Assistant Director of Programs

William Rogers, who goes by the nickname "Brother", is the assistant director for programs. Before joining the Stennis Center in 1990, Brother served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Representative Donald Payne of New Jersey. Brother graduated magna cum laude in 1987 from the University of Alabama, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics, was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and was selected as a Harry S. Truman Scholar from Mississippi. He holds a master's degree in public affairs (MPA) from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He grew up in Brandon, Mississippi and was a high school exchange student in Japan.

Brother is active in community affairs. He currently serves as president of the Starkville chapter of Parents for Public Schools. He is a past president and past lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis Club of Starkville and past vice president of the Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity affiliate. He is a past president of the Board of Directors for the United Way of North Central Mississippi and was the 2002 chair of their annual fund raising campaign. Under his leadership, the United Way set a new fund raising record. He served eight years as the facilitator for the Race Relations Team of the Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce and is responsible for the Cool Papa Bell historical marker in Starkville. He is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News. Brother has been a scout leader for ten years and is chairman of the Troop Committee for Boy Scout Troop 14. He has coached youth soccer and youth baseball teams. He teaches Sunday School at First United Methodist Church, where he served on the Staff/Parish Committee.

He currently is an adjunct professor in the Honors College at the University of Alabama.

In April 1998, Brother chaired the Summit for Oktibbeha County's Future, a conference focused on helping at-risk youth. In the spring of 2000, he spent four weeks in China with a delegation from Mississippi on a Rotary Group Study Exchange trip. An avid traveler, he has visited all 50 U.S. state capitals and more than 25 national parks. Brother is a season ticket holder for University of Alabama football, and has read more than 60 presidential biographies. He and his son Andrew, age 14, enjoy sports and traveling.