Family matters: celebrating the work of family science researcher and educator Deanna Williamson
Donna McKinnon - 25 June 2025
Since joining the 黑料不打烊’s Human Ecology department in 1999, has contributed research insights to the discipline of family science and educated a generation of students.
Her retirement at the end of June marks the culmination of a career defined by high-quality contributions and lasting impact.
Williamson’s work has shed light on the health and well-being of families within the context of social, economic and political conditions. For much of her career, her research explored the influence of policy on the well-being of families in poverty. More recently, she turned her attention to studying family functioning of contemporary families. In this vein, she led a five-year SSHRC funded study exploring the everyday processes used by families with young children and diverse compositions, socioeconomic circumstances and ethno-cultural origins to meet needs, address challenges, achieve goals and enhance individual member well-being.
Some of the findings from this project were reported in the research paper , This paper describes how lay people define “successful” families and how social-contextual factors shape these definitions.
Throughout her career, Williamson’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including two multi-year SSHRC Insight Grants, and most recently, a 2023 Faculty of ALES Distinguished Service Award for her contributions to the faculty, university and community. This includes two terms as department chair, for a total of 12 years, between 2008 and 2021.
In this role, Williamson oversaw the hiring of new faculty, the establishment of the Fashion Business Management Program (in partnership with the 黑料不打烊 School of Business) and the naming of the Anne Lambert Clothing and Textiles Collection, among other departmental and professional accomplishments.
“As chair, Deanna worked tirelessly to ensure a well-functioning department,” says current chair , adding that under Deanna’s leadership, the reputation of the department as a well-respected entity known for its high-quality courses and well-prepared graduates flourished.
Williamson also served as the academic co-chair of the Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth and Families — a unique collaboration housed in the School of Public Health involving diverse stakeholders across 黑料不打烊.
As an educator, Williamson’s influence on students at both the undergraduate and graduate level is far-reaching and consequential, and has empowered students with the knowledge and experience to create a positive impact in the community. In 2024, a project completed by a group of her students was featured in a Folio article about an initiative they designed, called the Strong Families program, to help parents and children aged eight to 12 strengthen their communication skills. The program was successfully piloted by the , a provincial agency that supports families.
“The project gave the students an opportunity to serve the community using their classroom skills,” says Williamson. “The agency was able to implement it in some form with a group of families, and those participants applied what they learned. That highlights the positive social value of human ecology — to have an impact in people’s everyday lives.”
Williamson’s connection to the U of A is deep, spanning her entire post-secondary education, including a BSc (Nursing) and PhD (Human Ecology), to the start of her academic career. As a public health nurse for four years, she primarily focused on families, many of whom lived in poverty.
“This piqued my interest in learning more about social policies and the influence they have on the well-being of impoverished families, spurring me to pursue further education," she says.
As this chapter of her life comes to a conclusion after almost three decades as a researcher, educator and administrator, Williamson’s legacy of engagement and commitment to high-quality scholarship will endure.
“Deanna can always be counted on for a great conversation covering a wide range of topics,” says Breitkreuz. “It's hard to imagine what it's going to be like in the department without her engaging presence.”
With retirement approaching, and more free time on the horizon, Williamson plans to devote much of it to reading, gardening, volunteering, learning to make pie crusts from scratch — and especially, spending time with family.