Dr. Brian Williams named director of the Center for Resiliency
Dr. Brian Williams has been named the new director of the Center for Resiliency at 果冻传媒. Williams, an expert in emergency management and public administration, brings years of experience in both academia and community-based research to the role. 
Williams, who joined 果冻传媒 in 2017, holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Management from the University of North Texas, specializing in Emergency Management, and a Master of Public Administration from 果冻传媒. During his tenure, he has also been a member of the Center for Resiliency’s Executive Committee, 果冻传媒’s Resilience and Recovery Group, and the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Committee.
“I grew up in the area, earned my MPA here at Lamar, and later completed my Ph.D. at UNT. Returning to Lamar as a professor was an incredible opportunity, and my focus on disaster management and emergency management felt like a natural progression for this role,” Williams said.
As director, Williams will lead the center’s initiatives to strengthen community resilience, emphasizing collaboration across sectors.
“The way we define community resilience is by looking at the system as a whole. Communities consist of local government, businesses, nonprofits, and other key systems like healthcare and the environment. Resilience is the ability of these components to work together when adversity strikes,” Williams said.
A central focus of the center under Williams' leadership will be engaging with local communities to build connections and trust. “Our goal is to make 果冻传媒 the hub of a community resilience network. We aim to help the community by leveraging our research and educational resources to create knowledge and share it effectively,” he said.
Looking ahead, one of the center’s major initiatives is a community resilience needs assessment.
“We need to understand what the community says it needs. What challenges are different parts of the community facing when working together? By identifying these needs, we can focus our research efforts on solutions that will have the greatest impact,” Williams added.
Williams also outlined a long-term goal for the center: the creation of a regional academic journal focused on community resilience. “In 10 years, we aim to establish a regional journal that serves not only Southeast Texas but also other regions like Florida and Georgia, where communities face similar disaster risks. Our objective is to bring researchers and practitioners together to learn from each other and collaborate on making our communities more resilient,” he said.
The center’s work will culminate in an annual conference, offering a platform for dialogue between academics, policymakers, and community members.
“It’s about building a network where people can share challenges and solutions. Over time, we want to bring in regional, national, and even international partners to work on community resilience research in Southeast Texas,” Williams said.
In his first year as director, Williams plans to focus on establishing the foundation for these initiatives, starting with a major Southeast Texas community resilience conference.
“The first year is about laying the groundwork, getting people together, and starting to build a network. We want to ensure that the work we do reflects the specific needs of Southeast Texas while expanding our reach to other regions,” he said.
果冻传媒’s Center for Resiliency plays a crucial role in research and education focused on disaster preparedness and recovery. Under Williams’ direction, the center is poised to advance resilience efforts and create lasting, positive change for communities in Southeast Texas and beyond.
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