Reverend Neely Williams has over 25 years of experience working with communities impacted by social determinants of health such as HIV/AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse, and violence. She has extensive experience building community coalitions and connecting communities to resources. Currently, she serves as a patient representative on the Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network and consults with Vanderbilt University's Community Engagement Research Core on community engagement strategies.

1. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (LAST, FIRST, MIDDLE):
PEOPLE & PLACES
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NAME
Neely A. Williams, M. Div
POSITION TITLE
Independent Consultant, Network Administrator
eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login)
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, include postdoctoral training and
residency training if applicable.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
DEGREE
(if applicable)
MM/YY FIELD OF STUDY
American Institute of Banking, Nashville, TN AA 1981 Banking Certification
American Baptist College, Nashville TN BA 1994
Theology &
Sociology
Vanderbilt University Divinity School,
Nashville, TN
University of South Carolina Arnold School of
Public Health/CDC Institute
M.Div.
CT
1998
2001
Theological Studies &
Pastoral Counseling
Nonprofit Program
Design & Implementation
Lipscomb University, Nashville TN MA 2008 Conflict Management-IC
Argosy University, Nashville TN EdD 2015c
Community Pastoral
Counseling
A. Personal Statement
I have a lengthy experience in working with persons challenged with the social determinants of health. I worked
as the project coordinator and later the program director of the First Response Wellness Center at Metropolitan
Interdenominational Church in Nashville TN. The First Response Center provides primary care and other social
services for persons living with HIV/AIDS such as housing assistance, substance abuse and addiction
treatment, harm reduction, and mental health counseling, as well as services for the homeless population in
Nashville.
I began working in coalition building and community mobilization and organizing in 1998. I served as the
Administrator of the IMANI Coalition, Inc. established and operated from funding of a corporate agreement
through CDC. The coalition of 36 local service providers established a linked network of services (LNS) for
individuals living with HIV/AIDS, other Infectious Diseases, and Substance Abuse.
I worked as the community education director for a women of color domestic violence program, delivering
community education events through a weekly radio program and on-site trainings and prevention education
sessions to faith groups, church congregations and social/civil organizations.
I served as the Program Director of Interdenominational Ministers’ Fellowship (IMF) Peniel Initiative from 2003-
2011; a community-based resource center serving victims of crime, parents and students of the Metropolitan
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2. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (LAST, FIRST, MIDDLE):
Nashville Public School system and offers youth crime prevention strategies. Having served in this role, I have
developed a passion for building and strengthening relationships with community leaders and local service
providers and connecting the community with relevant resources.
I have served as the community liaison for the Nashville Urban Partnership, Academic Center of Excellence
(NU PACE) project at Meharry Medical College and Chair of the Nashville Community Coalition for Youth
Safety. In this role, I provided administrative support and carried out community mobilization and outreach
strategies in targeted communities. I strived to promote an academic and community partnership that
integrates prevention with community action.
I am currently the administrator of the Community Partner’s Network (CPN). The CPN is a network of
community experts with a broad range of experience in providing social services and management for non-
profit Faith-Based organizations. The mission of the CPN is to improve and increase delivery in the most
economically oppressed and highest crime areas of Metropolitan Davidson County.
I am also on the pastoral staff of New Unity Church, where I serve as the Pastor of Community Concerns for
the past three years. I have held pastoral positions with the Jefferson Missionary Baptist Church, Metropolitan
Interdenominational Church, and the Old Ship of Zion Church, which has spanned over 25 years of service to
Faith Congregations.
B. Positions and Honors
Positions and Employment
1976-2001 Associate Specialist, Nations Bank/Bank of America, Nashville, TN
1997-1999 Program Director and Coordinator of Frist Response Wellness Center, Metropolitan
Interdenominational Church, Nashville, TN
1999-2002 Program Director and Coalition Administrator, Imani Coalition, Inc., Nashville, TN
2002-2003 Violence and Sexual Assault Specialist, UJIMA House, Inc., Nashville, TN
2003-2011 Program Director, Interdenominational Ministers’ Fellowship Peniel Initiative, Nashville, TN
2006-present Community Liaison and Coalition Chair, IMF Peniel Staff assigned to NU PACE contract,
Nashville, TN
Honors and Awards
• 1996 Ruth Castleman Scholarship
• 1996 Gold Medal Olympic Hero, Community Service, Nations Bank
• 1994 Magna Cum Laude Graduate, American Baptist College
• 1994 Tennessee’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Academics
• 1994 Theta Alpha Epsilon Honor Society
• 1998 Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities
• 2002 The Ribbon Award (Working with Persons Impacted by HIV/AIDS)
• 2005 Nashville/Davidson County Award of Excellence, Chaplain, Criminal Justice Center
• 2006 Metropolitan Nashville Police Volunteer Chaplain, 2006
• 2008 Partners in the Struggle, “Big Momma” Award , (Working with Mothers of Gun Violence Victims)
• 2009 Community Leadership Award - United Brotherhood 2009
• 2010 The “Harvey” a Harvey Sperling award for Excellence in Community Leadership
• 2011 The Annual Human Relations Award – ONE Nashville
• 2012 Community Service Scholarship Award 2012 - Argosy University
• 2014 President’s Scholarship Award 2013 - Argosy University
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3. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (LAST, FIRST, MIDDLE):
C. Selected Peer-reviewed Publications and Presentations
Wilkins CH, Spofford M, Williams N, McKeever C, Allen S, Brown J, Opp J, Richmond A, Strelnick AH;
CTSA Consortium’s Community Engagement Key Function Committee Community Partners Integration
Workgroup. Community representatives' involvement in Clinical and Translational Science Awardee
activities. Clin Transl Sci. 2013 Aug;6(4):292-6.
Nation M, Collins L, Nixon C, Bess K, Rogers S, Williams N, Juarez P. A community-based participatory
approach to youth development and school climate change: the alignment enhanced services project.
Prog. Community Health Partnership 2010 Fall; 4(3):197-205.
Yvonne Joosten MPH1
, Tiffany Israel MSSW1
, Velma MurryPhD1
, Clare Sullivan MSN1
, Pam Hull PhD1
,
David Schlundt PhD1
, Neely Williams M.Div.2 ,
Barbara Clinton MSW3
, Elizabeth Williams PhD4
Mike
Hodge5
, David Padgett PhD4
, Consuelo Wilkins MD, MSCI1, 6
1
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2
Community Partners Network, 3
Public Health Consultant,
4
Tennessee State University,, 5
Neighborhoods Resource Center, 6
Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance,
“Growing Community Engaged Researchers.” Meharry -Vanderbilt Community Engaged Research
Core (CERC) Poster Presentation
Alaina P. Boyer, PhD1
; Alecia Fair, DrPH2
; Brett W. Poe, BS1;
Lisa Sherden, BSN3
; Rev. Neely Williams,
MDiv4
; Duane Smoot, MD3
; Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD,MSCI1,2,3
A Community-Engaged Approach to
Measuring Trust Among Underrepresented Groups
Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI; Yvonne A. Joosten, MPH; Tiffany L. Israel, MSSW; Neely A. Williams,
M.Div.; Leslie R. Boone, MPH; David G. Schlundt, PhD; Charles P. Mouton MD, MS Meharry-
Vanderbilt Alliance, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Meharry Medical College, Nashville,
Tennessee. Engaging Minority Participants in Research using Community Engagement Studios
Joosten YA, Israel TL, Williams NA, Boone LR, Schlundt DG, Mouton CP, Dittus RS, Bernard GR,
Wilkins CH. Community Engagement Studios: A Structured Approach to Obtaining Meaningful Input
from Stakeholders to Inform Research. Academic Medicine, in press, 2015.
Special Presentations
1997 Leader, Spiritual Enrichment Session: Preacher, Morning Devotionals, U.S. Conference on
AIDS, Miami Beach, FL
1998 Poster Presentation: “The Psycho-Social Effects: African Americans Living with HIV/AIDS.”
Master’s Thesis: “A Pastoral Response to Women in Crisis: The Women in Judges 19.” World
AIDS Conference, Geneva, Switzerland
1998 Roundtable Presentation: “Providing Services for the Psycho Services for the Psycho-Social
Effects of HIV/AIDS on African Americans.” Dallas, TX
1999 Institute Bible Study of Leader: AIDS and the Black Church, “Slaying the Giants—David and
Goliath Story.” U.S Conference on AIDS, Denver, CO
1999 Presentation: “A Call to Ministry: Bridging Interfaith Networks.” Women’s Conference on
HIV/AIDS, Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse, Belize City, Belize
2000 Presenter, Community Coalition Development Project, Community Assistance, Planning and
National Partnership Branch
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4. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (LAST, FIRST, MIDDLE):
2000 Presenter, “The Black Church and Human Sexuality.” Kelly Miller Smith Institute, Vanderbilt
University
2001 Presenter, “Best Practices” and “Coalition Building.” Centers for Disease Control and Balm in
Gilead, The Black Church HIV/AIDS Institute
2001 Presentation: From Passion to Capacity: Delivering Services in a Multicultural Environment
At Tuskegee University
2001 CDC/ASPH Institute Final Presentation 2001 Comprehensive Project Outcomes
*** September 11, 2001
2002 Instructor, “Program Evaluation,” CDC Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership
2003-06 Presentations for Community Awareness on Domestic Violence & Human trafficking
2005-10 Presentations on Youth Violence Prevention Strategies
Developed a Empowerment Curriculum from the OVC model for Training the Trainers on
Cultural Competency and Spiritual Sensitivity:
2008 Presented to MNPS Security Department
2009 Presented to Juvenile Court Staff
2011 Presented to State Juvenile Court Officers
2014 Curriculum Designer, Session moderator and presenter,
Bi-Annual Public Theology Conference, the Black Family in Public Theology from
a Womanist Perspective
D. Research Support
Ongoing Research Support:
2014-present
PCORI, Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network (CDRN)
Reverend Williams serves as the patient co-investigator for the Mid-South CDRN. In this capacity, she actively
participates in multiple aspects of the CDRN related to patient and stakeholder engagement. She has provided
specific input related to cohort development, surveying of key stakeholders, and development of the
stakeholder engagement board.
2008-present
NIH, Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA)– Vanderbilt University
Reverend Williams works as a consultant/advisor on the Vanderbilt University CTSA, an NIH-funded project:
Working with the Community Engagement Research Core (CERC) on a joint project with University North
Carolina UNC to establish and refine community member’s engagement models (i.e. Community Experts and
Studios) through a supplement award. She worked on training materials for community members and
researchers, developing a video presentation. She works on a curriculum development team to create a
training for how to establish research relationships and engage community members
Completed Research Support:
2005-2011
Nashville Urban Partnership Academic Center of Excellence
The Nashville Urban Partnership Academic Center of Excellence (NUPACE) was established in 2006 to
promote a partnership between academic institutions and communities to integrate prevention science and
community action to reduce violence among youth in Nashville, Tennessee. Reverend Williams provides
administrative support and carries out community mobilization and outreach strategies in the targeted
community. She works directly with the PI and Program Coordinator of the Meharry Medical College Nashville
Urban Partnership, Academic Center of Excellence (NU PACE) to promote an academic/community
partnership that integrates prevention science with community action in order to reduce violence among youth
PCORI People & Places – Broad PFAs (1-5) 4

5. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (LAST, FIRST, MIDDLE):
10-24 years of age in Nashville/Davidson County. The coalition/workgroup membership consists of University
professionals, service providers, and community members.
PCORI People & Places – Broad PFAs (1-5) 5

6. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (LAST, FIRST, MIDDLE):
10-24 years of age in Nashville/Davidson County. The coalition/workgroup membership consists of University
professionals, service providers, and community members.
PCORI People & Places – Broad PFAs (1-5) 5