K. Alexander Williams, EdD
Dr. K. Alexander Williams, Barbadian by birth and a naturalized U.S. citizen, has lived and/or worked in several countries in the Asia Pacific region, Africa, Europe, and the Americas for the past 25 years. Recently, he relocated to Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory, to become president of the Anguilla Community College. His areas of expertise include organizational behavior, leadership and change, team effectiveness, research methodology, and educational leadership and reform. Ethical and inclusive leadership has been an important aspect of Dr. Williams’ work. He was involved with the Ford Foundation IFP Leadership for Social Justice Institutes for several years. He considers himself a global citizen, having consulted with international organizations including UN Inter-Telecommunications Unit, UNICEF, World Learning Inc., OXFAM, and Earth Rights International.
Dr. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree from University of West Indies, a Master of Science from London School of Economics, a Master of Arts, Master of Education and a Doctorate from Columbia University. He is a professor, entrepreneur, consultant and researcher. He has held faculty and leadership positions at different educational institutions and started small business enterprises in Barbados as a teenager.
Courses Taught
Advanced Leadership and Change
Leadership, Community Organizing, and Coalition Building
Select Publications
Williams, K and Allert, A. (2023). Leadership for the Preparation and Delivery of High Quality Online and Blended Learning: The Caribbean Context. Forthcoming
Blair, E. J., & Williams, K. A. (Eds.). (2021). The Handbook on Caribbean Education. IAP.
Tirmizi, S. A., Williams, K., & Tirmizi, S. N. (2019). Leading Responsibly: Relevance of the Major Leadership Theories in the Caribbean Context. Journal of Leadership, Accountability & Ethics, 16(4).
Blackman, S. N., Conrad, D. A., Williams, K., & Abodeeb-Gentile, T. (2019). A north south dialogue on principals’ understanding of, advocacy for, and barriers faced achieving inclusive education. In Achieving inclusive education in the Caribbean and beyond (pp. 247-272). Springer, Cham.
Blackman, S., Conrad, D. A., Williams, K., and Abodeeb-Gentile, T. (2018). Barbadian and Vincentian students’ perspectives of difference, it’s tensions and student inclusion. In Responding to Learner Diversity and Difficulties (pp. 395-416). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing
Wahle, D. & Williams, K. (2011). Recipe for a positive school climate: Mentoring, the Arts & Restorative Principles. Issue Brief No.1 Fall, 2011. Windham Southeast Supervisory Union. Brattleboro, VT.
Rashid, J., Johnson, H., Russo, D., and Williams, K. (2011). Implementing “No Child Left Behind.” Is there a role for OD? OD Practitioner, Vol. 43, No. 2, 2011.
Williams, K. (2008). Effective Leadership for Multicultural Teams. In: Halverson, C.B., Tirmizi, S.A. (eds) Effective Multicultural Teams: Theory and Practice. Advances in Group Decision and Negotiation, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6957-4_6
Select Presentations
Williams, K. (2022, June 15-17). Micro-climate adaptation: Benefits and process for sustainable livelihood. [Conference presentation]. Caribbean Urban Forum, Barbados.
Blackman, S., Conrad, D., Williams, K., and Abodeeb-Gentile, T. (2018, April 13-17). Building socially inclusive public schools: Understanding Caribbean students’ narratives about difference. [Conference presentation]. American Education Research Association Conference “The Dreams, the Possibilities and Necessity of Public Education”, New York City, NY.
Williams, K., Blackman, S., Abodeeb-Gentile, T., and Conrad, D. (2017, April 27-May 1). Engaging student voice about principal leadership for inclusion. [Conference Presentation] American Education Research Association. “Knowledge to Action: Achieving the Promise of Educational Opportunity”, San Antonio, Texas.
Abodeeb-Gentile, T., Blackman, S., Williams, K., and Conrad, D. (2017, February 15-18). Inclusive Leadership in the United States and Caribbean Schools: A Study of Primary and Secondary Schools in the United States and the Caribbean. [Conference Presentation] Inclusive Education Conference “Achieving Inclusive Education for All: Resolving Challenges of Learning Difference, Learner Diversity and At- Risk Children and Youth”, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.
Williams, K. (2016, July 18-21). Successful Principal Practices and Behavior in Caribbean Schools: The Case of Barbados and St. Vincent. [Conference Presentation] International Council on Education for Teaching, “Teachers for a Better World: Creating Conditions for Quality Education-Pedagogy, Policy and Professionalism”, University of the West Indies, Mona campus, Kingston, Jamaica.
Williams, K., Blackman, S., Abodeeb-Gentile, T., and Conrad, D. (2016, April 20-22). Effective School Leadership in the Eastern Caribbean: Perspectives of Teachers. NZEAL Conference, “Leadership for Social Justice”, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Williams, K. (2015, May 25-29). Principals’ perspectives: Leadership for effective schools in the Caribbean. Caribbean Studies Association Conference, “The Caribbean in an Age of Global Apartheid”, New Orleans, LA.
Williams, K. (2015, June 1-4). Transformational leadership behavior in Schools: The Case of Barbadian Principals. University of the West Indies conference, “Transforming Education: New Frameworks and Alliances”, Accra, Bridgetown, Barbados.
Research Interests
Micro-climate adaptation and mitigation for sustainable agriculture in arid climates
Leadership for high quality blended and fully online learning in resource constraint contexts
Ethical leadership in higher education
Education
- EdD, Educational Leadership, Columbia University
- MA, Educational Management and Administration, Columbia University
- MS, Geography: Regional Economic Development and Planning, London School of Economics
- BA, Geography, University of the West Indies
