Have you ever wondered what it takes to lead the largest charity in the world? Meet Angela F. Williams. She became the first Black woman and the first woman ever to lead United Way Worldwide, the biggest privately funded nonprofit organization on the planet. Her story is not just about one woman’s success. It is about courage, purpose, and a life built on helping others.
Let us take a closer look at who Angela Williams is, where she came from, and why her leadership matters to millions of people around the world.
Who Is Angela Williams?
Angela F. Williams is an American leader, lawyer, ordained minister, and nonprofit executive. In October 2021, she became the President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. This was a historic moment. In the organization’s 135 year history, no woman and no Black person had ever held this top position before her.
Under her leadership, United Way served 48 million people in over 1,100 communities across 35 countries. The organization receives about 45,000 calls for help every single day through its 211 helpline. Angela led all of this with more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors.
USA Today named her a 2025 Woman of the Year. Forbes put her on their 2021 list of Women Over 50 Creating Social Change at Scale. The NonProfit Times listed her in their Power and Influence Top 50 from 2022 to 2024. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and OpenAI’s Ethics Council.
Her Early Life: Growing Up in a Civil Rights Family
Angela’s story starts in South Carolina. She grew up as the daughter of civil rights activists. Her father was a Baptist preacher who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was also the head of the NAACP for South Carolina.
In 1957, her father wrote a letter to other pastors, asking them to be brave and stand up against injustice. That letter and those values shaped Angela’s entire life.
Growing up in this home, Angela learned three important lessons early on. First, community matters. Second, you must be strong even when things are hard. Third, one person can make a real difference by standing up for what is right.
These lessons stayed with her and guided every step of her career.
Her Career Before United Way
Angela’s path to United Way was long and full of important roles. Each one prepared her for the big job ahead.
Serving in the U.S. Air Force
After finishing law school at the University of Texas, Angela joined the U.S. Air Force. She served for more than six years as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). She was one of the few Black women to serve in JAG at that time. This experience taught her discipline, hard work, and leadership under pressure.
Working in Government and Law
Angela then moved into public service. She worked as Special Counsel for the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. In that role, she helped write the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. She also worked as a prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where she focused on the National Church Arson Task Force. Later, she became an Assistant United States Attorney.
Leading at YMCA of the USA
Angela spent 11 years at YMCA of the USA. She served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Administration Officer. She helped run operations for 2,700 YMCAs across the country. That experience gave her a deep understanding of how large nonprofit networks work.
Transforming Easterseals
Before United Way, Angela was the President and CEO of Easterseals. This organization is the nation’s leading nonprofit for disability services. She served 1.5 million clients, including veterans and seniors. During her time there, she gave the 100 year old organization a new brand and expanded its services. She was a strong voice for people living with disabilities.
What Angela Williams Did at United Way Worldwide
When Angela took charge of United Way in 2021, she had a clear vision. She wanted to transform the 135 year old organization for the modern world.
A Plan for the Future
Angela launched a plan called “United Way 2030.” This is a five year global plan to make United Way stronger and more connected to communities. Her focus was on three things: being a trusted community partner, understanding what people really need, and using data to show impact.
She also worked on making the United Way brand modern and fresh so it could meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Helping Communities in Crisis
One of Angela’s biggest tests came during natural disasters. In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the southeastern United States. United Way staff went into damaged areas, dodging fallen power lines and floodwater, to bring food and clothes to people in need.
United Way also organized a TV benefit show with Hollywood actors and musicians. Together, they raised about $11.2 million for hurricane relief. The 211 call center in North Carolina even changed its role to help find missing people at the request of the state government.
Then in January 2025, when fires broke out across Los Angeles, United Way’s 211 network helped thousands of people find emergency housing, money help, and community resources.
Angela said she was most proud of how her team cared for each other while also caring for the community. She called it being a good neighbor.
A $2 Billion Grant for Clean Energy
United Way Worldwide and four partner organizations received a $2 billion grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This seven year grant helps make homes in low income communities more energy efficient. It supports efforts to reduce pollution and lower energy costs for families who need it most.
Her Book: Navigating the Age of Chaos
In 2025, Angela co-wrote a book called “Navigating the Age of Chaos” with futurists Jamais Cascio and Bob Johansen. The book introduces a new way to understand the world we live in today. It uses a framework called BANI, which stands for Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible.
The book offers a guide for leaders who want to make sense of a world that feels unpredictable and fast moving. Angela used real examples from United Way’s work in communities around the world to show how people are already finding ways to handle chaos, even if they do not have a name for it.
One example from the book is about a United Way group in Australia that put canned food in little free library boxes so people could easily get food without traveling far. Angela called this a perfect example of taking a system that was not working and bending it into something new.
Angela Williams Steps Down: A Personal Choice
In December 2025, Angela announced she would retire from United Way Worldwide. Her reason was deeply personal. She had lost her father, and his last wish was for her to take care of her mother. Angela had been balancing the role of caregiver and CEO for several years, but she felt she could no longer do both.
She wrote to the United Way network that she stood at a “consequential moment” that many people would understand. She planned for the transition to happen in early 2026.
In January 2026, United Way named Rosie Allen-Herring as Interim President and CEO, starting February 2, 2026. The organization also began a search for a permanent leader.
Angela’s decision to step down showed the same values she had always lived by. She put family and purpose above everything else.
What We Can Learn from Angela Williams
Angela Williams’ story teaches us many things that we can use in our own lives.
Purpose matters more than titles. Angela did not chase job titles. She followed a purpose that started in her childhood home. Every role she took, from the Air Force to the Senate to United Way, was connected to serving others.
You can lead in many ways at the same time. Angela is a lawyer, a minister, and a nonprofit leader. She did not limit herself to one path. She used all of her skills together to create bigger impact.
Family is always important. Even at the height of her career, Angela chose to care for her mother. This reminds us that success is not just about work. It is also about the people we love.
Community is everything. Angela believed that when neighbors help neighbors, the whole world gets better. That is the idea behind everything she did at United Way.
Final Thoughts
Angela F. Williams made history. She broke barriers as the first Black woman to lead United Way Worldwide. She guided the organization through disasters, launched new plans for the future, wrote a book about leading through chaos, and showed what purpose driven leadership really looks like.
Her story is proof that one person, driven by strong values and a clear purpose, can touch the lives of millions.
If Angela Williams’ story inspires you, think about how you can serve your own community today. You do not need a big title to make a difference. Start small. Help a neighbor. Volunteer your time. That is exactly what United Way and Angela Williams have always been about.
