Carlis V. Williams serves as the Southeast Regional Administrator for the Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families (ACF) based in Atlanta, Georgia.  The Southeast Region includes 8 states: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Mississippi and Florida.  Carlis provides executive leadership, coordination and direction for ACF human service programs that include Head Start, Child Welfare, Foster Care, Adoption, Child Care, Developmental Disabilities, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Child Support, and Runaway and Homeless Youth.  She also serves as the lead Regional Administrator for Healthy Marriage programs and is co-lead for the African American Healthy Marriage Initiative and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program.

Before assuming her present position, Ms. Williams served as the Executive Assistant to the Governor for Human Services in the State of Indiana.  She was the Governor's chief policy advisor in these areas and had responsibility for four major agencies: Family and Social Services Administration, the Governor's Council on Disabilities, the Governor's Council on Protection and Advocacy and the Governor's Council on Sports and Fitness.  Under her leadership, Indiana registered over 120,000 children during the first year of their Children’s Health Insurance Program, Hoosier Healthwise.  She has served as Deputy Director for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Family and Children, and was responsible for programs related to family resources: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Stamps, Medicaid, JOBS, Housing and Community Services, and lead responsibility for the design and implementation of welfare reform in the state.

Among her many attributes, Ms. Williams is the recipient of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service and the Hurricane Disaster Response Team; Georgia State University’s National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren prestigious award for untiring efforts in support of grandparent-headed families; Spelman College Innovation Award for the professional development of Head Start and Child Care Teachers in Region IV; Jackson State University College of Public Service School of Social Work Public Service Award; National Partnership for Community Leadership Judge David Gray Ross Award for Strengthening Families and Father Involvement in the Public Sector; Clark Atlanta University Dean’s Public Sector Award in recognition of her extraordinary achievements for the well-being of children and families in the southeast community. 

Ms. Williams is a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Master of Art Degrees in Social Psychology and Counseling and Guidance.  She is a mother and grandmother and loves reading, music and the theater.  If asked her philosophy of life, she will say, "Giving is better than receiving…if we all give, everyone wins!"