Executive Director

Tamara C. Williams is a nonprofit founder, arts administrator, and veteran of the United States Air Force with a very personal mission: To always be in service to others in a way that uplifts. This mission is why she founded Music Beyond Measure (MBM) in 2013, to help trauma survivors use songwriting and performance to tell their stories. Prior to MBM, Ms. Williams volunteered with domestic violence and sexual assault organizations in the greater St. Louis area, serving as an advocate for the prevention of violence against women since 2005. With an educational background in Music (B.A. Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville 2009) and Jazz Studies (Masters, Michigan State University 2011), Ms. Williams has worked with numerous arts organizations (Jazz House Kids, Thurnauer School of Music) and universities (MSU Community Music School-Detroit, William Paterson University) to teach, manage, and facilitate arts programming in Michigan, NJ, NY, and now the DMV area. In 2012, Ms. Williams was recognized for her work as the recipient of the “Trailblazer in Arts and Culture” award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Bergen/Passaic NJ Chapter. In 2022, she was selected as the first Black woman to serve as Executive Director of the Washington Revels.