Williams Advisory & Consulting Group
Governance strategist and former General Counsel helping leaders navigate crises, recover with strength, and build resilient systems.
Clarity for Complex Leadership
You’re in a high-stakes leadership role, and the demands never stop. You are responsible for governance, compliance, and making tough decisions under scrutiny — but too often, you don’t have the right partner to help you think it through. I understand. More than a lawyer, I’m a governance strategist who has led through high-stakes decisions. I help leaders navigate crises, recover with strength, and build stability, confidence, and resilience in challenging times.
Stephanie P. Williams, Esq.
Stephanie P. Williams, Esq. is a seasoned legal and governance professional with more than 20 years of experience advising large, complex organizations at the intersection of law, leadership, and public service.
As General Counsel for Montgomery County Public Schools—one of the largest school districts in the nation—Stephanie led a 15-member legal team, advised both the Superintendent and an elected Board, and built stronger systems for governance, compliance, and enterprise risk management in a $3.6 billion enterprise serving 155,000 students and 25,000 employees.
Stephanie’s leadership extended beyond the legal office. As a member of the executive cabinet under four different superintendents, she was at the table where decisions were made on fiscal strategy, capital planning, HR, operations, and districtwide strategic direction. She has overseen responses to high-profile federal inquiries, including investigations by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and a complex Title VII investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. She also guided the district through a major employee embezzlement investigation and recovery effort, as well as landmark litigation on student and parental rights that ultimately rose to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Widely recognized for her ability to bring order to complexity, Stephanie transforms governance challenges into practical solutions and strengthens trust between leaders and their communities. Through Williams Advisory & Consulting Group, she partners with General Counsels, Superintendents, Boards, and senior executives to provide strategic advisory services, coaching, and training.
Stephanie earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and has invested deeply in her own professional growth. She is a member of “Women Leading Ed” and has completed multiple education, policy, and leadership development programs, including the Education Policy Fellowship Program with the Institute for Educational Leadership, The Forum for Educational Leadership, Leadership Montgomery, and Leadership Prince George’s.
She is also the Founder of the James E. Proctor Jr. Forum on Education and Leadership at Bowie State University, created in honor of her father, reflecting her commitment to civic and community leadership. Beyond her professional roles, Stephanie enjoys travel, wellness, and family time with her husband and two sons.
Services
Governance & Strategic Advisory
Crisis Advisory & Recovery Support – Immediate, on-call guidance to help leaders move from crisis to stability with sustainable systems that prevent recurrence. Areas of expertise include regulatory investigations, fiscal improprieties, personnel misconduct, complex stakeholder engagement, equity lapses, compliance failures, and other high-profile challenges. Clients benefit not only from my experience but also from a network of trusted subject-matter experts who can be mobilized quickly.
Governance, Compliance & Accountability – Longer-term strategic support for designing and implementing core governance policies that promote equity, are compliant, and work in practice while minimizing legal or political pitfalls. Support includes audit and investigation readiness (OCR, DOJ, and other reviews), strengthening internal controls across finance, procurement, governance, and guiding Title VI, VII, and IX investigations through strategy, documentation, and collaboration with oversight agencies.
The goal: resilient systems that reduce risk and strengthen organizational trust.
Training & Workshops
Training & Workshops – Interactive retreats and workshops designed to strengthen governance, decision-making, compliance, and equity practices. Offerings include board and leadership retreats, staff training on risk and regulatory obligations, custom content for new or transitioning leadership teams, and development of compliance frameworks (Title VI, VII, IX, equity, and civil rights) with staff training to ensure consistent implementation and audit readiness.
Engagement Models
Crisis Readiness & Investigations – Intensive support for leaders navigating high-stakes crises or compliance events.
Leadership Transition Coaching – Tiered 3- or 6-month packages tailored to executives stepping into new roles.
Governance Retreats & Training – Flat-fee workshops and retreats for boards, leadership teams, and staff.
Leadership & Executive Coaching
Executive & Transition Coaching – One-on-one or small-group coaching that blends executive leadership development with governance and compliance expertise — a rare niche that equips leaders to manage both people and regulatory risk. Includes structured support for leaders in transition, such as the first 90-day onboarding, cabinet alignment, and embedding governance practices into team culture.
Let’s Start the Conversation
Whether you’re navigating a crisis, stepping into a new leadership role, or strengthening governance systems, Williams Advisory & Consulting Group is here to help.