Stelfanie Williams

About Stelfanie

As vice president for community affairs, Stelfanie Williams guides Duke’s engagement efforts to advance the well-being of communities through education, health, housing, employment, and other community partnerships. She leads coordination with residents, leaders, local government, anchor institutions, nonprofits, campus members, and other stakeholders.

Previously, Williams was president of Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) and, in 2018, was named President of the Year by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges. She has served in the administration and on faculty at other institutions with a current adjunct assistant professor appointment in the College of Education at NC State University.

In addition, Williams has engaged in state and national initiatives, including appointments to the Governor’s Commission on a Sound, Basic Education, the American Association of Community Colleges’ Commission on Structured Pathways, and the myFutureNC Commission focused on educational attainment and has consulted for organizations including The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, the Thomas Lakin Institute, and the American Council on Education.

Williams also is a corporate director for the State Employees’ Credit Union, the second-largest credit union in the country, and NC IDEA, a private foundation focused on advancing entrepreneurship in NC. Among other civic commitments, she serves as transit chair for the Regional Transportation Alliance and is a board member for the Durham Public Schools Foundation, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, Made in Durham, NC State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation, North Carolina State University College of Education, and the Triangle Community Foundation.

Williams is a Duke alumna with a baccalaureate degree in public policy and Spanish, and she received a master’s degree in project management from Western Carolina University. She also holds a doctorate in education from North Carolina State University, where she was recognized with the I.E. Ready Distinguished Leadership Award in 2014 and honored as a Distinguished Alumna in 2019.