Dr. Tracy M. Cook, president of Alcorn State University, has appointed Thaddeus Fairley as interim executive director of the National Policy Research Center at Alcorn State University.
The Policy Center was formerly known as the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center.
“Mr. Fairley has spent his career as a public servant and changemaker dedicated to community development and federal policy, which are assets that will serve him and the institution well in this role,” said Cook. “His appointment positions NPRC to make a greater impact on the agricultural community primarily our underserved farmers and rural communities in Mississippi and beyond.”
Fairley brings a record that moves across federal agriculture policy, community banking, nonprofit leadership and HBCU administration.
He most recently served as special assistant to the dean at Alcorn State University’s College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences (CAAS). While in CAAS, he led initiatives to expand the college’s agricultural programs and operations.
In 2021, he was appointed state executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in Mississippi. Fairley was the first African American to hold that post.
In that role, he oversaw more than 60 service centers, managed a workforce of more than 200 employees and directed an annual budget exceeding $10 million. He was responsible for the distribution of $1 billion in federal funding to support Mississippi’s agricultural sector.
He launched the first cohort of the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program in more than 20 years. This initiative created a direct pipeline from historically Black colleges and universities into full-time federal roles.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he reformed agency operations to improve efficiency and access for farmers statewide.
Fairley also served as a field representative for U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson. His work focused on broadband access and constituent services.
He has more than seven years of experience in community and economic development banking from his roles at Hope Credit Union and Regions Bank.
Earlier this year, Fairley was selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders USA Program, joining 101 participants from across the country in a six month cohort focused on leadership development and civic engagement. Now in its third year, the program draws on the Obama Foundation’s Hope to Action curriculum and centers themes of democratic culture, public health, climate sustainability, and arts and civic life.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead the National Policy Research Center,” said Fairley. “Every chapter of my career has pointed toward this work, and I believe purpose and preparation have aligned in this moment to serve the farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners whose labor sustains our nation. I look forward to advancing rigorous, evidence-based analysis that strengthens American agriculture and the people who power it.”
In his new role at the Policy Center, Fairley will direct strategic planning, research initiatives and stakeholder engagement. The center’s primary focus will be on agricultural innovation and policy solutions.
A native of Sunflower, Miss., Fairley holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics from Mississippi Valley State University and a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport.
He has served on the board of the Sunflower County Freedom Project. It is a nonprofit dedicated to developing young leaders in the Mississippi Delta.
He received the 2020 Higher Purpose Award for his contributions to regional business development.
Fairley resides in Indianola, Miss., with his wife, Felicia, and their three children.
