Monica G. Williams, Ph.D.

Texas Woman’s University’s inaugural Houston campus president, Dr. Monica G. Williams, has nearly 30 years of administrative and leadership experience in non-profit and educational sectors. Her appointment was announced earlier this month. As president, Williams will provide strategic leadership for the campus located in the Texas Medical Center, which encompasses more than 60 medical institutions. It is the largest medical center and life science destination in the world. She will work with students, faculty, staff and key stakeholders — including alumni, community members, business and industry leaders, legislators and policymakers — to ensure Texas Woman’s is a key contributor to the higher education landscape in Houston.

For the last decade, Williams has served as foundation president and vice president of advancement at the University of North Texas at Dallas. She played a key role in helping increase UNT Dallas’ enrollment by 60% during her service there. Williams has an extraordinary record of achievement in leading philanthropic efforts, securing grants and stewarding gifts. A native Houstonian, Dr. Williams is an accomplished fundraiser and passionate advocate for the underrepresented. She has devoted the majority of her career to social services and the advancement of underserved communities by raising money to support an array of worthy causes.

Before joining UNT Dallas, Dr. Williams was the Founding Managing Director of Community Partnerships for the United States Fund for UNICEF, where she led the organization’s efforts to create awareness around the plight of children living in impoverished nations. It was at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF that she worked to build organizational capacity and develop strategies for significant partnerships with diaspora groups in the United States. Her fundraising efforts have generated more than $200 million in support for multiple institutions of higher education and other well-respected not-for-profit organizations. She began her professional career as a high school English teacher and later held leadership positions at Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc., the Brown Schools, Neighborhood Centers Inc., Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, and HoustonWorks USA.

Among her most celebrated accomplishments are serving her church as a lifetime board member and being one of the co-founders of the Women’s Leadership Summit, started by The Hon. Helen Giddings and an esteemed network of African American women.

A native Houstonian, Dr. Williams holds a B.A. in journalism and an M.A. in communications from Texas Southern University, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Prairie View A&M University. She has one adult daughter, Brittaney Harvey James, and one granddaughter, Eden Grace. Dr. Williams is engaged to Ronald Robinson, who brings to their blended family three adult children and six bonus grandchildren.