Faculty Profile for Dr. Deirdre Aurora Williams

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Dr. Deirdre Williams is an expert educator, consultant, published author and entrepreneur. She has a Doctor of Education, Education Specialist Degree, a Master’s in Education, a Master of Arts in International Relations, and a Bachelor of Social Work Degree. She is certified in Mid-Management Administration, Elementary Self-contained, and Generic Special Education.

Dr. Deirdre has experience in K-12 and higher education combined. She has been a Director of Special Education, Program Manager, Compliance Specialist, General and Special Education Teacher. She started at Texas State University as Per Course Faculty, then became a fulltime Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Coordinator of the Charles Butt Foundation Scholarship, and currently Associate Professor of Practice and Director of Teacher Residency. She has served as Adjunct at Trinity Washington University and American University in Washington, D.C.

Career highlights include managing the launch of Project Search for DC Public Schools at the United States Department of Education, United States Department of Labor, and United States Department of Health and Human Services. As director, she created a district Autism program, hired specialists to increase student success in specialized programs, and established a District program for students who were deaf or hearing impaired.

With an entrepreneurial spirit, Dr. Deirdre launched Books by Deirdre, featuring her publications, Girl’s Destined for Greatness Vision Planning group for young girls, and Through Our Eyes, LLC consulting services.

Dr. Deirdre presented the following workshop: “Safe Spaces Plus Brave Spaces Equals Inclusive & Equitable Classroom Experiences,” and co-presented a panel discussion titled, “Lifting as We Climb: Black Sister Scholars in a Virtual Third Space” at The National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) Conference in Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. Deirdre is a 2021 Fulbright Scholar and inductee into the 2021 class of Leadership Women, America. She will present at the 2022 Division of International Special Education and Services Global Summit in Breckenridge, Colorado and the 2022 International Association of Special Education 17th Biennial Conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She has been recognized as a Transformational Leader by the College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Roundtable at Texas A&M University and the Memorial Scholarship Award of Appreciation as a local author. She has been a guest author at KAZI’s Book Review: Celebration of Diverse Literary Voices. She is a frequent guest speaker at schools and various organizations as well as interviewed on “Sharing with Shani” and the “Russ and Stew Show”. She presented at the 14th Annual Strengthening Youth & Families Conference hosted by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and the 21st Annual Teachers’ Conference: Writing to Transcend Boundaries hosted by Texas State University, Central Texas Writing Project.

She is currently conducting research about the Black Female Body branching off her Fulbright Study Abroad to Mexico on the African Diaspora.

Dr. Deirdre serves on the Rural Community Health Fund Advisory Council, Fayette Community Foundation & St. David’s Foundation, Friends of the Library, Board Member, Family and Consumer Sciences Committee, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and Leadership Team, First Baptist Church, coordinate grant activities, educational programs, and special events. She served on the Lockhart ISD Collaborative Visioning Committee.

Dr. Deirdre is a member of First Baptist Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Progressive Club, National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), Black Doctoral Network, CSOTTE, Writers’ League of Texas, Central Texas Writing Project, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Phi Delta Kappa.

Research Interests

Mental Health, Vocational Education, Diversity in Education, and Minority Women in Business