Bonita Williams

Dr. Bonita Williams provides national leadership for the Vulnerable Populations Program with emphasis on the coordination and integration of programs that address the needs of youth living with social, emotional, physical, developmental and mental vulnerabilities in relation to context, residence and demographics. The program includes providing leadership and management of the Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Grant Program.

Prior to NIFA, Bonita served as Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist with Virginia Tech, Youth at Risk Specialist with Lincoln University and as Family and Consumer Science and 4-H Agent with the North Carolina Extension Program. She received her Ph.D. in Career and Technical Education with a concentration in Educational Research and Evaluation from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received a Master of Science degree from North Carolina State University in Adult and Community College Education and her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science with a concentration in Textiles and Apparel from East Carolina University.

She is a member of the American Education Research Association and the National Association of Multicultural Education.