Dr Oliver WilliamsOliver J. Williams, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community
Professor
School of Social Work
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN

Oliver J. Williams, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community, and a Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Minnesota, in St. Paul. He is also the Director of the Safe Return Initiative that addresses the issues of prisoner reentry and domestic violence. He has worked in the field of domestic violence for more than twenty-nine years. Dr. Williams has worked in battered women’s shelters, developed curricula for batterers’ intervention programs and facilitated counseling groups in these programs. He has provided training across the United States and abroad on research and service-delivery surrounding partner abuse. Dr. Williams’ extensive research and publications in scholarly journals and books have centered on creating service delivery strategies to reduce violent behavior. Dr. Williams received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Michigan State University; a Masters in Social Work from Western Michigan University; a Masters in Public Health and a PH.D in Social Work both from the University of Pittsburgh.


A selected list of Dr. Williams most recent honors include:   

2008 Received the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Pittsburgh ‘s School of Social Work honoring outstanding contributions in social work education.
2007 Received Key to the City of Long Beach for addressing Domestic Violence Among African Americans
2006 International media award winner “Telly Award” for the video Safe Return Initiative: Prisoner Re-entry and Domestic violence
2005 Award from the Family Advocacy Project City of Phoenix Arizona
2004 Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award from the University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN.
2002-2005 Appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women by the US Attorney General Department of Justice and US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Washington , DC .
2001 “Dare to Dream Award” by the sponsors of the International Conference on Children and Family Violence, London Ontario Canada
2001 Harmony Award from the State of Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Annual Conference in Battle Creek , MI
2001 Key to the City, Memphis TN. For Addressing Domestic Violence
2001 Acknowledged by the International Family Advocacy Programs by the US Air Force for addressing issues of Domestic Violence within the African American community
1999 Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington , DC for addressing issues of domestic violence within the African American community
1997 Received the Distinguished Service Award from the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence