Daniel Williams

Daniel Williams was appointed to the GRCC board of trustees in June, 2020 and was elected to a full term that started on Jan. 1, 2022 and runs through Dec. 31, 2026.

Daniel Williams, Ed. D. is the President and CEO the Steelcase Foundation, where he has led the revision of the foundation’s giving strategies to uplift community voice and provide more intentional support for partners while leveraging the foundation’s influence and expertise to drive and support larger-scale social change.

Previously, trustee Williams was president and CEO of the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology.

A leader in urban education and facilitator in design thinking, Daniel works to advance equity in education and workforce development.

Prior to WMCAT, he served as co-founder and principal of Grand Rapids University Prep Academy, the first Centers of Innovation School in Grand Rapids Public Schools. While at UPrep, Daniel led his team to achieve record graduation rates and college acceptance rates. He was also named "Principal of the Year" by Grand Rapids Public Schools for 2014-15.

At WMCAT, Daniel worked to bring equity and innovation to West Michigan, the state of Michigan and now on a national level. He presents on best practices in two-generation family supports at The Aspen Institute and sits on its ASCEND two-generation post-secondary workgroup.

Trustee Williams' community work around racial equity and opportunity contributed to WMCAT’s work to provide equitable access to social and economic opportunity, as well as the growth and progress of West Michigan.

In 2018, Daniel was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to join the Michigan Consortium of Advanced Networks that help usher in equal access to affordable broadband connectivity. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2019 appointed him as vice chairperson of the MI-STEM Council.

Trustee Williams was also recognized with the 2019 Trust Award from the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan. He is a three-time 40 under 40 recipient, was named the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 40 under 40 Distinguished Alumni, and was honored with the Phyllis Scott Activist Award by GRCC's Woodrick Center for Diversity.

Trustee Williams has a Doctorate in Education for Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, he received his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University and his Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa.