Drenda Williams is currently the Associate Director for Operations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In this role, she provides oversight of the agency's workforce operations, reporting, communications, operating budget, and the office of grants and financial management. As a USDA career employee of 30 years, she previously used her extensive leadership experience to serve as the NIFA Director of Civil Rights and at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in critical agency functions including Operations, Administrative Transformation, Farm Bill Programs, and Performance Targets.
Drenda started her career as one of the first USDA 1890 National Scholars at Lincoln University, where she obtained a B.S. in Agriculture as a Cum Laude graduate with an emphasis in Natural Resources as a first-generation college graduate. Ms. Williams is a graduate of the American University Key Executive Leadership Program and George Washington University Leadership Program and has received various notable awards such as the NRCS Chief’s Leadership, USDA Martin Luther King Drum Major for Service, USDA Organization of Professional Employees Unsung Hero, the Pearlie S. Reed Excellence in Conservation, the NIFA A.J. Dye Award, and Lincoln University Hall of Fame Class of 2023.