Department

Kinesiology

Education

• Indiana University, Ph.D., 2010

• Indiana University, M.S., 2007

• South Carolina State University, B.S., 2005

Background

• Member, American Council on Exercise. Scientific Advisory Panel San Diego, CA (2015 – Present)
• Brand Strategist, The Houstonian Club & Spa Houston, TX (2013 – 2014) 
  Serve as marketing researcher and health club brand consultant.
• Brand Strategist, Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis, IN (2012 – 2014)
  Serve as personal brand consultant to rookies and provide lectures.
• Marketing Research Consultant, Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis, IN (2012 – 2013) 
  Conduct marketing research for brand extensions and aid in implementation.
• Brand Strategist, Indiana University Recreational Sports Bloomington, IN (2012 – 2013) 
  Conduct marketing research and aid in implementation.
• Project Manager, NFL: 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee Indianapolis, IN (2012) 
  Oversaw team of volunteers for the Riley Hospital Super Baskets of Hope.
• Member, American Council on Exercise. Industry Advisory Panel San Diego, CA (2011 – 2015)
• Program Manager, NFL: 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee Indianapolis, IN (2011) 
  Oversaw team of volunteers for the NFL 1st and Green Program.
• Member, NFL: 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee Indianapolis, IN (2010 – 2011)
  Served on the NFL Community Impact Program Committee.
• Marketing Research Consultant, Lifestyle Family Fitness Greenwood, IN. (2010 – 2011) 
  Provided advice on building brand loyalty in the health club.
• Marketing Research Consultant, Cardinal Fitness Greenwood, IN (2010 – 2011) 
  Conducted research on building brand loyalty in the health club: 2010-2011.
• Member, Board of Directors, Fair Chance Co., Indianapolis, IN (2010 – 2011)
• Associate Instructor, Department of Kinesiology Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (2006 – 2007)
• Personal Trainer and Consultant, Gold’s Gym Inc. Columbia, SC (2004 – 2006)
• Strength and Conditioning Coach, Orangeburg Wilkerson High School Orangeburg, SC (2005 – 2006)
• Research Associate (Exercise Science), South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC (2005 – 2006)
• Marketing Intern, Athletic Department, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC (2004 – 2005)
• Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC (2003 – 2004)

Scholarly Interest

My primary area of scholarly expertise is in the area of brand management in fitness, sport and public health. To this end, my research examines how fitness, sport, and public health organizations build, manage, and communicate their brands and the effects thereof.

Awards & Recognitions

• 2018 Best Student Paper Award (Faculty Advisor) at the Global Sport Business Association Conference. Nassau, Bahamas
• 2017 South Carolina State University Health and Physical Education Hall of Fame Inductee. Orangeburg, South Carolina.
• 2015 Highly Commended Research Paper Award at the Emerald Literati Awards for Excellence for paper published in Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal
• 2015 American Council on Exercise Distinguished Service Award
• 2015 Best Student Paper Award (Faculty Advisor) at the Global Sport Business Association Conference. Nassau, Bahamas

Selected Publications

Articles

[*Denotes graduate student co-author] [** Denotes publication resulting from grant data] [Award Denotes publication receiving an international or national award]

Brown, K., & Williams, A. (in press). Out of the box: A critical race theory perspective on pay for play. Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport.

Vooris, R., Clavio, G, Williams, A., & Witkemper, C. (in press). Development of a sport Twitter utilization scale. Journal of Contemporary Athletics.

Blaszka M., Walsh, P., Clavio, G., & Williams, A. (2017). A new approach: Measuring athlete brand personality on twitter. Global Sport Business Journal, 5(2) 1-18.

Wright, B., Williams, A., & Byon, K. (2017). Brand marketing via Facebook: An investigation of the marketing mix, consumer-based brand equity, and purchase intention in the fitness industry. Marketing Management Journal, 27(2) 131-142.

Walsh, P., & Williams, A. (2017). To extend or not extend a human brand: An analysis of perceived fit and attitudes towards athlete brand extensions. Journal of Sport Management, 31(1), 44-60.

Williams, A., *Wright, B., & *Blaszka, M. (2017). The biggest tweeter: Assessing brand loyalty for a celebrity trainer's twitter followers. International Journal of Sports Management, 18(1), 141-160.

*Rhenwrick, I., & Williams, A. (2016). Examining brand equity in recreational sports: A consumer-based perspective. Journal of Recreational Sports, 40(2), 120-132.

Agyemang, K., & Williams, A. (2016). Managing celebrity via impression management on social network sites (SNSs): An exploratory study of NBA celebrities. Sport Business Management: An International Journal, 6(4), 440-459.

*Lee, M., Kim, D., Williams, A., & Pedersen, P. (2016). Investigating the role of sports commentary: An analysis of media-consumption behavior and programmatic quality and satisfaction. Journal of Sport Media. 11(1), 145-167.

Martin, T.M., Suh, Y., Williams, A., Locey, J., Ramirez, J., & Alea, M. (2016). Comparative analysis of female and male coverage on ESPN's SportsCenter. Global Sport Business Journal. 4(1), 14-22.

Williams, A. & *Wright, B. (2016). Strategic fitness communication: Examining social media usage in the fitness sector of the sport industry. International Journal of Sport Management. 17(2), 1-18.

Williams, A., Kim, D., Agyemang, K., & Martin, T. (2015). All brands are not created equal: Understanding the role of athletes in sport brand architecture. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. 7(3). 75-86.

Kristiansen, E., & Williams, A. (2015). Communicating the athlete as a brand: An examination of LPGA star Suzann Pettersen. International Journal of Sport Communication. 8(3), 371-388.

Williams, A., Martin, T., & *Allen, R. (2015). Communicating through fitness: An examination of the use of athletes to communicate fitness in print media. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication. 10(4), 10-19.

Williams, A., *Kim, D., Walsh, P., & *Choi, W. (2015). What children love about athletes: An assessment of athlete brand associations among youth consumers. Global Sport Business Journal. 3(1), 63-77.

Walsh, P., Williams, A., *Kim, D., & *Choi, W. (2015). What a team brand means to youth: An examination of team brand associations held by youth fans. International Journal of Sport Management, Recreation, and Tourism. 19(c). https://www.ijsmart.eu/2021/04/20/year-2015-volume-19-issue-c/

Williams, A., Walsh, P., & *Rhenwrick, I. (2015). A conceptual framework for assessing brand equity in professional athletes. International Journal of Sport Management.16(1), 77-97.

Williams, A., *Rhenwrick, I., Agyemang, K., & *Pantaleoni, A. (2015). An exploratory study of women club members' experiences with an NFL franchise brand extension. Sport, Business, Management: An International Journal. 5(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/SBM-10-2012-0045

Agyemang, K., Williams, A., & *Kim, D. (2014). "Scandalous!": Reputation, impression management, and employee assistance programs in the NBA. Sport Management Review. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2014.11.003

*Martin, T., & Williams, A., Whisenant, W., & Dees, W. (2014). Mixed martial arts (MMA) and the media: Using the content analytic method to examine the print communication coverage devoted to an emerging sport. Public Organization Review. DOI: 10.1007/s11115-014-0283-x

**Williams, A., *Wright, B., & Williams, C. (2014). Juxtaposing sport and public health: The case of Fit University, Inc., Sport Management International Journal Choregia, 10(1), 57-70.

**Williams, A., & *Kim, D. (2014). Role of self-efficacy in youth exercise commitment and participation. The Sport Management International Journal, 10(1), 30-43.

AwardWalsh, P., *Rhenwrick, I., Williams, A, & *Waldburger, A. (2014). Brand extension or team licensed product? An examination of consumer awareness of two distinct brand strategies. Sport, Business, Management: An International Journal, 4(2).

Williams, A., *Kim, D., & *Pantaleoni, A. (2014). Examining sport advertisements: The effect of cause-related marketing (CRM) messages and endorsements. Global Sport Business Journal, 2(1), 1-21.

Williams, A., *Rhenwrick, I., *Wright, B., *Choi, W., *Kim, D., & Vickey, T. (2014). Building viable fitness brands: Importance of brand communication strategies in attracting potential health club members. International Journal of Sport Management, Recreation, and Tourism, 14, 49-68. http://dx.doi.org/DOI: 10.5199/ijsmart-1791-874X-15d

Vickey, T., Breslin, J., & Williams, A. (2013). Fitness?there's an app for that. The International Journal of Sport and Society, 3(4), 109-122.

Agyemang, K., & Williams, A. (2013). Creating revenue via organizational 'brandpression' management (OBpM): A marriage of brand management and impression management in professional sport. International Journal of Revenue Management, 7(2), 171-181.

Walsh, P., *Zimmerman, M., Clavio, G., & Williams, A. (2013). Comparing brand awareness levels of in-game advertising in sport video games featuring visual and verbal cues. Communication & Sport Journal.

Williams, C., & Williams, A. (2013). Hitting calories out of the ballpark: An examination of the FDA's new menu labeling laws and their impact on sport spectatorship. Loyola Consumer Law Review, 25(2/3) 248-265.

Williams, A., Pedersen, P.M., & Walsh, P. (2012). Brand associations in the fitness segment of the sport industry in the United States: Extending spectator sport branding conceptualizations to participatory sport. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, (October), 34-50.

Williams, A., & Pedersen, P. (2012). Investigating service quality and exercise commitment as antecedents in the sport industry: An examination of the role that direct experiences have on the development of brand associations. International Journal of Sport Management, 13(1), 104-114.

Armbruster, C., Marquette, D.,& Williams, A. (2011). Educators and fitness equipment manufacturers collaborating for the benefit of the end user. American College of Sport Medicine Health and Fitness Journal, 14(4), 18-23.