New Mexico Highlands University is pleased to announce the appointment of Doajo Hicks as the University’s inaugural General Counsel, a new role created to strengthen governance, compliance, and legal strategy across the institution. Previously, the University contracted with an outside law firm to provide legal services.
Mr. Hicks brings more than 15 years of extensive experience as a General Counsel and Senior Executive in higher education, corporate governance, risk management, and legal affairs. He has built a distinguished career providing strategic legal counsel, shaping institutional policy, and managing compliance frameworks at universities, corporations, and nonprofit organizations nationwide.
Most recently, Mr. Hicks served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Strongmind Inc. and Verano Learning Partners, where he managed corporate legal matters, human resources, compliance, and risk management for both domestic and international operations.
“The creation of the General Counsel role at Highlands is a significant step forward in strengthening our institutional governance and compliance structure,” NMHU President Neil Woolf said. “Mr. Hicks brings a wealth of experience and a proven record of leadership and collaboration in higher education and beyond. We are excited to welcome him to the Highlands family.”
His higher education leadership includes serving as:
- General Counsel & Chief Human Resources Officer, University of La Verne (CA)
- General Counsel, Utah Tech University (UT)
- Deputy General Counsel & Executive Director of Legal Affairs, Cuyahoga Community College (OH)
Earlier in his career, he served as Associate General Counsel & Compliance Officer for the Sisters of Charity Health System and as a Staff Attorney for the Cleveland Municipal Court. Beyond higher education, Mr. Hicks also served in law enforcement with the Salt River Police Department and as a Medical Administrator in the United States Coast Guard, where he oversaw operations of multiple medical units and healthcare agreements for service members.
Mr. Hicks earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He later completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Arizona State University.
His professional affiliations include the American Bar Association, the National Association of College and University Attorneys, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). His contributions have been recognized through awards such as the Police Cross, the Pat Tillman Courage Award, and the Emerging Leaders Award.