Angela Williams is the current Representative to the Colorado House of Representatives for House District 7. She is also the Agency Principal of the Angela Williams Insurance Agency Inc., an Allstate Insurance Company affiliate. Williams is an active community leader devoting her efforts towards: working families, small business growth; mentoring & leadership development; and ethnic, racial, & gender equality.
Political
Before becoming a State Representative, Angela Williams became involved as a volunteer on a number of campaigns, initiatives, and Democratic Party activities. She worked with her predecessor, former State Representative and Speaker of the House Terrence Carroll, on his re-election campaign. She also served on the State Finance Team for then Presidential Candidate Barack Obama. In campaigning against the “Right to Work” anti-union initiative and the vehicle impoundment initiative, which she publically called a “racial profiling” effort, she became more educated in public policy and helped ensure that both initiatives were defeated.
Williams became a Precinct Committee Person and graduated the National Organization of Black Elected Women Legislators Leadership Institute class in 2009. She graduated from the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class of 2008. In 2009, Williams announced her candidacy to replace term-limited Speaker Carroll as the State Representative for House District 7.
Williams was elected to the Colorado House of Representative in 2010 as a Democrat. Williams represents House District 7 which comprises the Northeast Denver neighborhoods of Green Valley Ranch, Montbello, Park Hill, Stapleton, Montclair, Hill Top, Crestmoor, and also includes Denver International Airport.
As a member of the Colorado House of Representative, she serves on the Economic & Business Committee, the Transportation Committee, and the House Services Committee.
In the 2011 session, Williams worked to protect children’s educational future by opposing legislation that would cut school breakfast subsidies, and successfully had the funds reinstated into the budget. She introduced amendments to re-direct a percentage of vendor fees to the education fund.
Due to the high foreclosure rate of her district, many of Williams’ efforts have been driven to also help home owners experiencing financial challenges. Williams sponsored a bill which continued the foreclosure deferment program. She was also the prime sponsor of the Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Program Bill. Although the Prevention Program bill failed to pass the Republican led chamber, Williams is determined to reintroduce the bill in the next session in order to help Denver families struggling during difficult economic periods.
With a strong business background and interest in small business development, Williams voted for bills which require the Department of State to implement password protected system for online business filings, and promote local entrepreneurship by forming Creative Districts. Her goal is to reduce red tape on small businesses and protect the health, safety and rights of Colorado workers.
Williams has also supported legislation to keep the state on the forefront of environmental issues through clean air, clean water, public health, and job creation through clean energy investments.
Williams has announced that she will seek re-election in 2012 for a second term of office. She is also currently the National Financial Secretary of NOBEL/Women, and serves on the NCSL Business & Economic Development Committee. She serves as the National Black Caucus of State Legislators/State of Colorado Chair and serves on the Board of the Colorado Women’s Legislative Caucus.
Awards
2011 Society of Black Engineers Award
2011 Colorado Association Institute – Legislator of the Year Award
2011 Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce – Wellington E Webb Political Award
2011 Alpha Kappa Alpha – Legislator Award
2010 Omega Psi Chi Fraternity, Inc., Eighth District – Citizen of the Year Award
2009 University of Colorado at Denver – Rosa Park’s Diversity Community Award
2009 Omega Psi Chi Fraternity, Inc. Chi Chi Chapter – Citizen of the Year Award
2009 National Council of Negro Women, Inc. – Business/Community Service Award
2009 Allstate Insurance Corporation – Corporate Responsibility Award
2008 Auraria Campus Black Women’s Network – Trail Blazer Award
Professional
Angela Williams is the Agency Principal of the Angela Williams Insurance Agency, Inc.. She founded the firm in October 2001.
Before starting her own business, Williams had a number of positions in the non-profit and corporate arenas. She was the Director of Personnel Services for the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver from 1988 – 1995. She transferred to Rhode Island and worked as the Director of Human Resources for the YMCA of Greater Providence. In 1997, she returned to Denver CO and worked her way up to being the Field Operations Manager for Qwest Communications. Her last position before opening her firm was with Cisco Systems as a Customer Advocacy Service & Support Manager.
Since her start as an entrepreneur, she has been very successful in meet her customer’s needs while reaching business development goals. She has received a number of awards and recognitions that include:
- 2009 President’s Conference
- 2009 5 Year Honor Ring Recognition
- 2006 Chairman’s Conference Recognition
- 2006 National Conference Recognition
- 2006 Honor Ring Recognition
- 2004 National Conference Recognition
- 2004 Honor Ring Recognition
- 2004 Triple Crown Recognition
- 2003 1st Quarter Line Leader AFS Production
- 2003 Allstate Bank Premium Deposits Recognition
- 2003 Honor Ring Recognition
- 2002 Agency S.T.A.R. Results
- 2002 Honor Ring Recognition
Williams holds a Colorado Insurance Producer License and a Series 6 Colorado Variable Producer License. She was recently voted as Colorado Biz top 100 Minority Business’s in Denver.
Community Service
Angela Williams was recently appointed by Mayor Michael Hancock to the Crime Prevention Control Commission.
Angela was recently appointed by the State Chair of the Democratic Party as Co-Chair of the Platform Committee.
Angela Williams is an active community leader. She was appointed by then Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to the Small Business Advisory Board.
Williams is a former Vice-Chair of the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She has also served the Board of Directors for the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Foundation, Stapleton United Neighbors, and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation. She is a member of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., the Far Northeast Neighborhood Association, and the A. Philip Randolph Institute.
As a co-founder of Chamber Connect, the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce leadership development program, she has been essential to the professional growth of dozens of Colorado’s future minority business leaders. Williams volunteers in charitable activities such as feeding homeless families and low-income seniors, as well as mentoring youth and personally developing young professionals.
Personal Life
Angela Williams was born on February 14, 1964 in Okmulgee, OK to Larnell Williams and Catherine Williams. She is the 5th child of 7. She is the proud mother of her son named Brandon.
Williams earned her Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Northeastern State University.
Williams is a resident in Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood. She enjoys biking, reading, and riding her horse Spider.
