OCSA's Newest Addition: Introducing Dr. Williams

Jolie Benoit & Bella Chen

As the school year begins, new members are joining the OCSA team. A recent addition to the OCSA campus is Dr. Heather Williams, dean of student culture and supervision.

Growing up, Williams was raised by a single mother and moved around California. Following high school, she attended Long Beach City College, but shortly after, she chose to enter law enforcement as a state peace officer. Four to five years later, she decided to continue her education in hopes of pursuing a career with predictable hours to spend more time with her family. 

Williams recalled having a “fond memory of attending [her] grandmother’s classes” as a child. Her grandmother worked as a special education teacher, sparking Williams’ interest in education. She went to earn her bachelor’s degree in sociology from California State University, Dominguez Hills. After graduating, Williams began working as a special education teacher. She had never been in a classroom before, aside from the time she spent with her grandmother. Eventually, she earned her master’s degree in special education from CSUDH and later received her doctorate in educational leadership with a special education emphasis at Grand Canyon University in Arizona.

Today, Williams serves as OCSA’s dean of student culture and supervision. She highlighted that her previous position as a restorative practice specialist aligns closely with her current role. During her youth, Williams recalls never having a teacher to “lean on.” After frequently hearing her peers talk about the adults they could turn to, she realized she wanted to be that person for others. This experience shaped her strong focus on community and relationships. 

Williams described her position as a “balanced role…built on [a] foundation [of] relationships, mentoring, learning and growing.” Through events such as Freshman Retreat and Jumpstart, she works to enrich OCSA’s diverse and welcoming culture. On the supervision side of her role, she recognizes that mistakes are an inherent part of being human, but views them as opportunities to learn. She remarked, “We can learn more from our mistakes than we think.” Although past actions cannot be undone, she takes a humanistic approach to behavioral issues and encourages students to maintain a positive outlook for the future. By “looking at the whole person” when addressing behavioral concerns and reinforcing each student’s place within the community, she hopes to foster a positive and inclusive environment, rather than one that pushes members away. 

Williams’ first impression of OCSA actually happened a few days before the school year began at OCSA Jumpstart, an annual workshop for incoming students grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion activities. Reflecting on her experience, Williams revealed, “there wasn’t a day that went by that I wasn’t teary eyed … just watching everyone learning and growing.” She described feeling “so honored” to be a part of the Jumpstart program, specifically admiring its emphasis on relationship-building and community. 

Like many new members of the OCSA community, Williams faced a few bumps while adjusting to OCSA’s unique campus. After getting lost on campus she remembers texting Abbe Levine for help. Williams said Jumpstart gave her the opportunity “to have [her] own orientation of the campus.”

Outside of work, Williams enjoys spending time by the ocean, in nature and with animals. She also has a dog named Cookie!