Colette Pierce Burnette

Burnette is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and President Emeritus of Huston-Tillotson University – a historically black institution and oldest institution of higher learning in Austin, Texas. Burnette joined Huston-Tillotson University as president on July 1, 2015. She is the first female president of the combined institutions of Huston and Tillotson Colleges. She served as interim President at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington, as Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, as Executive Assistant to the President, as Vice President for Information Technology and Services, and as Chief Information Officer at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, Dean of Information Technology at Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington, and Manager of Consulting and Project Management Services at the Washington State Department of Transportation in Olympia, Washington. Burnette worked as a Computer Analyst at The Washington Post, an Operations Support Engineer at Procter and Gamble, Director of Information Systems at Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and ran her own computer consulting firm, CompuMent. Upon her retirement from higher education, she joined Newfields, a 152-acre cultural institution in Indianapolis, Indiana, as President & CEO. During her tenure at Newfields, she is credited with lifting the brand through intentional and meaningful community engagement, building important alliances, diversifying the collection and the patrons, and uplifting morale. Burnette is a strong proponent of civic and community engagement. She believes in and has successfully forged strong partnerships with entities such as the Urban League, sister cultural institutions, and corporations such as Apple, Tesla, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Army Futures Command, Bank of America, and Indeed. Burnette’s commitment to being a servant leader is evident in her leadership positions in her community, such as Martin University Board of Trustees, Indiana Black Expo Board of Directors, Indianapolis Propylaeum Board of Directors, Six Sigma Racial Equity Institute Board of Directors, Be Nimble Board of Directors, Courageous Conversations Global Foundation Board of Directors, DISCO Corporate Board, Chair of the Mayor of Austin’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities, Board Chair of Leadership Austin, and Treasurer of Council of Higher Education Accreditation, Big Sisters of Central Texas Advisory Council, Urban Roots Advisory Council, and the Waterloo Greenway Board. Dr. Burnette also serves on national boards and committees, including the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Her many honors include the Ohio State University Outstanding Engineering Alumnus Award, Ohio State University Lifetime Achievement Award, Austin’s Chamber of Commerce Austinite of the Year Award, University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School Public Service Award, Indianapolis Recorder Diversity of Champion Award, Kennedy King Memorial Initiative’s Spirit of truth and Justice Legacy Award, Anti-Defamation League Community Hero Award, Urban Land Institute Visionary Award, and the National Diversity Council Glass Ceiling Award to name a few. Burnette is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.. Burnette received her high school diploma from John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from The Ohio State University, Master of Science in Administration from Georgia College, a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Management Development Program and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

Colette is married to retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Daarel Burnette, and they have two adult children (Daarel II of Washington, DC, and Daana of Los Angeles, CA).