Gerri Williams, EdD

Gerri brings a powerful combination of real-life experience, recruiting and search management expertise, and a dynamic leadership style to her work at CarterBaldwin. Since joining the firm in 2022, Gerri has played a pivotal role in advancing CarterBaldwin’s work across higher education and global nonprofit sectors. She brings a powerful combination of real-world education leadership, rigorous search and recruiting expertise, and a collaborative, values-driven leadership style to her work. 

Gerri began her career as a K-12 school administrator before pivoting to higher education, where she served in leadership positions in program implementation, admissions, and financial aid at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Our Lady of the Lake University, North Carolina Central University, Central Carolina Community College, and North Carolina State University.

Following her university service, Gerri founded an education consulting firm that provided program development and evaluation strategies, assessment tools, and grant writing services to colleges and universities, community colleges, K-12 school systems, and non-profit organizations. Over the course of her career, she has secured over $23M in federal, state, corporate, and foundation grant funding.

Prior to joining CarterBaldwin, Gerri worked at a regional executive search and leadership development firm focused on nonprofits and higher education clients. Gerri holds a BA in interdisciplinary studies (elementary education) and an MA in adult and higher education from the University of Texas at San Antonio and earned her EdD in educational leadership with a specialization in higher education from Lamar University.

Gerri and her husband of almost 30 years live in Durham, NC, and are the parents of a college-aged daughter. She values time with her family, particularly her large extended family, and spending time outdoors. Gerri also enjoys mentoring college students and young professionals.