“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
- Faculty

Dr. Peter Williams has more than 35 years of teaching experience in various contexts. He has taught English as a second language and sixth-grade English in Honduras, literacy education in correctional education, and leadership research in doctoral programs. He operated his own consulting business, has held leadership roles in higher education, and has mentored doctoral students since 2009. He enjoys creating his podcast—Doc101—to support doctoral students. He also enjoys mentoring leaders, roasting and drinking coffee, and spending time with family and friends. He is active in the International Leadership Association, the Academy of Human Resource Development, and the Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalists.
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
- Online and distributed learning
- Doctoral education (including student support via podcasting; see Doc101 via podcast apps)
- Social support, hope, resilience, thriving
- Leading in culturally (including religiously) diverse contexts
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 ...

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 o...