FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: January 15, 2026
CONTACT: Kirstin Snow, Communications Director, snow@pennpolicy.org
PENNSYLVANIA POLICY CENTER ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FELICITY A. WILLIAMS, ESQ.
Stier Steps Down; Williams Takes Reins to Organization for Prosperous & Just Commonwealth
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Policy Center (PPC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Felicity A. Williams, Esq. as the organization’s next executive director following a national search. Williams will begin her role on January 20, 2026, at the helm of the state’s leading progressive policy organization championing economic, racial, and gender justice; tax fairness; and policies that ensure working families can thrive. She will also serve as the executive director of PPC’s sister organization, Pennsylvanians Together in Action (PAT), the organization’s affiliated 501(c)(4).
Williams succeeds founding executive director Marc Stier, who will transition to an emeritus role with the organization. About his departure, Stier said, “Having gotten to know Felicity over the course of this process, I’m confident that PPC is in excellent hands. She has the perfect combination of attributes for this position: She is deeply committed to social justice and she’s an energetic and experienced leader in community organizing and public policy. I look forward to seeing how she builds on our work and then takes the organization in new directions.”
Williams assumes leadership at a consequential moment for Pennsylvania and the nation. As the Commonwealth prepares for pivotal elections in 2026 that will determine control of the Governor’s Office, the General Assembly, and the U.S. House of Representatives, PPC and PAT play a critical role in shaping the policy debates and organizing efforts that will shape the state’s future.
“This is a defining moment for Pennsylvania and for our country,” said Williams. “We are being called to lead with courage and clarity as we work to build a truly multiracial democracy and a Commonwealth that works for all. I am honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time and look forward to organizing with Pennsylvanians across the state to build power, advance economic justice, and strengthen our democracy.”
Williams brings a distinguished record of leadership at the intersection of public policy, organizing, and racial and economic justice. She most recently served as deputy chief of staff for the City of Pittsburgh, where she was the first Black woman and the youngest person to hold the role. In city government, she worked across policy development, implementation, and public accountability, overseeing portfolios spanning communications, workforce development, intergovernmental affairs, youth and education, neighborhood services, business diversity, and immigrant and refugee affairs.
Throughout her career, Williams has partnered with state and federal officials, regional institutions, and philanthropic leaders to advance policy alignment, secure resources, and coordinate cross-jurisdictional solutions. She has translated community priorities into policy outcomes, built durable coalitions across sectors, and advanced reforms that center those historically excluded from decision-making.
As executive director, Williams will guide PPC and PAT through their next phase of growth, strengthening strategic campaigns, expanding fundraising capacity, deepening partnerships across Pennsylvania, and continuing to position the organizations as trusted resources and partners.
PPC and PAT occupy a unique place in the Commonwealth’s progressive ecosystem, sitting at the nexus of research, policy, advocacy, and organizing. Williams will join an experienced and deeply committed team whose work has positioned the organizations as trusted leaders advancing shared prosperity, economic justice, and a vibrant democracy for all Pennsylvanians. More information about the Pennsylvania Policy Center is available at www.pennpolicy.org. To view Williams’s full bio, click on her image on our Meet Our Team page.
Pennsylvania Policy Center addresses a range of pressing issues through innovative public policy initiatives aimed at fostering equity, sustainability, and the ability of all Pennsylvanians to thrive. Its campaign arm, Pennsylvanians Together, advocates for tax and economic justice for our Commonwealth.
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