Meet Our Director Kalitha Williams

For over 20 years, Kalitha Williams has built a successful service-focused career advocating and elevating the voices of overlooked communities.  As a lifelong Buckeye, she was nurtured in the Driving Park neighborhood and is a proud graduate of Columbus City Schools.   

Kalitha began her distinguished career as a Fellow in the prestigious Ohio Legislative Service Commission Fellowship Program and has proven experience in advocacy, policy analysis, and leadership from her previous positions with the Ohio House of Representatives, the Columbus Urban League, Policy Matters Ohio and AARP.  As a sought-after expert on state and federal consumer protection policy issues,  Kalitha has been featured in print, radio, television and at conferences across the country.  Kalitha has many public policy achievements focused on ensuring Ohioans are protected from unscrupulous business and lending practices, have opportunities to build assets for long-term financial security, and expanding and ensuring access to healthcare .

Demonstrating authentic community service, Kalitha has had active roles as the founding Vice President of the Columbus Urban League Professionals, inaugural member for the Columbus Young Professionals Commission, founding steering committee member of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network, Political Action Committee Chair of the Ohio Conference of the NAACPs, the Ohio Attorney General Elder Abuse Commission, and the national board of the Consumer Federation of America.  For her leadership, she has been awarded with proclamations from the Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, and the Columbus Urban League. 

 A life-long learner, Kalitha has a bachelor’s degree from Denison University, a master’s degree in public administration from Central Michigan University, completed a fellowship in the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Policy and Political Leadership Institute and, regularly, offers workshops on policy and political advocacy.