Howard University School of Education Dean Dawn Williams, Ph.D., has recently been elected to serve as the American Education Research Association (AERA) council member at large. Since she garnered the most votes during the election, this also places her on the Executive Committee of AERA.  

The council position is the highest-ranked position below AERA president, which is particularly significant as faculty from HBCUs are not typically represented in these roles. AERA, founded in 1916, is the premier education research association in the nation, with an international membership of 25,000.   

Additionally, Dr. Williams has been elected to serve on the Council of Academic Deans from Research Education Institutions (CADREI) Executive Committee as the member at large. CADREI is composed of education deans primarily from Research I and Research II institutions. The organization convenes annually in October to host professional development workshops and forums for deans. She was elected to this position by her dean colleagues nationwide.   

Holding these two prestigious leadership positions within highly visible organizations not only highlights her professional accomplishments but also enhances Howard’s reputation in the field of education research and leadership.