The Gulf Coast Community Resilience Conference
Thursday, March 26th, 2026 | Beaumont, Texas
Resilience Through History
About Our Event
The “Resilience through History” Conference brings together academic researchers and community to highlight and celebrate the resilient spirit of SETX. By studying and sharing the history of resilience, we aim to inform development and innovation, gain understanding of our communities, and connect with each other at present.Hosted By
Theme
Resilience Through History
Date
Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time
Check In At 8:30AM
Conference Location
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705
Attire
Business Casual
Contact
Cfr@lamar.edu
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Parking and Directions
Conference parking lot C-2, C-3, T-2, T-3, and J-4 is FREE
Clear signage will be posted on the day of the event and walking directions to the Setzer Student Center will be provided prior to the conference to ensure smooth arrival.
Event Parking Pass | Print Out And Display On Dash
Interactive Campus Map
Meals Provided By
Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts
In an effort to provide an educational experience meals have been prepared by the Lamar University Nutrition, Hospitality and Human Services Program.
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Thursday, March 26, 2026
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| 8:30 - 8:55 a.m. |
Registration & BreakfastBreakfast Burritos, Yogurt, Fresh Fruit, & Assorted Muffins Provided By Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts |
| 8:55 - 9:00 a.m. |
WelcomeBrian Williams, Exec. Director for Center for Resiliency, Lamar University |
| 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. |
Research Session 1From Surviving To Thriving: Early Patterns of Resiliency From The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century USA
Chair/Respondent | Jimmy Bryan, Professor & Department Chair of History, Lamar University |
| 10:15 - 10:30 a.m. |
BreakFresh Fruit, Muffins, Coffee, Decaf Coffee, Hot Tea, & Water |
| 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. |
Research Session 2Learning From History: Evolving Patterns Of Resiliency In Rural Texas And Beyond
Chair/Respondent | Tom Sowers, Professor and Chair, Department of Political Science, Lamar Univ. |
| 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. |
LunchVegetarian Enchiladas,Mesquite-Smoked Beef Brisket, Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Topped with Au Jus, Vegetarian Dirty Rice,Green Beans, and Roll Provided By Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts
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| 1:15 - 2:15 p.m. |
Community Resilience Panel
This panel brings together local leaders from across Southeast Texas who are on the front lines of service, disaster response, and community support. Through shared experiences and lessons learned, panelists will highlight the power of collaboration, compassion, and innovation in building resilient communities.
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| 2:15 - 2:30 p.m. |
BreakGrab and Go Desserts| Red Velvet Tres Leche, Praline Cookies, Lemon-Blueberry Bars |
| 2:30 - 3:15 p.m. |
Smart Storm Demo
Presented by Jimmy Guzman |Training Specialist, Center for Resiliency , Lamar University
Tribute
Presented by Alex Williams III | Social Work Student Intern, Center for Resiliency ,Lamar UniversityRecipient Kenny Jones| Captain Salvation Army Jefferson County Acknowledgements & ClosingBrian Williams| Exec. Director for Center for Resiliency, Lamar University |
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Thank You Cat5 For Sponsoring The Beverages At The Gulf Coast Community Conference |
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Life Share Blood Center
Conference Speakers
Don E. Albrecht
Keynote Speaker
Don E. Albrecht
Keynote Speaker
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 11:45 pm
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Rebecca Boone
Dean of College Arts and Science, Lamar University
Rebecca Boone
Dean of College Arts and Science, Lamar University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1
Conference Location:
Lamar 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 Lamar University.
Fior Daliso García Lara
Assistant Professor, University of Texas, El Paso
Fior Daliso García Lara
Assistant Professor, University of Texas, El Paso
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1
Conference Location:
Lamar 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).
Gordon S. Williams
Lamar University Television Studio Operations Manager, SETCAST Director
Gordon S. Williams
Lamar University Television Studio Operations Manager, SETCAST Director
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Jimmy Bryan
Professor & Department Chair of History, Lamar University
Jimmy Bryan
Professor & Department Chair of History, Lamar University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 9:00AM | Research Session 1
Conference Location:
Lamar 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
Jean Lonie Dudley
Assistant Professor & Co-Director of the Center for Rural Resilience,Tarleton State University
Jean Lonie Dudley
Assistant Professor & Co-Director of the Center for Rural Resilience,Tarleton State University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Meggan Franks
Assistant Professor & LaHouse Research & Education Center, Biological and Agricultural Engineering,Louisiana State University
Meggan Franks
Assistant Professor & LaHouse Research & Education Center, Biological and Agricultural Engineering,Louisiana State University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Rubayet Bin Mustafiz
Assistant Professor & LaHouse Research & Education Center, Louisiana State University
Rubayet Bin Mustafiz
Assistant Professor & LaHouse Research & Education Center, Louisiana State University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Monica Farris
Assistant Professor & Director of the Applied Hazards Research Center, University of New Orleans
Monica Farris
Assistant Professor & Director of the Applied Hazards Research Center, University of New Orleans
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Brittny Bratcher-Rasmus
Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Lamar University
Brittny Bratcher-Rasmus
Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Lamar University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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 Lamar 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.
Amanda L. Divin
Associate Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Lamar University
Amanda L. Divin
Associate Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Lamar University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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”
Thomas Sowers
Professor & Department Chair of Political Science, Lamar University
Thomas Sowers
Professor & Department Chair of Political Science, Lamar University
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 10:30AM | Research Session 2
Conference Location:
Lamar 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
Dante Salgado
Captain, The Salvation Army
Dante Salgado
Captain, The Salvation Army
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel
Conference Location:
Lamar 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 The Salvation Army 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.
Kayla White
Executive Director, Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center
Kayla White
Executive Director, Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel
Conference Location:
Lamar 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.
Chris Robertson
Executive Director, Some Other Place
Chris Robertson
Executive Director, Some Other Place
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel
Conference Location:
Lamar 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 Some Other Place 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 Lamar 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 Lamar University’s Cardinal Hero Award in 2021. He continues to mentor Lamar 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.
Amanda Gibson
Chief Operating Officer, TAN Healthcare
Amanda Gibson
Chief Operating Officer, TAN Healthcare
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel
Conference Location:
Lamar 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 TAN Healthcare 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.
Debbie Perkins
Executive Director, United Board of Missions
Debbie Perkins
Executive Director, United Board of Missions
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel
Conference Location:
Lamar 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 United Board of Missions in 2020 and has been in the role of Executive Director since March 2021.
John Rollins
Moderator
John Rollins
Moderator
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 1:15PM | Community Resilience Panel
Conference Location:
Lamar University
Setzer Student Center
4405 Jimmy Simmons Blvd
Beaumont, TX 77705
John Rollins
Associate Director Community Relations & Public Affairs
jsrollins@lamar.edu
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