Our Next Speaker

Thad Williamson, Ph.D., Professor UofR. Sr Policy Strategist, Office of Mayor Avula; "The Intersections of Leadership Theory and City Hall Reality"

Dr. Thad Williamson is a civic strategist and academic who currently serves as the Senior Policy Strategist for Richmond Mayor Danny Avula. Appointed part-time in January 2025, he acts as a key architect for municipal strategy. He spearheads the development and rollout of Mayor Avula’s core strategic plan, which was launched in October 2025.

He balances his civic duties as a tenured Professor of Leadership Studies and Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law at the University of Richmond Jepson School of Leadership Studies, teaching courses on justice and civil society. He is a published author whose research centers on social justice, urban politics, and anti-poverty initiatives, most recently co-authoring The Making of 21st Century Richmond (2024).

Dr. Williamson has a Ph.D. in Political Science, Harvard University. A master’s degree in religion earned from the Union Theological Seminary in New York and a BA in history and religious studies from Brown University. He is married to Dr. Adria Scharf, who serves as an educator and nonprofit executive in Richmond, Virginia.