ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 11:45 pm

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Theme: “Community Resilience through Sports”

Don E. Albrecht is a former faculty member and football recruiter from Texas A&M University. After retiring from his academic position, he has completed a book about the racial integration in Texas high school football titled "Blinded by the Lights: Texas High Football and the Myth of Integration.” He is currently working on a book about the integration of Southern College football with his son Mathew.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: From Surviving To Thriving: Early Patterns of Resiliency From The Eighteenth-Century USA

Theme:"Real Lives in the Eighteenth Century: Survival and Endurance in Difficult Times”

Rebecca Ard Boone is the author of four books, War, Domination, and the Monarchy of France, Mercurino di Gattinara and the Creation of the Spanish Empire, Real Lives in the Sixteenth Century, and Real Lives in the Eighteenth Century. She earned her Ph.D. in early-modern European history from Rutgers University in 2000 and currently serves as Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professor of History at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: From Surviving To Thriving: Early Patterns of Resiliency From The Eighteenth-Century USA

Theme: “Rivers, Seasons, and Survival: Indigenous Resilience in 18th-Century Southeast Texas"

Fior Daliso García Lara, a native of Mérida, Yucatán, is a historian of the borderlands specializing in Native American and environmental history. She earned her Ph.D. in History from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her doctoral dissertation examines the 18th-century Choctaw experience in Spanish Louisiana and the establishment of imperial frontiers from an environmental perspective. Her research has appeared in publications including “Nature, Displacement, and Choctaw Migration in the Louisiana–Texas Border in the Late Eighteenth Century” (The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record, 2023) and “Piracy and Smuggling on the Eastern Colonial Frontier of the Yucatán Peninsula during the Eighteenth Century” in Coloniality in the Maya Lowlands: Archaeological Perspectives (University Press of Colorado, 2022).

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: From Surviving To Thriving: Early Patterns of Resiliency From The Eighteenth-Century USA

Theme: “Documenting Joy: Celebrating Black Communities in East & Southeast Texas”

Gordon S. Williams in the filmmaker and documentarian of Beaumont’s Black History—In Moving Pictures brings to light the stories of African Americans in Beaumont. His award-winning short films, “The Example” and “They Will Talk About Us: The Charlton-Pollard Story” were the first visual media productions to document that history. He received a “Special Congressional Recognition” from United States Representative Brian Babin for this work. Beaumont’s Black History—In Moving Pictures” work was added to the collection at The Black Film & Cinema Archive at Indiana University; this is the only archive in the world devoted solely to films by and about Black people. Williams was named a Fellow of the East Texas Historical Association in October 2025.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: From Surviving To Thriving: Early Patterns of Resiliency From The Eighteenth-Century USA

Chair/Respondent

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme:"Cultivating Resilience: The Evolution of Disaster Responses in Agricultural Communities of Central Texas"

Dr. Jean Lonie Dudley is Assistant Professor of Agricultural Industries and co-director of the Center for Rural Resilience at Tarleton State University. She is a scholar and practitioner focused on agricultural community development, rural resilience, and capacity building in farming and ranching communities. Her work integrates historical analysis, community-based research, and applied resilience frameworks to inform policy and practice.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme: “Codes, Costs, and Compliance: A Post Katrina History of Resilient Building Policy in Louisiana, with Implications for Southeast Texas”

 Meggan Franks is an Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University specializing in community resilience, participatory evaluation, and adoption of hazard resistant practices. Her research integrates mixed methods to explain how policy, incentives, and perceptions shape household decisions about better than minimum building measures. She has led applied projects with youth and adult stakeholders using participatory mapping and appreciative inquiry and is currently advancing work on resilient housing adoption and climate related anxiety as it intersects with community adoption and adaptation.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme: “Codes, Costs, and Compliance: A Post Katrina History of Resilient Building Policy in Louisiana, with Implications for Southeast Texas”

Rubayet Bin Mustafiz is an Assistant Research Professor focused on community resilience and hazard mitigation, with emphasis on how technical standards and policy shape household and builder decisions in flood‑prone regions. His work integrates historical policy analysis with applied methods to translate code requirements into practice. He collaborates with practitioners and local governments to produce actionable guidance that improves uptake of better than minimum measures in Gulf Coast communities.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme: “Codes, Costs, and Compliance: A Post Katrina History of Resilient Building Policy in Louisiana, with Implications for Southeast Texas”

Monica Farris is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Applied Hazards Research Center at the University of New Orleans. Her work focuses on disaster policy, hazard mitigation, and community resilience in Gulf Coast contexts. She has led and contributed to multi-institutional research on flood plain management, recovery governance, and the translation of technical standards into local ordinance and practice. Her portfolio includes collaborations with local governments and federal partners that connect historical policy change to present outcomes in risk reduction and equity.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme:“Before the Pandemic: The Evolution of Public Health Resilience in Southeast Texas”

Dr. Brittny Bratcher-Rasmus is a public health educator, researcher, and advocate focused on advancing health equity through education, community engagement, and workforce development. She is an Assistant Professor at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University, teaching courses in health program planning, community health, and health literacy. With over a decade of experience in higher education, nonprofit leadership, and federal health equity initiatives, she also served as Program Director at a healthcare consulting firm managing federal contracts to create culturally responsive training programs.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme:“Before the Pandemic: The Evolution of Public Health Resilience in Southeast Texas”

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond

Theme:“Before the Pandemic: The Evolution of Public Health Resilience in Southeast Texas”

Chair/Respondent

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Stories that Shape Resilience in SETX

BIO:
Captain Dante Salgado serves as the Corps Officer for in Orange County, overseeing all operations of the Church, Social Services, Red Shield Youth Center, Family Store, and Emergency Disaster Services. Alongside his wife, Captain Tiffany Salgado, he leads a team committed to meeting human need in His name without discrimination.

Dante was born in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. At age nine, his family moved to Houston, where he became involved with The Salvation Army through its Boys & Girls Club and music programs. These experiences shaped his faith and sense of calling. He and Tiffany were ordained and commissioned as officers in June 2016, serving in San Antonio and Pasadena before being appointed to Orange.

Captain Salgado has led responses to hurricanes, flooding, extreme weather, and regional disasters. He works closely with local emergency management, the Red Cross, United Way, and civic partners to ensure coordinated service delivery. Under his leadership, The Salvation Army in Orange County has strengthened its disaster feeding capabilities, volunteer mobilization systems, and community recovery partnerships.

The Salgados are parents to four children: Jubilee, Jedidiah, Jesse, and one child in heaven. In Pasadena, they were honored with the Key to the City for their community work. Now in Orange, they continue their mission to serve selflessly and lead with compassion, creativity, and integrity.

Captain Salgado is passionate about building partnerships, investing in youth, and restoring dignity to families in need. His leadership reflects his deep belief that faith and service belong together.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Stories that Shape Resilience in SETX

BIO:
Kayla White has secured millions of dollars in grant funding, organized and managed countless fundraising initiatives, and helped organizations build sustainable strategies for long-term programmatic success. Her expertise has made her a sought-after speaker and facilitator across Texas. She has contributed to nonprofit conferences and civic group events statewide, most recently leading a breakout session at the 2025 Texas Nonprofit Summit, presenting at the BBB of Southeast Texas 2024 Professional Women’s Conference, and serving on a 2025 United Way of Mid & South Jefferson County panel focused on winning grant proposals. In addition, she regularly speaks to Rotary clubs and civic organizations, sharing practical, real-world insights to strengthen nonprofit leadership and impact.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Stories that Shape Resilience in SETX

BIO:
Christopher Robertson serves as Executive Director of in Beaumont, where he leads efforts to provide food assistance, basic needs support, and community resources to vulnerable individuals and families across Southeast Texas. A graduate of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University, Christopher earned his bachelor’s degree in social work and was recognized as Social Work Student of the Year and winner of the Big Idea Competition.

Previously, Christopher served as Director of Disaster Response and Emergency Assistance at Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas, where he led Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, including a FEMA-funded long-term disaster recovery program serving more than 1,100 households across four Southeast Texas counties. He also helped lead Market to Hope, Southeast Texas’ first client-choice food pantry, which served more than 25,000 individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A pillar of the Southeast Texas community and an active supporter of regional resiliency efforts for more than a decade, Christopher is a former President of Southeast Texas VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) and recipient of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University’s Cardinal Hero Award in 2021. He continues to mentor ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University social work students and is the President of the City of Beaumont Mayor’s Coalition for the Homeless network. His work serving vulnerable populations has received national recognition from NBC News and several other networks.

Through collaboration, service, and disaster-response leadership, Christopher continues to strengthen partnerships and build resilient communities across Southeast Texas.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Stories that Shape Resilience in SETX

BIO:
Amanda Gibson, Chief, has over a decade of leadership at and deep roots in Southeast Texas, Amanda is passionate about expanding access to care and strengthening community resilience. From mobile medical outreach after Hurricane Harvey to regional leadership roles, she's helping build a healthier, stronger SETX. 

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

Topic: Stories that Shape Resilience in SETX

BIO: 
Debbie Perkins was born in Port Arthur and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. She grew up in a busy household with 5 sisters and 1 brother.

Most of her life was spent in Houston and she also lived in Dallas, Orlando, back to Houston, South Florida and finally back home to the Golden Triangle. Debbie has 2 adult sons, one lives in Houston and the other lives in Medellin, Colombia.

Her work history was centered on Real Estate, Title, Mortgage Banking and her own Construction Inspections business with additional entrepreneurial gigs to complement her experiences.

Her servant’s heart drew her to volunteer with Houston Livestock and Rodeo (5 years), Houston Hospice (6 years) , Quota Club, and currently serves Port Arthur SERTOMA as Vice President. Additionally, she is active in her church, Providence church of Southeast Texas. She was recognized as a Christian Faith Woman of Virtue honoree 2025.

Debbie came onboard with in 2020 and has been in the role of Executive Director since March 2021.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel

Conference Location: 
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705

John Rollins
Associate Director Community Relations & Public Affairs
jsrollins@lamar.edu