Dr. Monica Thompson
Executive Director, UCS
mthomps3@central.uh.edu
Dr. Monica D. Thompson is a respected Student Affairs executive and strategic higher education leader with more than 27 years of progressive leadership experience spanning corporate human resources, nonprofit organizations, academic affairs, and student affairs. Now in her twelfth year at the University of Houston, she is recognized for advancing student success, fostering organizational effectiveness, building collaborative partnerships, and leading institutions through periods of significant growth, transformation, and innovation.
Dr. Thompson previously served as Interim Associate Vice Chancellor/Associate Vice President for Student Affairs for more than two years, where she provided executive leadership and direct support to the Interim Vice President while helping advance divisional priorities across 23 departments and teams. In that role, she oversaw the Center for Student Empowerment, University Career Services, divisional Assessment, and Marketing and Communications functions, while contributing to executive decision-making, strategic planning, and organizational effectiveness across the Division of Student Affairs.
Her leadership was instrumental during periods of significant institutional change, including the COVID-19 pandemic and implementation of Texas Senate Bill 17. She guided organizational transitions, supported operational continuity, and helped position Student Affairs to continue meeting student needs while adapting to evolving university and state priorities. Dr. Thompson also led the transformation and relocation of the Center for Student Empowerment into a new facility designed to increase visibility, accessibility, and support for first-generation students and student success initiatives. Additionally, she directed the organizational redesign of the center following legislative changes, successfully transitioning services while maintaining meaningful opportunities for student engagement, leadership development, connection, and success.
During her service as Interim AVC/AVP, Dr. Thompson contributed to the development and implementation of the Division of Student Affairs' third strategic plan, helping align divisional priorities, assessment practices, and resource allocation with institutional goals. She provided executive oversight for divisional operations, communications, and strategic initiatives while supporting student success efforts across the University of Houston, UH at Sugar Land, and UH at Katy. Her commitment to data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement has contributed to increased student engagement, strengthened organizational effectiveness, and enhanced service delivery.
Dr. Thompson's leadership perspective is shaped by a unique combination of corporate, nonprofit, academic affairs, and student affairs experience. Prior to entering higher education, she spent seven years in corporate and nonprofit human resources roles, developing expertise in talent management, organizational development, employee relations, leadership development, training, and organizational change. These foundational experiences continue to influence her collaborative leadership style and her approach to building high-performing teams and leading organizational transformation.
One of Dr. Thompson's greatest strengths is her ability to bridge Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. Prior to joining the University of Houston in 2014, she spent 13 years at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, where she managed professional development and career initiatives within one of the nation's premier undergraduate business programs. Combined with her leadership experience at UH and her earlier human resources background, this unique perspective enables her to connect classroom learning, experiential education, leadership development, student engagement, and career readiness in ways that advance both student success and workforce outcomes.
To further strengthen these connections across campus, Dr. Thompson launched the UH Career Readiness Work Group, a collaborative network of faculty members, career services professionals, and campus partners committed to advancing career readiness for all University of Houston students. The work group was established to foster stronger alignment between academic and student affairs, promote the integration of career readiness competencies throughout the curriculum and co-curricular experience, expand experiential learning opportunities, and develop institution-wide strategies that prepare students for success after graduation. Under her leadership, the group is advancing university-wide initiatives focused on embedding career readiness throughout the student experience, strengthening faculty engagement, enhancing assessment of career competencies, and identifying scalable practices that improve workforce preparation and post-graduation outcomes.
As Executive Director of University Career Services, Dr. Thompson has led a comprehensive strategy focused on career exploration, experiential learning, workforce development, employer engagement, and post-graduation success. Leading a dynamic team of professional staff and student leaders, she has expanded access to career readiness programming, strengthened employer partnerships, and advanced initiatives that connect students with meaningful experiential learning opportunities and career pathways.
An active contributor to university governance and institutional advancement, Dr. Thompson has served on numerous committees and leadership initiatives supporting accreditation, strategic planning, student success, and organizational effectiveness. Her university service includes participation in the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, Quality Enhancement Plan Steering Committee, SACSCOC Reaffirmation efforts, divisional strategic planning initiatives, and leadership of the Division of Student Affairs Professional Development Committee, DSA Awards and Recognition initiatives, and University of Houston System Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Leadership Conferences. She also spearheaded efforts to rename a divisional recognition award honoring the legacy of Janelle R. Brown, a respected member of the University of Houston community whose commitment to service, mentorship, and student success continues to inspire others.
A native Houstonian and first-generation college graduate, Dr. Thompson earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas. Her dissertation examined collaboration between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to increase experiential learning opportunities and career readiness outcomes for future leaders in the energy industry. She earned a Master of Science in Human Resource Development with a concentration in Organizational Development and Change Management from Texas A&M University while working full time at The University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with a minor in Accounting from Texas State University, funding her undergraduate education independently as a first-generation college student.
Dr. Thompson's professional expertise includes student affairs administration, strategic planning, organizational change, student success, retention, career readiness, workforce development, assessment, talent development, leadership coaching, and organizational effectiveness. She is a certified mediator, career coach, and facilitator of numerous leadership and strengths-based development frameworks. Her professional service includes leadership roles within regional and national associations, including serving as President of the Houston Area Consortium of Career Centers and participating in NASPA's Institute for Aspiring AVPs and the University of Houston's inaugural ProPel Executive Leadership Program.
Above all, Dr. Thompson is passionate about creating environments where students and staff can thrive. Her leadership is grounded in collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and the belief that higher education has the power to transform lives. Outside of her professional responsibilities, she enjoys spending time with her husband of more than 25 years, their daughter and son, creating art, and bringing people together through meaningful connection and community.