Florida A&M University Announces the Spring 2026 Commencement Speakers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University (FAMU) is proud to announce TIAA President and CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett and FAMU Alumnus Omar Goff, End-to-End Commercial Leader for Head & Shoulders, North America, as the keynote speakers for its Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremonies. Duckett will keynote the Friday, May 1 ceremony at 4 p.m. EDT, and Goff will keynote the Saturday, May 2 ceremonies at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. EDT. All three events will take place in the Alfred Lawson Center and Multipurpose Teaching Gymnasium, located at 1800 Althea Gibson Way, Tallahassee, FL 32310.
“Commencement stands as one of the most meaningful traditions in the life of our university— a moment where reflection, pride, and boundless possibility come together on the Highest of Seven Hills. Florida A&M University is truly honored to welcome two extraordinary leaders, Thasunda Brown Duckett and Omar Goff, to join us in celebrating this milestone with our graduates,” said FAMU President Marva B. Johnson, J.D. “Through a life dedicated to expanding access to financial opportunity and helping individuals pursue financial freedom with dignity, Mrs. Duckett will remind our graduates that small investments today yield extraordinary returns over a lifetime. Likewise, Mr. Goff’s journey from the Hill to the highest levels of Corporate leadership powerfully affirms what is possible when purpose, excellence, and a FAMU education converge.”
As president and CEO of TIAA, Duckett leads a company whose mission is defined by financial inclusion and opportunity – goals and values she has upheld throughout her career. Under her leadership, TIAA is expanding its mission beyond higher education to all Americans saving for retirement. Before joining TIAA in 2021, she held several key executive roles during a 17-year career at JPMorganChase, including CEO of the Consumer Bank and Auto Finance. Earlier in her career, she was a director of Emerging Markets at Fannie Mae.
Goff is a transformational operator and culture-shaping brand builder, known for creating breakthrough momentum at the intersection of innovation, commerce, and community impact. Prior to his appointment to serve as end-to-end commercial leader for Head & Shoulders, North America, he served as president of Mielle, where he led one of the fastest-growing textured haircare brands into its next era under Procter & Gamble. Under his leadership, Mielle launched its first-ever national television campaign, secured a historic partnership with the Women's National Basketball Association, expanded into a groundbreaking collaboration with the National Football League, and modernized its media and go-to-market model to drive sustained, profitable growth.
Approximately 1,500 students from the University’s 14 schools and colleges will receive their degrees during the spring ceremonies, which will be live-streamed on FAMU Facebook and on YouTube at @FAMUTube1887. For more information, visit www.FAMU.edu/commencement.
ABOUT THASUNDA BROWN DUCKETT
Thasunda Brown Duckett is president and chief executive officer of TIAA, a leading provider of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions for millions of people and thousands of institutions. She leads a company whose mission is defined by financial inclusion and opportunity – goals and values she has upheld throughout her career. Under her leadership, TIAA is expanding its mission beyond higher education to all Americans saving for retirement. Before joining TIAA in 2021, she held several key executive roles during a 17-year career at JPMorganChase, including CEO of the Consumer Bank and Auto Finance. Earlier in her career, she was a director of Emerging Markets at Fannie Mae.
Duckett serves on the boards of NIKE, Brex, Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, Sesame Workshop, National Medal of Honor Museum, Economic Club of New York, New York-Presbyterian, the University of Houston Board of Visitors, the Dean’s Advisory Board for Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, and the Aspen Institute’s Workplace Now (WIN) Challenge Council. She also is a member of the Executive Leadership Council CEO Advisory Board, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and Jack and Jill of America. In addition, she is an appointee to the Business Council Executive Committee and the Committee for Economic Development. She also serves on the board of Business Roundtable.
Duckett has received a wide array of accolades from financial media, including Fortune, Forbes, Barron’s and American Banker. She has also been listed as one of the TIME100 Most Influential People in the World, named a CNBC Changemaker and been inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Duckett has been awarded honorary degrees from several institutions, including a Doctor of Humane Laws from Howard University and Doctor of Laws degrees from both American University and Morgan State University.
She founded the Otis and Rosie Brown Foundation in honor of her parents to recognize and reward people who use ordinary means to empower and uplift their community in extraordinary ways. Duckett grew up in Texas and lives in Connecticut with her family. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from the University of Houston and an MBA from Baylor University.
ABOUT OMAR GOFF
Omar Goff is the End-to-End Commercial Leader for Head & Shoulders, North America — entrusted with accelerating growth for one of the world’s most iconic brands. A transformational operator and culture-shaping brand builder, he is known for creating breakthrough momentum at the intersection of innovation, commerce, and community impact.
Prior to this role, Goff served as president of Mielle, where he led one of the fastest-growing textured haircare brands into its next era under Procter & Gamble. Hand-selected to architect the integration and growth strategy, he proved that scaling a brand and protecting its cultural DNA are not competing priorities — they are compounding advantages. Under his leadership, Mielle launched its first-ever national television campaign, secured a historic partnership with the Women's National Basketball Association, expanded into a groundbreaking collaboration with the National Football League, and modernized its media and go-to-market model to drive sustained, profitable growth.
With more than 20 years at Procter & Gamble, Goff’s career spans both operational mastery and brand reinvention. He began in Product Supply and Purchasing, delivering over $1 billion in cost savings and $100 million in cash improvement globally. He later transitioned into Brand Management, where he helped propel Old Spice into the Billion Dollar Brand Club and architected its multicultural growth strategy.
Goff is the brand leader behind Old Spice’s longest-running and award-winning campaign, Men Have Skin Too, starring Deon Cole, and forged high-impact partnerships with Kevin Hart and his LOL Network. These breakthrough collaborations didn’t simply drive growth — they reshaped representation in men’s grooming and unlocked a powerful S-curve fueled by intentional resonance with Black men.
His leadership has earned him recognition as an Ebony Power 100 honoree in the Business Disruptor category — celebrating executives who redefine industries, challenge convention, and expand access. He is also an Ad Color Award recipient and has earned Effie, D&AD, Clio, and ANA Multicultural Excellence honors. A respected thought leader, Omar has shared his perspective as a featured speaker at Harvard Business School, reinforcing his reputation as a leader who blends strategic rigor with cultural intuition.
Goff graduated Summa Cum Laude from the FAMU School of Business and Industry (SBI). Grounded in the SBI motto of his alma mater, “No excuse is acceptable. No amount of effort is adequate unless it is effective,” Goff leads with urgency, accountability, and an unwavering belief that brands have both the power and responsibility to create economic opportunity while delivering sustained top- and bottom-line growth.
Media Contact:
Rachel James-Terry
Rachel.JamesTerry@famu.edu
Back to Stories
