Meet Our Foundation Professionals

Joe Bill Sherrod

Executive Director
Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Joe Bill Sherrod has twelve years of experience in higher education development and administration. Joe Bill started his career at WT as the Major Gifts Officer for the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities. He then became the Director of Development for the University. He briefly spent time at WTAMU as the Interim Vice-President of Institutional Advancement before becoming the Assistant Vice-President of Institutional Advancement. He began his tenure at WT as the Share the Pride Campaign was launched with a goal of $35 million. The campaign ended 5 years later, exceeding $51 million. Also, while at WT, Joe Bill developed an annual fundraising strategy for the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, which averaged $1.2 million per year over a ten-year period. Additionally, he raised and administered $12 million for the WTAMU Agriculture and Natural Sciences facility construction. 

In January 2020, as a direct result of his incredible achievements while at WTAMU, Joe Bill was brought on by Amarillo College to be the Vice-President of Institutional Advancement, as well as the Executive Director of the Amarillo College Foundation. In his first year, Joe Bill was charged with launching and executing the $30 million Badger Bold Comprehensive Campaign, ACs first campaign of this type. 

Tracy Dougherty

Chief Operating Officer

Tracy Dougherty is the Director of Marketing, Scholarship Administration and Special Events. She is responsible for special events, public relations, scholarship administration and grant writing. Ms. Dougherty received her BA in American Studies and her MBA in Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Dougherty has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 22 years, serving as the Director of Development and marketing for the Don & Sybil Harrington Cancer Center for 11 years and as the Co-Executive Director of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation of Amarillo for two years, and at Amarillo College Foundation for twelve-plus years.

Peyton Sidwell

Development and Campaign Director

Peyton Sidwell is the Development and Campaign Director for the Amarillo College Foundation.  Peyton administers all fundraising strategies, oversees the Annual and Year-End Giving Campaigns, and represents the Foundation within the College, the community and the Panhandle area.  Peyton received her BA in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.  Peyton began working in the nonprofit sector while living in Denver, Colorado.  After serving as the Senior Development Officer for Third Way Center for nearly three years, Peyton returned to Amarillo, where she served as a Major Gifts Officer for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center for over two years. Peyton and husband Trey reside in Amarillo.

Katie Niegos

Grants Specialist and Events Coordinator 

Katie Niegos was born and raised in Abilene, Texas, where she lived until she moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas.  After receiving her B.A., Katie accepted a place at the Dedman School of Law at SMU.  Katie graduated from SMU Law cum laude and, upon passing the Bar, began practicing family law in Dallas.

Shortly thereafter, Katie moved to Amarillo, where she was brought on by Bynum Philanthropic Consulting as a fractional staff employee to assist clients with their non-profit needs.  In March 2020, Katie began consulting with the Amarillo College Foundation, performing a wide range of duties including local grant writing, donor cultivation and general development work. Katie is passionate about helping area non-profits set and meet their fundraising goals and has immensely enjoyed identifying and addressing the needs of the Amarillo community.

Katie and her husband, Matthew, have two boys, Shepard and Hayes, and a rescue dog named Chandler.