Meet Our New Vice Provost for Faculty Success

Dr. Williams holds a B.S. in Health and Exercise Science and a M.Ed. in Health Promotion from Northwestern State University of Louisiana and a Ph.D. in Public Health Education and Health Promotion from the University of Alabama.  Since 2022 he has served as the Chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance and previously served as the coordinator of the M.S. in Public Health Education and Promotion at Texas State University.  His research agenda focuses primarily on the social ecology of substance abuse and sexual violence prevention among adolescent and young adult populations. He has secured over $2.3 million in funding for community health and prevention research projects from organizations such as the Texas Department of State Health Services, U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Missouri Foundation for Health. Dr. Williams’ research has been featured in leading substance abuse prevention journals such as Substance Use and Misuse, the American Journal on Addictions, the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, and the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Additionally, he has published in top public health journals including the Journal of American College Health, Journal of Community Health, American Journal of Health Promotion, and Health Promotion Practice. As a Certified Health Education Specialist® and a Certified in Public Health practitioner, Dr. Williams has expertise in program evaluation and a as lead evaluator for several substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. In addition, he has served as an evaluation consultant for the U.S. Center for Substance Use Prevention’s Service to Science Initiative.

With over eight years of administrative experience at both the program and department levels in areas such as faculty hiring strategies, supporting faculty retention, and leading efforts to recognize and celebrate faculty excellence, he is well-prepared for this role of supporting faculty success by providing clear guidance and expertise in pathways for faculty advancement, recognition, development opportunities and successful onboarding.