Published on: July 28, 2025
Part One of the TNG@25 Anniversary Blog Series By: Brett A. Sokolow, J.D., Founder and Chair
Twenty-five years seems like an auspicious moment to both look back and peer forward. I founded The National Center for Higher Education Risk Management in 2000. It became known by the unpronounceable acronym NCHERM. When we created the membership associations NABITA and ATIXA, we became The NCHERM Group. Then, we shortened that to TNG Consulting (an acronym of an acronym). As we got older, we got shorter. The same is probably true for me, too.
I don’t expend much energy on looking back, but I’ll indulge a little retrospection in honor of our 25th anniversary and my 25th year of practice. At a moment like this, it’s appropriate to reflect on what we’ve accomplished and what I am most proud of with respect to our contributions to the field of education-sector risk management and compliance.
I’d point to the following four accomplishments as the ones I count amongst our most prominent successes:
- Helping the education field understand how Title IX applies to sex discrimination and harassment
- Popularizing and explaining the concept of consent as a basis for resolving sexual violence complaints
- Enhancing the quality and accuracy of Title IX and other civil rights outcomes through training, investigation, and informed decision-making
- Innovating and popularizing a pre-threat model of behavioral intervention unique to the threat assessment needs of an educational environment
We’ll be blogging about each of these accomplishments in our forthcoming 25th anniversary series, and also hearing from notable TNG experts and clients, as we celebrate. Before we jump into that, I want to provide a glimpse into TNG’s growth and what I’ve learned in 25 years of leading this firm.
I see myself as a change agent. I guess we call that being a disruptor now, but disruption is only part of the change process. I see change as having phases. You have to challenge the status quo, but to really effect change, you have to have a vision for what replaces the way it’s always been done. For change to endure, the new way has to be demonstrably better than what it replaces. Ultimately, the education field has been receptive to the changes we’ve tried to engender. Our growth is a testament to that.
TNG@25 by the Numbers
- More than 4,000 education-sector clients
- 93,000 certifications issued by NABITA and ATIXA
- NABITA and ATIXA count 28,000+ members
- 60+ employees, headquartered just outside of Philadelphia
- 25+ consultants who are the leading subject matter experts in their areas
- Served as testifying experts in more than 150 federal and state lawsuits
- Almost all of our original employees are still part of the TNG family
Our team at TNG suggested that I respond to their prompts as part of this piece, so here they are:
Favorite Quote About Me (from an education attorney): “Sokolow is unorthodox, but effective as hell.”
Rule to Live By: What other people think about me is none of my business.
Guiding Principle: If you meet resistance, you must be advocating for a worthwhile change.
Touchstone: Find your true north and follow it steadfastly.
Business Insights:
- Timing is everything
- Hire A-level talent whenever you can
- They don’t teach you how to run a business in law school
Biggest Mistake: Being impatient for change, rather than making sure the timing is opportune to advance the changes you believe in.
Biggest Weakness: I’m a bit of a know-it-all. Maybe more than a bit. I’m trying to improve, but I’m not entirely sure I know how. I guess we are all works-in-progress.
Biggest Regret: I broke some eggs as I followed my path, and looking back, I’d try to better balance the difficult process of change with the relationships you need along the way to ensure those changes are impactful.
Has It All Been Worth It? Absolutely. The ability to help shape an entire field for the better is a privilege that we don’t take lightly, and for which we are deeply grateful.
TNG Anecdote: Twice in my career, the employees of TNG have made it abundantly clear to me that their loyalty to TNG is dependent on having me in a leadership position, so that we can do the work together. That level of loyalty is both touching and indicative of the energy at TNG. We have a brain trust of top talent who have come together in common cause to advance a shared mission. There is little that is more professionally gratifying than having that opportunity, and the ability to do it with people with whom I love to work.
It’s a challenge to balance being both a Board Chair and a subject matter expert, but thanks to our management committee, I can balance my time, spending about 30% on firm matters, and 70% on advancing civil rights at a time when our society needs it more than ever. I want to especially thank TNG’s partners, Joe Vincent, Daniel Swinton, Saunie Schuster, Kim Pacelli, Sharon Perry Fantini, W. Scott Lewis, and Makenzie Schiemann. Our collaboration is truly a joy. You challenge me, teach me, uplift me, and all those who work with TNG. We could not do this without your wisdom, guidance, leadership, and friendship.
Thank you to our entire team and our clients for 25 years of progress and success. We are excited for the next 25 and look forward to sharing this journey together!
Join us in shaping the next 25 years of safer, stronger education. Lear