EMPA Alumnus Officially Seated on State Board of Education
From the EMPA classroom to the State Board table, James C. Williams is putting public administration into practice. A former student in the Executive Master of Public Administration program, Williams has been appointed to the New Jersey State Board of Education by Governor Phil Murphy, serving on the 13-member body responsible for adopting the administrative code that guides how education law is implemented across the state.
Williams’ appointment was first reported in December 2023 by NJ Spotlight News in a story by education and child welfare writer Hannah Gross examining the governor’s nominees to the State Board of Education. The article identified Williams among six nominees and outlined the professional backgrounds represented on the Board.
Following his completion of the Executive Master of Public Administration program, Williams has built a career at the intersection of public policy, education, and community engagement. He currently serves as a senior advisor with PHNX Development Partners, leading strategic partnerships and legislative engagement to advance affordable housing delivery across New Jersey. He is also an adjunct professor at Rutgers University–Camden and has held leadership roles in housing advocacy, workforce development, and social justice organizations throughout the region. His appointment reflects a throughline between his EMPA training and a decade of applied public-sector and nonprofit leadership.
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