Andreya M. Williams, Ph.D.

Strategist

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United StatesExecutive5-10 years

Open to New Opportunities

About

Home has always been fragile for people of color. Not by accident, but by design. Systemic displacement—redlining, urban renewal, exclusionary policies—has turned belonging into a privilege rather than a given. Cities recruit talent but don’t always know how to retain it. Universities celebrate diversity but don’t always create environments where students can thrive. Companies hire, but too often, they struggle to build cultures where employees feel invested and valued.  So the question isn’t just who arrives? The question is who stays?  And if they don’t—why? I don’t just create community—I study it. My dissertation, A Veneer of Progress, examined the gap between intent and impact—how well-meaning initiatives for Black college graduates can still fall short when belonging isn’t embedded into their foundation. It was a case study of what happens when inclusion is a goal rather than a framework—when access is granted, but support is missing. I’ve written about anti-racism in leadership learning, about how international students navigate exclusionary spaces, and about what it takes to make institutions more than just accessible—but livable, sustainable, and equitable. And I don’t just write about it. I build it. Tulsa has become my laboratory, my proving ground. With the George Kaiser Family Foundation, I built ecosystems of support—not just to recruit professionals of color, but to retain them. Through deep listening, data-driven strategy, and intentional programming, I helped reimagine what it means to choose Tulsa—not as a temporary opportunity, but as home. Through JPMorgan Chase, I helped turn relocation into investment. Transplants didn’t just move here—they became homeowners. They built equity, not just in their careers but in their communities. Because ownership—of space, of opportunity, of culture—is the foundation of belonging. Cities often focus on attracting talent. My work is about rooting it. Tulsa Remote generated over $563 million in direct employment income—a significant impact. But economic opportunity alone does not create community. People of color don’t just need jobs. They need a sense of place. They need a city where their contributions aren’t just welcomed, but expected. Through my consultancy, I piloted a B2B concierge-style initiative, bridging wellness and economic empowerment, curating spaces where connection leads to action and meaningful change. Because no one stays where they don’t feel valued. As DEI policies shift on corporate agendas, the need for sustainable frameworks becomes even more urgent. We must move from conversation to construction. I’ve designed an inaugural post-baccalaureate fellowship that added over 80 jobs to Tulsa’s economy. I spearheaded initiatives to reimagine how cities retain underrepresented talent. I organized community efforts that led to Tulsa’s first Black mayor. This isn’t just theory. It is lived. It is measured. It is felt. Research gives us the data. The hard numbers. The trends. The patterns that tell us where we’ve been and where we could go. Strategy gives us the blueprint. The framework. The structure. The intentional steps that take an idea from possibility to permanence. But storytelling—storytelling gives us the why. It is what cuts through pretense. It is what makes change not just necessary, but undeniable. Because at the end of the day, belonging is not just a feeling. It is a function of structure, of access, of equity. And as Dr. Maya Angelou said, people may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. And that is the legacy I am building.

Brands

JPMorgan Chase & Co.