Educator and author Lea Williams has made a career of leadership and advocacy in higher learning.
“The breadth and depth of her education, her writing, her civic engagement and her commitment to inclusivity and diversity make her an example of a well-lived life in true servant leadership,” said Florence Gatten, who nominated Williams for the 7 Over Seventy award.
Williams, who has a doctorate in education, was the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs career accomplishments at N.C. A&T University, where she led innovate academic-program-assessment initiatives and was the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools liaison for the university’s re-accreditation.
“In teaching, and also in working with nonprofit organizations, I never looked for a career that necessarily paid a lot, but found a career that was fulfilling,” Williams said.
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Williams has a notable track record for securing funding for the university and nonprofit organizations, including grants from the Charles A. Dana Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Ford Foundation, Lilly Endowment, North Carolina Humanities Council, and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
Williams’ cut her grant writing teeth when she worked for the United Negro College Fund. There she developed curriculum enrichment and faculty development for the fund’s member institutions. That experience landed her in the role as executive director of the Women’s Leadership Institute at Bennett College. Later, she served on the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, where she was a member of the Grantmaking Impact Team.
Williams models her life on servant leadership – a kind of leadership based on Judeo-Christian principals.
“The idea is that people are interested in serving the least among us and doing selfless acts to help those in need of help,” Williams said.
Servant leadership resonates with her because of her experiences growing up in a small African American community centered around education and the Black church, she said.
“I witnessed a nurturing environment in that community,” Williams said. “I saw a lot of examples of people doing much with little… especially among the women.”
Williams was inspired by the strong women in her community and said her admiration of those women guided her in life. While at Bennett College, she managed to procure funding for two series of women speakers.
Williams is also a prolific writer. She has written books on Civil Rights leaders, including a young adult biography on Ella Baker.
“Writing for me has been a wonderful advocation because it fits my personality,” she said.
Williams profiled several Civil Rights leaders in a collection called “Servants of the People: The 1960s Legacy of African American Leadership,” which she later revised to include more women.
Williams is never far from a campus of higher learning and continues to teach as an adjunct instructor at GTCC.
“I have a passion for teaching and for sharing what I have learned with others,” Williams said. “Young people should be open to discovering new things and new avenues of expression.”
Particularly young women.
“I would say to young women to find out what is your passion and make it your career.”
