Nonprofits/Philanthropy: ANGELA F. WILLIAMS

As the first Black woman to helm United Way Worldwide, Williams says she’s proud to have built a leadership team consisting almost entirely of people of color that reflects the perspectives and experiences of the diverse people the global nonprofit serves.

“True progress requires we make space for the folks who are directly impacted, invite them into our organizations and into our boardrooms and actually listen to their experiences and their ideas,” says Williams, who was named president and CEO of the 135-year-old organization in September 2021.

The Network Advisory Council is another new Williams initiative that aims to unite the local and state United Ways’ network leadership, improve broader communication and ensure local voices inform larger decisions.

Williams, previously president and CEO of Easterseals, faces challenging times. She arrived shortly after the abrupt departure of United Way’s former longtime leader following a third-party law firm’s examination into how internal claims of sexual harassment and discrimination had been investigated; it found nothing actionable but recommended the nonprofit review its procedures. And earlier this year, dozens of United Way Worldwide employees accepted voluntary buyouts amid a revenue shortfall, according to
The Chronicle of Philanthropy.