Williams is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, an established poet, and Reed’s first Dean for Institutional Diversity. As Dean, Williams evaluates the current state of diversity at Reed and works in conjunction with a variety of other departments at Reed to establish and strengthen programs that promote multiculturalism. Williams’ vision of diversity includes expanding the socioeconomic range of the students who attend Reed, and also bringing diversity more prominently into the conversations that happen at Reed in classes and beyond. She says, “I think of diversity as fully engaging peoples’ visible and invisible differences as part of the intellectual project of the college. Any conversation is richer when it includes many people from a variety of backgrounds and when they are able to fully articulate their whole selves.”
In the past, Williams has served on the board of the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Centerand Write Around Portland. In October, Williams was appointed by John Kitzhaber to the Oregon Arts Commission.