Director of Research
Florida Commission on Human Relations
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Dr. Conners directs agency research and assists in formulating policy for the Florida Commission on Human Relations. He holds a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology and Human Systems from Florida State University and has more than two decades' experience working for and consulting with numerous public and private sector institutions and agencies in matters ranging from institutional research to race relations. Shortly after earning his doctorate in the late eighties, Dr. Conners joined FSU's African American Studies faculty, conducting research in race conflict theory, race relations and multicultural education and curriculum development. During his tenure at FSU, he was principal investigator for a three-year, U. S. Department of Justice-sponsored project investigating racial disparities in Florida's juvenile justice system. From 2002 through 2007, Dr. Conners served as senior consultant for MGT of America, a Tallahassee-based government consulting firm, where he directed or participated in 19 disparity studies for state and local government entities, examining their utilization of minority and women-owned businesses. He is a published author and has delivered presentations on group conflict and race relations topics in dozens of professional and educational forums around the country. He remains an active member of several professional associations, including the Association for Conflict Resolution and the American Educational Research Association and also serves with the North Florida Regional Domestic Security Task Force as a consultant in bioterrorism response preparedness.
