|
ABOUT DR. WILLIAMS
With more than 25 years of experience in education, Dr. Williams joins New Hope from the esteemed Head Middle Magnet School of Mathematics and Science in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School District, where she has served as the Executive Principal for nine years. Head Middle Magnet School serves over 550 students in grades five through eight. Seventy-six percent of students identify as students of color and forty-five percent qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Dr. Williams is a visionary leader whose mission is to save lives, serve others, and lead people to a greater knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ.
With over two decades of experience as a secondary teacher and administrator, her strengths lie in teaching, mentoring, and empowering others in education and leadership. As an administrator, Dr. Williams worked collaboratively to lead two schools, Head Middle Magnet School and Nashville School of the Arts, to Tennessee Reward School Status.
Prior to her appointment to Head Magnet, she served as the Academic and Curriculum Principal at Glencliff High School and worked for seven years as the assistant principal for Nashville School of the Arts.
Dr. Williams is a seasoned leader in instructional strategies and professional learning communities. Capitalizing on her love for science and passion for education, Dr. Williams has participated in biomedical engineering research for educators at Vanderbilt University and has presented her own research on Building Teacher Capacity through Collaboration in a Professional Learning Community at the National Invitational Conference on Education and Learning. Williams is also certified by the National School Reform Faculty as a Critical Friends Group Coach.
In 2019, Dr. Williams launched Peace, Love & Pearls, a girls’ mentoring program designed to equip middle school girls with tools and coping strategies to help them succeed in work and life. In 2020, she launched Power, Strength and Purpose, a male mentoring program designed to help young men recognize their inner power, strength, and purpose.
Dr. Williams is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, where she leads the College Application Process Committee as chair. This allows her to mentor and support high school students through the college application process. Previously, she has served as the co-chair for Global Impact Committee and worked with organizations such as Catholic Charities of America and the Nashville International Center for Empowerment to help resettle refugee families.
As an active member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Dr. Williams advocates on behalf of black women and girls to influence policies that promote gender equity in health, education, and economic empowerment.
As evidence of her passion for strengthening communities, she is a member of the nonprofit organization Pearls of Promise and a former board member of the Kerr Foundation of Nashville, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to deserving students in Middle Tennessee. She wrote and received a community service grant to help families affected by the flood that shook Nashville in 2010. She is a volunteer with the Nashville Rescue Mission, Soles 4 Souls Coordinator, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation.
Dr. Williams holds a BS degree in Science and an MS degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Mississippi State University. She also holds an Ed.S. from Middle Tennessee State University in Administration and Supervision. Finally, Williams holds an Ed.D. from Trevecca Nazarene University in Educational Leadership and Professional Practice.
In addition to her deep faith, Dr. Williams brings a spirit of collaboration, problem solving, and authenticity to work every day. Her ability to offer perspective, focus, and creativity allows her to navigate and inspire change. Her extraordinary alignment with our mission makes her a uniquely exciting and qualified leader for New Hope “Growing Forward.”
ABOUT THE SEARCH PROCESS
The selection of Dr. Williams is the culmination of a comprehensive effort led by the Head of School Search Committee and search consultants from Carney Sandoe & Associates over the past six months.
During this process, the Search Committee reviewed dozens of dossiers from a deep and diverse pool of candidates from across the U.S. Virtual introductory meetings and telephone conversations were conducted with numerous candidates, from which the eight most promising were invited to interview with the full Search Committee.
Based on these in-depth interviews, four finalists were invited to campus in February for meetings with faculty, administration, and other constituent groups and further interviews with the Search Committee. During this phase, the Search Committee conducted an extensive reference checking process and collected feedback from NHA community members, which yielded further important input on each candidate.
At every stage, we were rigorous and prayerful in our due diligence. We are grateful to all who helped equip and guide our efforts during this critically important moment in the life of our beloved school.
QUOTES FROM DR. WILLIAMS AND NEW HOPE LEADERS
– “I am honored and humbled to join the New Hope Academy family as the Head of School and serve in a role where my passion for Christ, education, and leadership will help nurture and cultivate independent thinkers ready to grow, lead, and serve in an evolving and changing world. I am looking forward to working with the New Hope community and creating lasting memories for years to come!” - Dr. Tonja Williams, Incoming Head of School
– “God has continued to show his faithfulness at New Hope by providing an outstanding new Head of School with an incredible background. We are blessed to be looking forward to our next chapter and beyond with Dr. Williams. Dr. Williams’ experience in education positions New Hope for growing smarter, stronger, and together.” - Ronnie Williams, Chair, Board of Trustees
– “We are thrilled that God has called Dr. Williams to be our next Head of School at New Hope Academy. The core of this search was centered around us trusting God throughout this process. The goal was to find an extremely qualified educational leader who is strong in their faith and has a passion to live out our mission daily. We believe Dr. Williams is a rare and invaluable leader, right for our school and this moment! We are excited for her to lead us into our next season. Today less than 1% of independent schools are led by a woman of color. This is a historic appointment that embodies the mission of New Hope and elevates that mission to the national stage.” - D’Juan Epps, Chair, Head of School Search Committee
– “For the past year we have been praying for God’s leading in calling our next Head of School at New Hope Academy. When I met Dr. Williams during her visit to NHA, I was struck by her passion for educational leadership, her humble spirit, her delight in seeing our young children worship, and her thoughtful questions of me. God has called her to our school for such a time as this, and I give Him all the glory. I look forward to welcoming her on campus this summer to begin collaborating with her as she leads us forward.” - Cady Wilson, Interim Head of School
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Tonja L. Williams on being named New Hope Academy’s next Head of School. Likewise, please join us in thanking Cady Wilson for her extraordinary service and leadership over the past year. There will be opportunities this spring and summer to celebrate Mrs. Wilson and welcome Dr. Williams. In the months ahead, Dr. Williams, Mrs. Wilson, and the Transition Committee will work together toward a seamless transition, as we continue to build upon New Hope’s long history of being a Christ-centered school that educates children of diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds.
Sincerely,
Ronnie Williams, Chair, Board of Trustees
D’Juan Epps, Chair, Head of School Search Committee
Head of School Search Committee
D’Juan Epps – Chair, Head of School Search Committee, Trustee, and Parent
Ronnie Williams – Chair, Board of Trustees
Courtney Yezerski – Trustee, Parent and Alumni Parent
Allena Bell – Trustee and Alumni Parent
Brian Goodwin – Faculty and Alumni Parent
Kristin Henke – Alumni Parent
| 
