Baton Rouge Community College has named Renita Ward Williams as its Vice Chancellor of Institutional Affairs and Strategic Planning. In this role, Ward Williams will lead compliance oversight, manage external legal affairs, and oversee human resources, governance, policy development, and institutional strategy for BRCC.
Ward Williams most recently served as Chief Compliance, Regulatory, and Legal Affairs Officer for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, a position she held since 2023.
“We are very proud to have Renita Ward Williams join our team,” BRCC Chancellor Willie E. Smith Sr. said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge to BRCC, in many different areas, from public administration and policy experience, to legal and compliance expertise. She will be a key member of my leadership team as we continue to advance BRCC and our mission to be the preferred talent provider for our region.”
Ward Williams is a veteran public administrator and nationally recognized technocrat
in the strategic management of public agencies, organizational transformation, and
complex policy navigation. With nearly 20 years of public service, she has consistently
driven improvements in efficiency, performance, and integrity across government operations.
A native of Natchitoches, Louisiana, Ward Williams is a proud graduate of the Louisiana
School for Math, Science, and the Arts and the Southern University Law Center.
She has held numerous senior leadership roles, including serving as Interim CEO and
COO of the Louisiana Office of Group Benefits, Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana Workforce
Commission (LWC), Assistant Secretary of the Office of Unemployment Insurance Administration
for the LWC, Chief Administrative Law Judge, Chief of Policy and Legislation, and
Senior Subject Matter Expert for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies
(NASWA).
Ward Williams’ leadership has produced measurable results: she led her teams to achieve
the #1 Higher Authority Appeals Division in the nation and the top-ranked Unemployment
Insurance Tax Operations in the country. She also conducted the ethics investigation
that resulted in the largest fine in Louisiana state history.
She is widely known for implementing processes that enhance employee engagement and
for launching initiatives that promote transparency in state government. She received
national recognition for pioneering a groundbreaking initiative to level the playing
field for employers in Louisiana.
Ward Williams has also served as Chair of both the Unemployment Insurance Interstate
Benefits Committee and the Unemployment Insurance Directors Committee, further demonstrating
her influence and expertise in national policy leadership.
She officially began her tenure at BRCC on Nov. 3.
