a technology company executive, venture capitalist, and corporate attorney. He has been involved with various corporate and nonprofit boards.
Simmons holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and earned his Juris Doctor at Stanford Law School. He received the John W. Gardner Fellowship after college—a joint honor from Stanford University and UC Berkeley—and later clerked for Chief Judge J.L. Edmondson at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
