Joni Williamson, EdD

Dr. Joni Williamson is a teaching assistant professor in the sport management program. Her role is to teach various sport management classes to best support and prepare future sports leaders going into the business. Dr. Williamson brings two decades of practitioner experience. Her most recent stint was as the director of athletics and adventure sports at Warren Wilson College. Prior to WWC, she worked at the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Wittenberg University, the Greene County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wright State University, Washington State University and Ohio University in a variety of roles.

Dr. Williamson brings experience in coaching, marketing, and public relations, promotions, event and facility operations, compliance, sales and administration. Her areas of research include remote work in college athletics, retention of working mothers in college athletics and sports leadership. She was a four-year varsity swimming student-athlete and a three-time Missouri Valley Conference All-American. While working at Wittenberg University, Dr. Williamson was awarded the Staff Member Woman of the Year, and she was a Top Ten National Collegiate Athletic Association President’s Award Winner while working at the NCAA. Dr. Williamson is a graduate of the NCAA Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute and the NCAA/Women Leaders in College Sports Institute for Administrative Advancement. She is also an NASC Certified Sports Event Executive.

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Dr. Williamson earned her doctorate degree in global sport leadership from East Tennessee State University, her master’s degree in recreation and sport science with a specialization in coaching education from Ohio University and her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Evansville.

Dr. Williamson and her husband, Andy, have two kids, Cooper and Aurora.