Commissioner Carolyn Williams partners with nonprofit leaders and organizations to create meaningful change. She is a professional, certified life and executive coach and volunteers as a restorative justice mediator working with youth, impacted persons, and families to achieve mutually agreeable outcomes. With more than 35 years in consulting and corporate America, her experience covers organizational development, training and development, and corporate philanthropy.
Her professional background includes evaluation research, large-scale systems change, creating and managing large philanthropic initiatives, employee program development, and community leadership. She has evaluated cultural change programs; trained managers and leaders; managed multimillion-dollar philanthropic budgets, employee programs, and community initiatives; and led or worked with small to large (over $1-billion) nonprofit organizations and institutions.
Recently selected as a Commissioner for the Los Angeles County Redistricting Commission, she currently serves on a number of local boards. These include the Dymally Institute at California State University, Dominguez Hills (founding board chair); Center for Nonprofit Management; Towne Street Theater; Lynwood Education Partners Foundation; Executive Support Network; and Women in Leadership Vital Voices (executive committee). Other past involvement includes founding board member/Emeritus University of Southern California (USC) Price School of Public Policy, Downtown Women’s Center (former board chair), United Way Community Investment Committee, USC Black Alumni, Council on Foundations Corporate Committee, and the Conference Board Education Committee.
Carolyn has been recognized over the years for her community work, receiving awards from All Peoples Community Center, the Downtown Women’s Center, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, National College Resources Foundation, Southeast Communities Intervention & Prevention Programs, NAACP, Sickle Cell Disease Research Foundation, and the Greater African American Chamber of Commerce, among others.
Carolyn holds a B.A. in psychology from Louisiana Tech University, a Master of Public Administration from USC, and professional certificates from Boston College, USC, the Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Association for Talent Development. She has done other graduate-level study at California State University, Los Angeles (psychology); Cal Poly Pomona (business management); and USC where she completed all Ph.D. coursework in applied behavioral science. She is also a fellow/graduate of California Connections, Leadership California, Leadership Southern California, and the Management Action Program. She enjoys theater, traveling, reading, and has one son, Joshua, who is a chef/actor/singer.