Anthony Williams
Fellow

Anthony Williams

Member Since 1969

Biography

Tony Williams, the former Mayor of Washington, D.C. (1999 – 2007), is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Federal City Council, an organization which serves as a catalyst for progress in the Nation’s Capital by focusing the creative and administrative talents of Washington’s business and professional leaders on major problems and opportunities that are facing the City. Prior to this he served as the Executive Director of the Global Government Practice at the Corporate Executive Board in Arlington, Virginia. He also serves as the William H. Bloomberg Lecturer in Public Management at the Harvard Kennedy School. In addition, he is a Senior Consultant to the firm McKenna Long and Aldridge, with particular emphasis on its municipal restructuring practice.

During his two terms as Mayor, he is widely credited with leading the comeback of Washington D.C., restoring the finances of our nation’s capital, and improving the performance of government agencies, all while lowering taxes and investing in infrastructure and human services. Before his election as Mayor, he was the independent Chief Financial Officer of the District from 1995 to 1998, working with and on behalf of local officials, the D.C. Financial Control Board, and the U.S. Congress.

Before his service in local Washington, Tony worked in a variety of positions in federal, state, and local government, including as the first CFO for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, appointed by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In addition to his work on company boards, Tony devotes his attention to issues of education and the environment, serving on the board of Fight for Children and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

History of Employment

Position Division Organization Start End
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Federal City Council 2012 Present
Director of State and Municipal Practice Arent Fox LLP Current
Chief Executive Officer Properties Realty Investment Trust, Inc. Current
Mayor Government of the District of Columbia 1999 2007
Chief Financial Officer Government of the District of Columbia Current
Chief Financial Officer U.S. Department of Agriculture Current
Deputy State Comptroller State of Connecticut Current
Executive Director Community Development Agency, St. Louis, Missouri Current
Assistant Director Boston Redevelopment Authority Current
Creator City Palooza 2017 Present
Contributing Writer CityLab 2017 Present
Senior Advisor King and Spalding LLC 2016 Present
Trustee National Geographic 2016 Present
Adjunct Professor/Senior Advisor to Ash Center on Democracy and Innovation in Government Kennedy School of Government Harvard University 2009 2012

Expertise

Primary Sector

Local
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