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Michelle Williams joined the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County as Executive Director on October 12, 2009. She served as Executive Director for the Arts Council Napa Valley (ACNV) in Napa, California, for five years. During that time ACNV reorganized into an umbrella agency for all of the arts in Napa County and had numerous achievements in the areas of programming and advocacy, including forming new partnerships to increase arts access for schoolchildren, dispersing over $100,000 in matching grants to schools for arts education, creating an Arts Marketing Committee that worked collectively to market local arts to Napa Valley visitors, and bringing new funders and foundations to join ACNV as major supporters.
Ms. Williams was named "2009 Nonprofit Employee of the Year" by the Napa Chamber Foundation and, under her guidance, Arts Council Napa was voted "Best Non-Profit" in Napa Valley by the North Bay Bohemian in 2008 and 2009.
After a move from New York City, Ms. Williams was drawn to arts administration by her love of the arts and her dedication to supporting her community. She has worked as an actor, singer, writer, EMT, disaster relief worker, and in wine and hospitality. Her mother, Linda Worsley, is a musician and composer, and her father, Richard Williams, is a symphony conductor; she and her four older brothers were raised in the arts.
Ms. Williams studied cello, piano, bass, and voice before focusing her talents on theater and writing. She graduated from Millikin University in 1995 with a BFA in Musical Theater, and has worked in theaters and recording studios across the U.S., as well as internationally.
Ms. Williams can be contacted at (831) 475-9600 x14, or at director@ccscc.org.
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