Former Hutchinson chief of staff Alison Williams joins Excel by Eight

Alison Williams, chief of staff for former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, has been hired by Excel by Eight as coalitions director.

Williams brings more than a decade of experience in the public and private sectors to Excel by Eight, a coalition of more than 30 partner organizations focused on increasing Arkansas children’s health and education outcomes.

Williams will build a coalition of business leaders who understand the economic impact that insufficient child care can have on employers and are committed to working together to address the issue, according to a news release.

“Alison brings first-hand knowledge and insight that will directly improve our capacity to continue to improve health and education outcomes for Arkansans,” Excel by Eight executive director Angela Duran said.

As former Gov. Hutchinson’s chief of staff from 2016-2023, Williams oversaw daily operations of all aspects of state government. In 2022, she led Hutchinson’s effort to encourage more states to increase awareness and access to computer science education.

She also led the Arkansas Women’s Commission, the first of its kind in the state in nearly 50 years. Williams is the founder of willco consulting, a graduate of the University of Arkansas, and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.