CEO of The Dallas Office
Southern Methodist University
Kit Sawers is the founding CEO of the SMU Dallas Office and University Vice President, where she leads efforts to strengthen SMU’s connections with Dallas and build partnerships across the region’s business, civic and nonprofit communities.
Sawers previously served for eight years as president and CEO of Klyde Warren Park, Dallas’s internationally recognized deck park and town square, which welcomes more than 2 million visitors annually. During her tenure, she significantly expanded fundraising, programming, and partnerships, helped lead plans for the park’s $150 million expansion, and led its 2026 World Cup programming, which drew approximately 200,000 visitors.
Earlier in her career, Sawers spent a decade at SMU and held leadership positions with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities, and Super Bowl XLV. She earned a BA from the University of Virginia and a JD from SMU’s Dedman School of Law. Her honors include SMU Dedman School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service and D CEO’s Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Award.
