Bio

Joni Williamson, former Director of Athletics at Warren Wilson College and former NCAA Assistant Director for Academic and Membership Affairs, was appointed Assistant to the Commissioner of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in June 2022.

"Working with the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council, overseeing an initiative to recruit GNAC student-athletes to become new officials for the 22 sports the GNAC sponsors, NCAA and GNAC compliance, managing the annual GNAC Swimming and Driving Championships, and assisting with Player of the Week selections are all part of the responsibilities that Joni will be working on," said Commissioner Joe Walsh while making the announcement.

"I am very excited to serve in this role and support Commissioner Walsh and the GNAC members," said Williamson. "Thank you for this opportunity, and I look forward to getting started."

Williamson holds a doctorate in global sport leadership from East Tennessee State University and a master's degree in recreation and sport science, specializing in coaching education, from Ohio University. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Evansville, where she was a four-year varsity swimming student-athlete. 

In addition to her time at the NCAA, Joni also served as the associate athletic director/SWA at Wittenberg University, promotions director at Wright State University, and compliance coordinator/event and facility operation assistant at Washington State University. She also served as Warren Wilson's Director of Athletics and Adventure Sports from May 2018 to 2022.