Skills
My self-propelling and problem-solving capacity enable me to utilize my passions, experiences, and knowledge as an instructional leader and equity warrior to transform institutions & organizations.
I utilize my professional judgment to make sound decisions in the best interest of students, staff, and families to establish actionable progressive steps.
My capacity to examine structures, policies, procedures, & locate gaps within organizations enables me to alter failing systems, identify the root causes of perpetual practices of oppression & underperformance, and implement systemic transformation.
My capacity to create sustainable systems, regardless of individuals, empowers organizations with the essential tools for succession planning and overall success.
The keen transformational leadership vision that I possess enables me to build collaborative teams, establish new leaders, ensure safe and high-quality classroom experiences for students through organizational strategies, reasonable schedules/timelines, and effective communication.
My in-depth knowledge of child development, the TSG Curriculum, IELDS, CCSS, & MTSS enables me to increase academic rigor, create, plan, and facilitate meaningful PD, and provide curriculum resources for educators, educational resources for parents, and comprehension strategies for students.
About
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Dr. Markenya L. Williams is a Chicagoan with great Southside pride. She has been an educator since 2005 and is an active member of the NAACP and NAN, a proud Board Member of the Illinois Principals Association (Kishwaukee Region) & Burst Into Books Inc. (Chicago). Dr. Williams is an Assistant Professor and one of the inaugural Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Faculty Fellows at Harper College. Furthermore, Dr. Williams has held multiple positions and titles throughout her career: teacher’s assistant, teacher, grade level team leader, private tutor, preschool site director, technology coordinator, Local School Council (LSC) member, PBIS coach, attendance team leader, MTSS co-coordinator, assistant principal, diversity & equity chairperson, consultant and much more.
Dr. Williams firmly believes that individuals from underrepresented and historically marginalized communities can succeed with adequate resources, experiences, and committed stakeholders who believe in high expectations, self-reflection, continuous self-improvement and institutional reconstruction . Her passion and commitment to public education have been the fuel for her success as a transformational leader. She believes all students deserve effective, highly qualified educators and committed leaders who believe in inclusion, equity, diversity and social justice.
Dr. Williams holds a doctorate in educational leadership from DePaul University (her research title was: "Chronic Absenteeism: The Problem, The Participants, The Panacea"), a master's in curriculum and instruction and a bachelor's in board of governors from Chicago State University and an associate's degree in early childhood education from Richard J. Daley College. Additionally, Dr. Williams holds valid Illinois Professional Educator Licenses in Early Childhood Education (Type 04) and General Administration (Type 75). Dr. Williams' additional research interests include: curriculum gaps in teacher education programs, the impact of equity-centered higher education leaders, racialized trauma and healing strategies and transformational diversity, equity and inclusion practices in higher education.