Jerel Booker is a senior executive and talent strategist with more than two decades of leadership experience driving organizational performance, strengthening leadership pipelines, and advancing mission-critical priorities across higher education, K–12 systems, government, and the nonprofit sector. He most recently served as Associate Managing Principal and Chief Operating Officer at TM² Executive Search, where he led national searches, particularly for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and oversaw enterprise operations, aligning people, processes, and technology to accelerate firm-wide growth and deliver measurable client impact.

Jerel’s career includes influential leadership roles across state and institutional systems. He has served as Associate Vice President at Coppin State University, Executive Director of Stand for Children Texas, and Associate Commissioner for Educator Quality and Student Policy Initiatives at the Texas Education Agency. Earlier in his career, he served on the staff of the Governor of Maryland, where he was responsible for government relations policy related to K–12 education, higher education, criminal justice, and minority business development. He also served as Assistant Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, directing division operations, staffing, and statewide institutional compliance across core statutory areas. His leadership portfolio spans program budgeting, human capital, technology, contracts, marketing, and enterprise risk management, reflecting a career dedicated to building systems, improving performance, and expanding equitable opportunities at scale.

Jerel holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism/public relations from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Science in criminology from the University of Baltimore, and a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law.