“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” — Groucho Marx
Peter Williams, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Doctoral Program Coordinator
- Faculty

Peter Williams is a professor who enjoys doing research. He has over 35 years of teaching experience in various contexts, including English as a second language and sixth-grade English in Honduras, literacy education in correctional education, and leadership research in doctoral programs. Peter worked in the central office in a curriculum leadership role and held leadership roles in higher education. Since 2009, he has mentored doctoral students. Peter enjoys researching how we can create workplaces where all can learn, grow, and thrive. Peter loves supporting doctoral students who want to inquire into these areas. He also enjoys roasting and drinking coffee, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. Peter is active in the Academy of Human Resource Development, and the Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalists (Collin & Hunt counties).
Educational Background
- Ph.D., Educational Human Resource Development, Texas A&M University, 2000
- M.A., School Supervision, Abilene Christian University, 1986
- B.A., Spanish, Sam Houston State University, 1982
Experience
- Associate Professor, Educational Leadership, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2020-present
- Professor, Organizational Leadership, Abilene Christian University Dallas, 2015-2020
- Graduate School Dissertation Chair, Northcentral University, 2013-2015
- Assistant Professor, Organizational Leadership, University of La Verne, 2009-2013
- Dean and Assistant Professor, Distance Education, University of Northern Virginia, 2004-2008
- Director of Distance Education, Rogers State University, 2000-2003
Research Interests
- Adult learning and professional development
- Creating positive, hopeful organizational cultures in which all can thrive
- Online and distributed learning
- Doctoral education (including student support via podcasting; see Doc101 via podcast apps)
- Social support, hope, resilience, thriving
Selected Publications
Related News

TAMUC Faculty Member Published in Management Teaching Review
The September 2022 issue of Management Teaching Review, a journal published through SAGE Journals, features an article co-authored by A&M-Commerce faculty member Peter Williams, Ph.D., and Robert Morris University faculty member Stuart Allen, Ph.D. “Remote Oral Doctoral Dissertation Defenses in Management, Leadership, and Business: Benefits, Pedagogy, and Practices” discusses the challenges and benefits of moving […]

TAMUC Faculty Williams Co-hosts Doc101 Podcast Series
Peter Williams, associate professor of educational leadership at Texas A&M University-Commerce, is co-host of the Doc101 podcast series along with Drs. Linnea Rademaker and Scott Self from the School of Educational Leadership at Abilene Christian University. Geared toward doctoral students, Williams said the series discusses multiple aspects and nuances involved in the often-times surprising doctoral […]

Endowment Honors Turners’ Impact on TAMUC and Texas Education
Professor Emeritus Lynn Turner holds an important place in Texas A&M University-Commerce history. As one of the original faculty members in the Department of Educational Leadership, his contributions helped build the department into a leading producer of principals and superintendents in the state of Texas. A&M-Commerce honored the professor and his wife, Mrs. Alene Turner, […]