Dr. Nathaniel Williams’ journey from orphan and foster child to Doctor of Education, nonprofit founder, and author has been both challenging and rewarding. Dr. Williams has proven that success can be attained when a person possesses commitment, tenacity and integrity. In his career, he has fulfilled a multitude of roles including direct care worker, foster parent, house parent, entrepreneur, nonprofit and for-profit organization founder, Chief Executive Officer, adjunct professor, scholar-in-residence, talk show host and motivational speaker.
At the age of five, Dr. Williams and his 11 siblings lost their mother to a cranial aneurysm. From his mother’s death until the age of 18, he was under the authority of the New York City foster care system along with nine of his brothers and sisters. This experience left an indelible mark on his life and professional work. As an adult, he has labored continuously to offer options and opportunities to others that he and his siblings did not have when they were served by the human service system.
Dr. Williams is proud to have earned two of his four graduate degrees from the nation’s two oldest historically African American universities: a Master of Human Services (MHS) from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. After receiving these degrees, he continued his studies at Strayer University, where he attained a Master of Business Administration (MBA). In August 2007, he earned a doctorate in education (Ed.D.) at Fielding Graduate University, submitting a dissertation entitled Exploring the
Professional Development Experiences of Residential Child Care Workers as They Relate to Effectiveness and Retention. In addition, Dr. Williams received the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award from Strayer University.
Since 1993, Dr. Williams has been the President and CEO of HumanWorks Affiliates, Inc., a cluster of nine corporations focused on human services. These corporations provide group homes, foster care/life sharing, supports for individuals living independently, leisure and recreation excursions, training and professional development opportunities and gift arrangements. HumanWorks employs over two hundred people and has an operating budget of over $10 million. Prior to 1993, Dr. Williams worked as a Director of Human Resources and Operations, Unit Director, Residence Manager and Teaching Parent in organizations serving adults with mental health challenges, developmental disabilities and dependent children.
Dr. Williams is deeply interested in the area of personal and professional development and is committed to helping others realize their full potential. He devotes a great deal of time and energy to providing training and workshops for employees and community members in areas such as stress management, time management, ethics, conflict avoidance and resolution, and customer service and loyalty.
Dr. Williams serves on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc., the Sacred Heart Villa, Inc., and Vision for Equality, Inc. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs Planning Advisory Committee (for which he previously served as Co-Chair), the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Stakeholder Planning Team.
In May 2007, Dr. Williams was awarded the 2007-2008 Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI) Scholar in Residence position at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. He is Kutztown University’s first yearlong FDI scholar-in-residence. He lectures, holds discussion groups and plans articles for inclusion in journals on education and cultural diversity. He has recently taught courses in Group Dynamics, Marriage and Family Counseling and Multicultural Counseling in a graduate psychology program. Furthermore, he is currently teaching undergraduate and graduate business courses and a graduate course in human services. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at two of his alma maters – Lincoln University and Strayer University.
Dr. Williams is the author of six books. A self-help book, The Navigator of Life aids people in making balanced decisions after conducting a thorough inventory of their lives. A companion DVD which highlights three scenarios in which The Navigator of Life was used has also been developed. More information is available at www.TheNavigatorofLife.com. He is also the author of Management and Leadership by the 3Ps: Using Prompt, Pristine, and Particular Methods. The focus of this book is to provide guidance on leading a life based on solid principles and practices. More information is available at www.Managementbythe3Ps.com. The third book is titled The Mature 64: Living Life 8 x 8. This book provides insight on how we can mature to our fullest potential and contains an examination of the eight roles which should be present in our lives in the eight domains of life. More information is available at www.TheMature64.net. The fourth and fifth books respectively are, his dissertation, Professional Development of Child Care Workers, and his MBA thesis, Orientation and
On Boarding of Human Services Direct Service Personnel and Its Effect on Retention. More information is available at www.nj-williams.com and www.amazon.com . His latest book is titled The Affordability Factor: The 4Cs of Change – Releasing Yourself of “That Challenging Life Event†and Living in the Fullness of Faith and Fortitude.
Dr. Williams is a member of the National Speakers Association (www.nsaspeaker.org) and is available to deliver speeches and lectures and to facilitate retreats and meetings.
A weekly TV talk show hosted by Dr. Williams can be seen on WFMZ Channel 69 in the Philadelphia/Lehigh Valley market. The “Navigating Your Life Show with Dr. Nat Williams†is about empowerment, enlightenment, and encouragement and seeks to help its viewers reach their full potential. The half-hour long show provides useful answers to the challenges and dilemmas of everyday life.
Dr. Williams and his wife, Tade, reside in Northampton County, Pennsylvania with their seven children. One child has autism.
Dr. Nathaniel Williams website is located at:
www.nj-williams.com
August 2010
