Alumni News

James Herbert Williams, PhD '94, is New Dean at the University of Denver

Dr. James Herbert Williams, who received his PhD from the University of Washington School of Social Work in 1994, was named dean of the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver in Summer 2007. Before his appointment, he was foundation professor of youth and diversity at the School of Social Work in the College of Public Programs at Arizona State University.

From 1995 to 2006, Dean Williams was a faculty member and administrator at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. He served as E. Desmond Lee Professor of racial and ethnic diversity and associate dean at George Warren Brown as well as assistant to the chancellor for urban community initiatives at Washington University.

In addition to his PhD from the UW, Dr. Williams holds a master of public administration (MPA) degree from the University of Colorado and a master of social work (MSW) degree from Smith College.

Dr. Williams' funded research includes grants from the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Danforth Foundation, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, and the Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services. His research and scholarship have focused on K-12 academic performance, youth violence, delinquency prevention, adolescent substance use, race and gender differences, and mental health service needs and utilization patterns in urban schools. Dean Williams has also published widely in the area of health promotion and disease prevention among African-American women.

Shortly after he was appointed to his new position, Dean Williams reflected on his experience at the UW SSW: "Early in my career, J. Scott Briar, PhD, our former dean, encouraged me to pursue a doctoral degree at the UW.  I found my educational experience here to be of the highest quality. I worked with world-class researchers who provided me with splendid mentoring and guidance regarding my career direction. The convergence of my professional and personal experiences in Seattle and at the School shaped my future professional endeavors. To this day I remain very appreciative of the excellent training I received at the SSW. It was a wonderfully stimulating intellectual experience."