Dr Brian Richardson; Shattered Trust: Unveiling the Trauma Faced by Whistleblowers and their families (audio)

In this conversation, David and Naomi talk with Dr Brian Richardson, a communications expert at the University of North Texas, who has conducted research on whistleblowers and the impact on their families. Brian explains that his interest in this subject began when he observed the negative response faced by a college basketball player who blew the whistle on his coach's abusive behaviour. This led him to question why individuals who speak the truth and raise concerns are often punished instead of celebrated. Brian's research focuses on the communication dynamics within families of whistleblowers and how they cope with the challenges they face. He highlights the importance of communal coping and negotiating how much conversation should be dedicated to the issue. Brian also discusses the use of metaphors by whistleblowers to describe their experiences and the need for families to maintain connections with outside support systems. He emphasizes the traumatic impact whistleblowing can have on families and the importance of providing resources and support for them.

Dr. Richardson is still interviewing whistleblowers and family members. If you are able to participate his email address is. brian.richardson@unt.edu

Dr. Brian Richardson earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001, where he
then joined the faculty in Communication Studies at the University of North Texas. Specializing
his research in organizational whistleblowing, crisis/disaster communication, and sport
communication, Dr. Richardson was promoted to Associate Professor in 2008 and then recently
to the level of Full Professor. His research has been published in prominent venues including
Management Communication Quarterly, Human Communication Research, International
Journal of Business Communication, Communication and Sport, and the Journal of Applied
Communication Research. Dr. Richardson’s whistleblowing research has examined
whistleblowers in the collegiate sport industry, within K-12 educational contexts, and how
whistleblowing impacts families. He has also led Study Abroad programs in Peru, Nicaragua,
and Panama, and most recently, he won awards for Excellence in Graduate Teaching (2022) and
for Excellence in Mentoring via the Ulys and Vera Knight Faculty Mentor Award (2023). He has
conducted communication training for a variety of organizations including the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs – Houston office, Texas Association of Fire Chiefs, UNT System, UNT Health
Science Center, Texas Association of County Auditors, and the Texas Department of Family &
Protective Services.