Crystal Watkins Williams

Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs at the School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University

Crystal Watkins Williams is a higher education leader who currently serves as the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs at the School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University. With a rich background in educational administration spanning K-12 and postsecondary institutions, Crystal is a voice for the transformational power of education at all stages of life.

Throughout her career, Crystal has developed and spearheaded initiatives to enhance academic policy and curriculum, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and promote diversity and inclusion within the academic community. Her vision and ability to inspire and sustain a culture of scalable and ongoing positive change have underpinned the success of the various units she’s served. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Crystal serves the higher education community by acting as peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Crystal has served as a volunteer grant reviewer for CFAAC’s Women and Girls Fund, Lance Corporal Eric Herzberg, USMC and Lance Corporal William Taylor Wild, IV, USMC Scholarship Fund, and the Fund for Anne Arundel.

An Annapolis native, Crystal's passion for education was ignited early in life by the dedicated teachers of the Anne Arundel County Public School System and The Key School. She earned a B.A. from the University of Virginia with a double major in English Language and Literature and African-American and African Studies. Her belief in the importance of access to higher education led her to pursue a Master’s in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies from the University of Maryland. Crystal is currently a doctoral student in the Higher Education Leadership for Changing Populations at Notre Dame of Maryland University.