David Williams

David Williams is a native Memphian and president & CEO of Leadership Memphis, a community leadership organization founded in 1978. The mission of Leadership Memphis is "to build a great Memphis by building great leaders".

Williams joined Leadership Memphis in November 2004 after his consulting firm, The Williams Company, facilitated the organization's strategic plan and after he served as interim president & CEO following the retirement of Pan Awsumb in June 2004. Since joining Leadership Memphis the organization has increased the number of graduates from 50 to 150 per year, and has added action initiatives such as the Memphis Talent Dividend: College Attainment Initiative, Imagine Memphis and the SUCCESS High School Initiative.

As president of The Williams Company, a consulting practice founded in 2000, Williams specializes in helping nonprofits that serve disadvantaged populations.

Mr. Williams has his undergraduate degree from the School of Journalism at the University of Memphis and his MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver. He also graduated from the Healthier Communities Fellowship program directed by The Health Forum of San Francisco, a division of the American Hospital Association. He has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Urban and Nonprofit Administration at the University of Memphis.

Prior to consulting, Williams' background included years of public relations, marketing, planning and community service with Playhouse on the Square, Opera Memphis, Towery Publishing, the Morris Advertising Agency, St. Joseph Hospital and Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation.

In his capacity as Vice President of Marketing and Community Development for St. Joseph Hospital in Memphis, Williams received awards from the American Hospital Association, the Tennessee Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, the Society for Health Care Strategy and Market Development, the American Society for Healthcare Marketing, and the Academy for Health Services Marketing.

Having served on over 20 nonprofit boards, he currently serves as a past board chair for Playhouse on the Square, as well as the chair of the Memphis Public Library and Information Center board of trustees.