Brandy Runyan

Dr. Brandy Runyan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at East Texas A&M University, part of the College of Education and Human Services. She teaches courses in sport management, with a focus on ethics and leadership, and is actively involved in curriculum development for the Sport and Recreation Management program. Her office is located in Nursing and Health Sciences 165D, and she can be reached at Brandy.Runyan@etamu.edu.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Sports Leadership from Concordia University Chicago (2023), an M.S. in Health, Kinesiology and Sports Studies – Athletic Administration from East Texas A&M University (2019), and a B.S. in Global Education from the same institution (2017).

Dr. Runyan's research and teaching interests emphasize ethical leadership, sport law, mental health in elite athletes, and professional athlete management. Her work bridges academic instruction and real-world sport management practice, informed by her experience as founder of Black Diamond PR & Sport Management and as a Canadian Football League Agent Advisor.

Although no recent articles are listed, her scholarly and professional focus spans sport ethics, governance, public relations, and athlete advocacy, indicating a strong interdisciplinary engagement in sport management and leadership.

• Marketing Director of the Year, Dallas 9/11 Stair Climb, 2017
• Top Women in Business in Dallas, 2019

Dr. Runyan mentors students in the Sport and Recreation Management program and is developing new courses to prepare future sport agents and publicists. She is also working on the second edition of her book, Diamond in the Rough: The Free Agent's Guide to Being Lost and Getting Found. Her professional affiliations include the Canadian Football League Players Association, Public Relations Society of America, National Society of Leadership, North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), and Sport Marketing Association (SMA). She has served on executive boards for non-profits such as Youth for Empowerment and the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

Dr. Runyan leads the ROARHP Lab and integrates her firm’s operations—Black Diamond PR & Sport Management—into experiential learning opportunities for students. Her philanthropic efforts support Team Up Speak Up and The Concussion Legacy Foundation, aligning with her advocacy for mental health and safety in sports.