Carme Williams joins WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK after almost three decades in corporate and non-profit leadership positions. Carme’s most recent experience has been in higher education advancement at Rice University, Houston Community College Foundation and Prairie View A&M University, where she served as Vice President of Development. With the firm, Carme served on the Suffolk University and Swarthmore College feasibility teams; interim vice president of advancement and alumni relations at Texas Lutheran University, and is currently serving as the interim vice president of development and alumni relations with Texas Southern University.

Carme worked at Rice University from 2005 to 2013, serving as a Regional Major Gifts Director of Development and School of Humanities Director of Development during the $1 billion Centennial Campaign. Carme managed three advisory boards while at Rice and helped create campaign collateral materials for the School of Humanities funding priorities.

During her time at Houston Community College Foundation, Carme secured a historic gift of $7.5 million for a new Fire Fighter Academy, increased the number of scholarships awarded three-fold and helped increase the foundation’s endowment by 20%. Under her leadership, the board of directors developed an intentional focus on securing resources for the Chancellor’s priorities.

In 2018, Carme was named Vice President of Development for Prairie View A&M University. The philanthropic revenue grew by 48% during her tenure at the university. Carme created the first Annual Report from the Office of Development, first comprehensive Donor Endowment Report and University Giving Societies. Also, under Carme’s leadership a comprehensive stewardship program was created.

Carme is an experienced leader in alumni relations, donor relations, principal and major gifts, stewardship programs, dean and faculty development, board development, and communications. Carme is an instructor at the Rice University Center for Nonprofit Leadership, where she is currently teaching a course titled Art of Fundraising – Advanced Principles and Practices: Strategic Planning and Fundraising. Carme is also an instructor for the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy’s Certificate of Fundraising Leadership in The Bush School at Texas A&M University.

Carme received a bachelor’s degree from the Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC and received her Certified Fundraising Executive certification in 2009. She served on the NC State University Wolfpack Women in Philanthropy Steering Committee as the inaugural Chair of the Philanthropy Committee and is a current member of the North Carolina State University Foundation Board. Carme is also a board member of the United Nations Houston Chapter, the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, the Charitable Planned Giving Council of Houston, and African American Development Officers (AADO).