Staff Directory
- Title:
- Senior Associate Athletics Director / Strategic Engagement & Sports Administration (Sports Administrator: Soccer, WGolf, Track)
- Email:
- Phone:
- (806) 834-2221
Amy Heard is the senior associate athletics director for strategic engagement at Texas Tech University. A fundraising and leadership development professional for nearly 20 years with the Texas Tech Athletics Department, Heard has served her alma mater in a multitude of leadership roles providing expertise and strategic vision for the Red Raider Club (RRC) and J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy.
Most recently, Heard was tabbed the point person for Texas Tech’s student-athlete Name-Image-Likeness implementation efforts. Heard also served in an interim role as the senior woman administrator during the 2020-21 academic year.
Under Heard’s direction, the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy has been recognized as a national model in collegiate athletics for leadership development for student-athletes, coaches, administration and staff.
In 2019, the academy was selected as a National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals Model Practice Award winner for its Suited for Success program designed to provide student-athletes with dedicated career exploration and professional preparedness.
Heard’s philosophy and approach leading the academy has been focused on a wholistic development through discovery, preparedness, implementation and empowerment. The academy emphasizes personal growth in areas of career, character, leadership and wellness.
Heard also currently serves as the sport administrator for the Texas Tech baseball program and previously for the men’s and women’s golf teams.
The RRC achieved record-setting giving success and established a culture of donor stewardship and engagement under Heard’s leadership and guidance from 2006-2017.
Throughout her tenure of leadership and efforts, the RRC consistently generated more than $19 million in annual donations. In fact, the RRC raised over $20 million for three consecutive years (2015-17) for the first time.
She was instrumental in implementing the priority point donor-based system that debuted in 2003 and was significantly overhauled in 2017. These programs increased RRC memberships from 3,600 in 2003 to more than 9,200 in 2016.
Heard was also responsible for unveiling the RRC Victory Circle comprised of donors generously donating $10,000 and above. The Victory Circle initiative began with a projected 417 members, including 10 donors at the Fearless Champions level, which includes donations at $100,000-plus.
Heard oversaw the RRC’s annual giving programs which generated over $23 million for Texas Tech student-athlete scholarships from 2007-2011. She also spearheaded the football Jones AT&T stadium club sales, which accounted for 1,650 stadium club seats and suite areas generating $16.5 million in revenue.
Heard served as a member of the National Association of Athletics Development Directors (NAADD) executive committee, is a graduate of the Women Leaders in College Sports Executive Institute and served as a faculty member for the NCAA Women Leaders in College Sports. In addition, she was selected as the Texas Tech diversity representative for the Big 12 Conference in 2010.
Heard has received numerous accolades throughout her professional career, including the NAADD Diversity Award, Twenty Under Forty Award — recognizing young professionals of the greater Lubbock area, March of Dimes West Texas Fundraiser of the Year, and Top Techsan from the Texas Tech Alumni Association, to name a few.
Heard has earned three degrees from Texas Tech, including a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Rawls College of Business, a Master of Science in sports management from the College of Arts and Sciences and Doctor of Philosophy in higher education research from the College of Education.
Heard, who is originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, married her husband, Kirk, in 2012.
