Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

Students Faculty Staff Community
University of Nebraska Omaha logo
College of Public Affairs and Community Service School of Public Administration
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
Students Faculty Staff Community
  • About Us Backback to Main menu
    • National Rankings
    • Director's Message
    • Alumni
    • Student Life
    • Student Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Directions & Parking
    • Faculty and Staff Directory
  • Academic Programs Backback to Main menu
    • Aviation Institute
    • Emergency Management and Disaster Science
    • Graduate Certificates
    • Master of Public Administration
    • Master of Science in Urban Studies
    • Master of Science in Urban Studies: Fast-Track
    • NextGen Leadership Corps
    • PhD in Public Administration
    • Undergraduate Minors
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Academic Advising
    • Admissions
    • International Student Admissions
    • Online Programs
    • Prospective Students
    • Scholarships
  • Professional Programs Backback to Main menu
    • All Programs
    • Nebraska Certified Public Manager Program
    • Nebraska City County Managers Association
    • Certificate in Fundraising Management
    • Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership
    • Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy
    • The Great Plains Government Finance Officers Association (GPGFOA)
    • Local Government 2030
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Engagement Directory
    • 2025 Awards Ceremony & Graduation Reception
    • Civic Mobility in the Heartland Research
    • Find an Expert
    • 2025 Heartland Civic Summit
    • PASA Student Group
    • ASPA Nebraska
  • Research Centers Backback to Main menu
    • Faculty & Staff Research
    • Digital Governance & Analytics Lab
    • Nebraska State & Local Government Finance Lab
    • NASA Nebraska Space Grant
  • Support SPA

Ethel Williams Ph.D.

  1. UNO
  2. School of Public Administration
  3. Faculty and Staff Directory
  4. Ethel Williams Ph.D.
Ethel Williams, Ph.D.

Ethel Williams, Ph.D.

  • Professor Emeritus
  • School of Public Administration

email:
ewilliams@unomaha.edu

Additional Information

Biography

Received Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.

Employed by the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa as its first Human Relations Director, then UNO in several managerial positions, and as part-time faculty before joining the UNO faculty full-time in 1996.

Professional Activities

Dr. Williams is an elected fellow of The National Academy of Public Administration; past President of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), as well as the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation, which is the accrediting body for NASPAA; served two terms on the National Council for The American Society for Public Administration; elected to the Board of Visitors, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh; served on the Environmental Quality Council and the Judicial Nominating Commission for the state of Nebraska; and the Personnel Board for the City of Omaha; and numerous other boards and commissions in the City of Omaha.

She has served on the editorial boards of Public Performance and Management Review and the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. She served as Director of the MPA Program from 2003 to 2011 and as Director of the School of Public Administration from 2012 until her retirement in 2018.

Teaching Interests

  • Human Resources/Personnel Management
  • Urban Studies
  • Race Ethnic Studies
  • Social Equity/Diversity/Cultural competence

Research Interests

Her research interests include workforce planning with an emphasis on succession planning, social equity and diversity, and health disparities as a policy issue.

Additional Information

Biography

Received Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.

Employed by the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa as its first Human Relations Director, then UNO in several managerial positions, and as part-time faculty before joining the UNO faculty full-time in 1996.

Professional Activities

Dr. Williams is an elected fellow of The National Academy of Public Administration; past President of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), as well as the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation, which is the accrediting body for NASPAA; served two terms on the National Council for The American Society for Public Administration; elected to the Board of Visitors, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh; served on the Environmental Quality Council and the Judicial Nominating Commission for the state of Nebraska; and the Personnel Board for the City of Omaha; and numerous other boards and commissions in the City of Omaha.

She has served on the editorial boards of Public Performance and Management Review and the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. She served as Director of the MPA Program from 2003 to 2011 and as Director of the School of Public Administration from 2012 until her retirement in 2018.

Teaching Interests

  • Human Resources/Personnel Management
  • Urban Studies
  • Race Ethnic Studies
  • Social Equity/Diversity/Cultural competence

Research Interests

Her research interests include workforce planning with an emphasis on succession planning, social equity and diversity, and health disparities as a policy issue.

Additional Information

Biography Professional Activities Teaching Interests Research Interests

School of Public Administration

CONTACT US
  • College of Public Affairs and Community Service
  • 111 CPACS
  • 6001 Dodge Street
  • Omaha, NE 68182
  • 402.554.2625
Social media
Academic Programs
  • Master of Public Administration
  • Master of Science in Urban Studies
  • Master of Science in Urban Studies - Fast Track
  • PhD in Public Administration
  • Aviation Institute
  • Emergency Management and Disaster Science
  • Graduate Certificates
  • Undergraduate Minors
Professional Programs
  • Nebraska Certified Public Manager Program
  • Certificate in Fundraising Management
  • Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership
  • Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy
  • The Great Plains Government Finance Officers Association
Prospective Students
US News & World Report badge for Best Grad Schools Public Affairs 2023

Next Steps

  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)

Just For You

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List

Popular Services and Resources

  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • The Maverick Store
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence

Affiliates

  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • ©  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • MavsReport

Social Media


Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.