Caritas Family Solutions welcomes Dr. Teresa Williams as ED, Community Services
Dr. Teresa Williams
Caritas Family Solutions recently welcomed Dr. Teresa Williams into the newly created position of Executive Director of Community Services. Dr. Williams joins the nonprofit with decades of experience in higher education leadership. She also has a background in managing budgets for large institutions, securing and writing federal grants and ensuring federal/state compliance.
Williams will provide direct oversight of several Caritas’ programs including Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILA), Fox River Apartments, Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and Fontebella Maternity Home.
“This new position was created in the hope of growing our community services and providing excellent support to people in need who are experiencing homelessness, physical/mental challenges and elderly in need of services,” said Caritas Family Solutions CEO Gary Huelsmann. “We want to serve these populations more and we believe Dr. Williams is the perfect person to help us do that. She is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years of experience in grant management, grant writing, community engagement, and expertise around systems and programs. She is a giver of knowledge and empowerment and most of all, a great fit to Caritas Family Solutions’ mission.”
Williams said some of her goals are to help expand the reach of CILA and Fox River and consider new ways to increase the impact SCSEP and Fontebella Maternity Home programs have on those Caritas serves. She will also work to find new grant opportunities and funding sources that can support those programs.
“When I think about my legacy and how to have a lasting impact, I want something to motivate me to get out of bed each day and that is exactly what I’ve found at Caritas,” said Williams. “I’m excited to work directly with the people benefitting from the amazing Caritas programs and the staff members who do the work on a daily basis. The experience and skills I gained working in higher education will help me as a leader. I am looking forward to being a voice for change, contributing to the conversation and advocating for the families we serve.”
Williams was formerly the Director of Grants and Federal Programs for the East St. Louis School District 189. She also held the position of Dean at Quincy University, Hampton University, Lock Haven University and Carroll College. She has also held leadership positions at University of Richmond, Southwestern University, University of Richmond, Washington University and Western Governors University.
She received her Master of Arts in Teaching at Webster University and her Ph.D. in Higher Education at St. Louis University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in African and Afro-American Studies at Washington University.
About Caritas Family Solutions
Founded in 1947, Caritas Family Solutions is a nonprofit social service agency whose mission is to strengthen the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families in order to create healthy relationships, loving homes, and strong communities. Services include adoption, pregnancy care for women who are homeless, foster care, counseling, residential treatment for children healing from abuse and/or neglect, independent living for adults with developmental disabilities (CILA), and assisted living and employment assistance for low-income seniors. Caritas serves more than 7,000 individuals annually across Southern Illinois from offices located in Belleville, Carterville, Mount Vernon, Olney, Glen Carbon, Alton, and Effingham as well as satellite locations in Highland and Sparta. For additional information, visit www.caritasfamilysolutions.org.
