Nicole Williams
President, CEO & Founder
Nicole Williams is a dynamic leader, scholar, and visionary dedicated to empowering Black Christian leaders across the African Diaspora. As the Founder, President, and CEO of Selah Seminary, Nicole is at the forefront of efforts to nurture a new generation of ministry leaders who are prepared to challenge the status quo and drive meaningful societal reformation.
Nicole's academic journey began with her undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where she majored in Sociology with a focus on education, national identity, and language policy. Her research, conducted in both English and French, explored the intersections between education and cultural identity, with a particular emphasis on how language policies shape national identity. This scholarly work laid the foundation for her deep understanding of the complexities involved in educational reform and the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy.
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Her commitment to education extended beyond the classroom. Nicole was an active student leader, mobilizing over 100 students in successful campaigns for culturally relevant pedagogical reform and teacher training. Her leadership in these initiatives demonstrated her early dedication to ensuring that educational systems meet the diverse needs of all students.
Nicole’s academic pursuits continued at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service, where she is currently a master’s student specializing in the Global Business, Finance & Society (GBFS) concentration. At Georgetown, she is focused on exploring how private sector initiatives can partner with public sector efforts to enhance the access, quality, and relevance of education in West Africa. Her research is particularly concerned with ensuring equity, scalability, and sustainability in both traditional and theological education, aligning with her broader goal of strengthening the region's educational infrastructure.
Nicole’s professional experience is as diverse as it is impactful. She served as an English teacher in Dakar, Senegal, where she co-developed an elementary English curriculum and gained firsthand experience in the challenges and opportunities of cross-cultural education. At Princeton Theological Seminary, she played a crucial role as an Advisor to the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network, funded by a $4 million Lilly Endowment grant. This role deepened her understanding of the intersection between traditional and theological education and informed her approach to leadership development at Selah Seminary.
Nicole’s ministerial career is characterized by a unique ecumenical approach, grounded in the African Methodist Episcopal Church's commitment to liberation theology and enriched by her experiences with conservative Charismatic evangelical movements. She has received extensive ministry training from leaders such as Lou Engle, David Kim, and Audrey Kim of ContendGlobal, and was honored as an alumnus of the School for Apostles and Prophets under Tomi Arayomi’s RIG Nation, where she refined her prophetic gifting.
For over a decade, Nicole served as a prophet at Bethel Church of Morristown, an African Methodist Episcopal Church congregation, where she led a wide range of ministry initiatives, including worship leading, preacher training, and the planting of healing, deliverance, and intercessory prayer ministries. Her innovative approach to worship, particularly in cultivating atmospheres of prophetic worship, earned her the Irene Bryant Spirit Award in 2022.
Looking to the future, Nicole is committed to expanding her work in field of development consulting, focusing on projects that drive educational reforms and innovations in West Africa. Her unique blend of academic rigor, ministerial experience, and strategic vision positions her to lead Selah Seminary in its mission to break down traditional barriers of generational, denominational, socioeconomic, and racial division within the church, fostering a future of holistic healing, spiritual empowerment, and societal reformation.
Nicole Williams’s leadership at Selah Seminary is marked by her unwavering dedication to excellence, inclusivity, and the empowerment of visionary leaders who are ready to make a transformative impact in both the church and society.
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