Anthony Williams

Mayor Anthony A. Williams is a Senior Strategic Advisor and Independent Consultant for the Government Affairs practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. He focuses on providing government affairs services to public and private sector clients nationwide. Mayor Williams served as the fifth mayor of Washington, DC from 1999 to 2007. During his two terms, he was widely credited with leading the District’s financial comeback and improving the performance of its government agencies, all while lowering taxes and investing in infrastructure and human services. Prior to his election, he was the independent chief financial officer of the District, working with and on behalf of local officials, the DC Financial Control Board, and the U.S. Congress. Mayor Williams also worked in a variety of positions in federal, state, and local government, including serving as the first chief financial officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture under President Bill Clinton. Mayor Williams is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, former President of the National League of Cities and currently serves as Lecturer and faculty member in Public Management at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. In 2012, he was named chief executive officer and executive director of the DC Federal City Council. His extensive private sector experience includes serving as Executive Director of the Government Practice at the Corporate Executive Board, CEO of Primum Public Realty Trust and as director of the state and municipal finance and management practice at a law firm. In addition to his work on company boards, Mayor Williams devotes his attention to education and the environment, serving on the board of Fight for Children and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He holds numerous honorary degrees and awards, including Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year in 1997. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Mayor Williams is a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church and several social service organizations, including 100 Black Men, Leadership Washington, and the Washington Urban League.