Michelle Williams-Vaden

 Michelle Williams is the Deputy Director of the SEMI Foundation. Michelle is responsible for the organization’s storytelling and communications, resource generation, and working toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Foundation, within SEMI, and for the industry.   

Michelle’s diverse professional background includes working as a professional musician and performer, published writer, Emergency Medical Technician, emergency services responder in disaster relief, and in wine education. For the last 15 years, Michelle has served at the helm of nonprofit organizations dedicated to strengthening local communities and positively impacting policy and program development on regional, state-wide, and national levels. 

Most recently she served as Executive Director at Arts Council Santa Cruz County, where she led an institutional turnaround and oversaw systemic and programmatic overhauls to address equity, sustainability, and greater community impact. At the core of Michelle’s work is devotion to equitable and supportive workplace culture, and the cultivation and nurturing of powerful and successful cross-sector partnerships. 

Michelle recently relocated to Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband and two young sons, and where she is still getting used to looking for alligators on a daily basis.